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Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


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Everyone knows that Jake will not 'revive' his game with a short stay in Utica. I suspect Benning was trying to send a message to the kid about not taking for granted what he has in the Canuck roster. He is 20 years old and contrary to many he is not washed up. If it is about work ethic then he can be sent back down again. It was only last year that Green sat out Gaunce for not showing enough drive. Gaunce came back and his game changed right away. I prefer that Virtanen spends at least 20 - 30 games in Utica this year but then I am just a fan. :wacko:

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5 minutes ago, The 5th Line said:

They sent him down to see if giving him more minutes would really make a difference.  Willie is in a tough situation having to win games and develop young players at the same time.

I think too many of us want to rush JV.  He's two years younger than Stecher, and three younger than Hutton.  I just fail to see why he doesn't just stay in Utica until he's more mature as a player, and as a man.

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The curious case of why GMJB doesn't keep Virtanen with Utica. I think it boils down to impatience. What have we heard all summer was the type of player JB wanted? A big tough 20 goal scoring winger. Funny enough we have one of those in Virtanen but he's still developing and not ready to assume that role.

 

Now, you could argue that he hasn't been given the opportunity to earn that role due to how WD handles Jake's minutes and linemates but we all know WD likes to have players earn their spots. Look how long it took Baertschi to earn his 2nd line spot. He had to show WD that he would give 100% every shift AND be very good defensively. Baertschi had to do that over the course of a full season in order to have the leash loosened.  

 

I think JB, WD, and Virtanen need to have a meeting together and hammer this out. Have JB explain to WD the role he wants Virtanen to play with the big club (top 6 winger) and have WD explain to Virtanen what he needs to do consistently in order to keep that top 6 spot. I would assume they've already had this conversation but it really feels like they aren't on the same page so who knows. 

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13 hours ago, Wonder__Bread said:

The curious case of why GMJB doesn't keep Virtanen with Utica. I think it boils down to impatience. What have we heard all summer was the type of player JB wanted? A big tough 20 goal scoring winger. Funny enough we have one of those in Virtanen but he's still developing and not ready to assume that role.

 

Now, you could argue that he hasn't been given the opportunity to earn that role due to how WD handles Jake's minutes and linemates but we all know WD likes to have players earn their spots. Look how long it took Baertschi to earn his 2nd line spot. He had to show WD that he would give 100% every shift AND be very good defensively. Baertschi had to do that over the course of a full season in order to have the leash loosened.  

 

I think JB, WD, and Virtanen need to have a meeting together and hammer this out. Have JB explain to WD the role he wants Virtanen to play with the big club (top 6 winger) and have WD explain to Virtanen what he needs to do consistently in order to keep that top 6 spot. I would assume they've already had this conversation but it really feels like they aren't on the same page so who knows. 

Know doubt in my mind that meeting has already taken place. The issue is development time and where the best place for that to happen. Another aspect is Virtanen's size in a forward group that needs it badly. As the d-core asserts their physical play more and more it might become less important to pressure JV and he ends up in Utica. IMHO he should be in Utica for at least a month or two.

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4 hours ago, Boudrias said:

Know doubt in my mind that meeting has already taken place. The issue is development time and where the best place for that to happen. Another aspect is Virtanen's size in a forward group that needs it badly. As the d-core asserts their physical play more and more it might become less important to pressure JV and he ends up in Utica. IMHO he should be in Utica for at least a month or two.

Yeah I completely agree with you. We're just making the same mistake with Virtanen that we saw Edmonton make on many occasions. We have a great need for a player like Jake right now, so we force him into the team hoping he grows into the spot.

 

I strongly believe in sending Jake to Utica for as long as it takes for him to dominate. Make him hungry for that NHL spot by taking it away from him. Only call him back up whe he shows consistency at the AHL level over the course of a season. If I were JB, Virtanen would be in Utica all year no matter how well he does.

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Hopefully lesson learned for Jake. I caught most of the 2 games he played in Utica and the 1st game he looked like the player who the Canucks were disappointed with. The 2nd game he looked like the player that came back from the WJC last year. It is a bit disappointing to see that he needs to learn this lesson at all, but it is a privilege to be playing in the NHL and he can't take it for granted.

 

The 1st game he was waiting for the play to come to him, the way we have seen this year with the Canucks. The 2nd game he was clearly the fastest player on the ice and he forced his way onto the puck and really made things happen. He recorded 6 shots on goal, but he took as many as 12 shots toward the net. I watched the Jake and Willie practice interviews and it looks as though the message was received and we should see that player the next time he steps on the ice in a Canucks uniform. There's no excuses for Jake to play any other way than balls out every game for the rest of his career. If he doesn't then Utica could always use another power forward.

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everyone always talks about the Detroit model. but the owners don't have the patience of a Detroit model. we are ruining and witnessing Jakes development as we speak. he will be an NHL player. but in a bottom six role. well done Francesco. if they could give worse owner. Acquilini would win it. we will never win Lord Stanley. or if we did. everyone posting here would be dead already. 108 years of curses here we come. 

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I picked out the paragraph below from todays Province Sports for a couple of reasons.

 

  1. It shows the side of the Virt Plan that people seem to gloss over, which is that the coaches are trying to instill habits that will help Jake for the rest of his career. I like that the coaches are not handing him a roster spot. Notice any improved team play towards the end of the road trip after Jake was sent down? Coincidence?
  2. My worry is that when you read Jakes' comments, he still seems to be having issues understanding what is being asked of him, day in and day out, and not just on some shifts. The message from the coaches seems to be pretty clear in terms of needing a consistent work ethic from him every day. The fact that he still doesn't know what the plan is for him is disconcerting. And this is why I'm convinced he needs to be in Utica for a long spell. To get rid of this sense of entitlement and learn how to earn your spot everyday. Personal talks with guys like Burr and the twins aren't sinking in and only go so far. He needs to learn the lesson by going through it in Utica.

 

Anyhoot, enjoy:

 

Willie Desjardins likes certain parts of Virtanen’s game — size, skating and hitting — but consistently references inconsistencies in the sixth overall 2014 draft pick.

 

The coach liked how hard Virtanen practised Monday — and that’s a broad hint of what’s missing — but he wasn’t in the four-line mix. Virtanen won’t play Tuesday against the New York Rangers. Maybe Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes or Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Or, maybe next week. Or not.

 

So, again, what is the plan?

 

“I don’t know yet,” said Virtanen. “I don’t know exactly what he (Desjardins) sees in his mind — but you have to be good every shift. I think that’s what he means. It’s stuff without the puck. It’s moving my feet, and that’s the one thing I learned in Utica.

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11 minutes ago, MJDDawg said:

I picked out the paragraph below from todays Province Sports for a couple of reasons.

 

  1. It shows the side of the Virt Plan that people seem to gloss over, which is that the coaches are trying to instill habits that will help Jake for the rest of his career. I like that the coaches are not handing him a roster spot. Notice any improved team play towards the end of the road trip after Jake was sent down? Coincidence?
  2. My worry is that when you read Jakes' comments, he still seems to be having issues understanding what is being asked of him, day in and day out, and not just on some shifts. The message from the coaches seems to be pretty clear in terms of needing a consistent work ethic from him every day. The fact that he still doesn't know what the plan is for him is disconcerting. And this is why I'm convinced he needs to be in Utica for a long spell. To get rid of this sense of entitlement and learn how to earn your spot everyday. Personal talks with guys like Burr and the twins aren't sinking in and only go so far. He needs to learn the lesson by going through it in Utica.

 

Anyhoot, enjoy:

 

Willie Desjardins likes certain parts of Virtanen’s game — size, skating and hitting — but consistently references inconsistencies in the sixth overall 2014 draft pick.

 

The coach liked how hard Virtanen practised Monday — and that’s a broad hint of what’s missing — but he wasn’t in the four-line mix. Virtanen won’t play Tuesday against the New York Rangers. Maybe Thursday against the Arizona Coyotes or Saturday against the Chicago Blackhawks. Or, maybe next week. Or not.

 

So, again, what is the plan?

 

“I don’t know yet,” said Virtanen. “I don’t know exactly what he (Desjardins) sees in his mind — but you have to be good every shift. I think that’s what he means. It’s stuff without the puck. It’s moving my feet, and that’s the one thing I learned in Utica.

 

Message to JV:

It's really hard to keep posture and move your feet (Jake) when you're gassed after 20 seconds.  The coaches want you IN SHAPE, which (clearly) you're not.  

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12 minutes ago, Tre Mac said:

Nitpicking here but it's comments like this that really show how dumb this kid can be at times.

 

Yup. I guess this was the point of the post.

 

Don't know how much clearer the coaches can make it for him.

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15 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I get everyone's disappointed in his apparent lack of progress (or understanding) but he's a 20 year old pro athlete. 

 

The kid is still super green and unfortunately, not all 20 year olds are Bo Horvat-mature. Give him a few years.

I like to believe a lot of the more rational posters around here are well aware of that, and are more concerned with where he spends his next few years as opposed to his actual age. He's clearly overwhelmed here. 

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35 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I get everyone's disappointed in his apparent lack of progress (or understanding) but he's a 20 year old pro athlete. 

 

The kid is still super green and unfortunately, not all 20 year olds are Bo Horvat-mature. Give him a few years.

He was spoonfed last year, and he's paying for it this year. Players of his type take longer to develop and the Nylanders and Ehlers of the world, but in the long run can be more effective. I think he'll get it eventually, but the Canucks aren't helping him in that regard

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