Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[BlackBeard]

2 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

In hindsight the fans drafted Jagr, Sakic, Neidermeyer, Brodeur, Ehlers, Tkachuk, Kopitar, BureKarlsson, Keith, Weber and somehow managed to get Gretzky too.

 

But then there's a reason that these are fans and not GMs/Scouts or people with anything to do with a hockey team because outside of a forum I see a lot of these people drinking their soup through a straw

Filthy stupid that our fans had the better choice during that 2014 1st round draft than somebody who is a GM/scout and does it for a living.  

[Zhukini]

22 minutes ago, BlackBeard said:

Filthy stupid that our fans had the better choice during that 2014 1st round draft than somebody who is a GM/scout and does it for a living.  

We'd also have Nichushkin instead of Horvat if that were the case for 2013 as well

[aGENT]

7 hours ago, funkyfresh said:

They are totally different players. I followed Virtanen pretty extensively in junior and I can tell you, him and Hansen are nothing alike. Virtanen likes to wait and pounce whereas Hansen constantly attacks the puck. The coasting isn't a conditioning problem; he has always been a coaster.

 

Hansen is an excellent defensive player, as well, who is relied upon to play hard minutes. Virtanen is a player who was benched multiple times, in junior, when the game was on the line. What you want is for Virtanen to completely change the way he approaches the game. Virtanen can still become a decent player but to expect him to somehow magically become a tenacious forechecker with an excellent defensive game is just unrealistic. 

 

That would be the 'coasting' I was referring to. He needs to learn to push and attack instead of the coasting he could get away with in junior. 

 

He's not alone there. A LOT of kids have that issue coming out of junior. And that's why he's presently in Utica and not in Vancouver. 

 

I wasn't so much referring to Hansen's 2 way game, I doubt Virtanen gets to Hansen's elite level of 2 way/defensive play but as his ability to attack and push improves, so will his 2 way play. 

 

That's not changing the way he plays, it's becoming an NHL'er.

[aGENT]

56 minutes ago, BlackBeard said:

Filthy stupid that our fans had the better choice during that 2014 1st round draft than somebody who is a GM/scout and does it for a living.  

 

33 minutes ago, Zhukini said:

We'd also have Nichushkin instead of Horvat if that were the case for 2013 as well

 

It's also far from a closed case. 

[DeNiro]

The only thing that's keeping me positive about his numbers is looking at Ryan Kesler's numbers in his first 30 games.

 

Although Kesler was a year younger and had a much more refined game.

[Down by the River]

3 hours ago, Hugor Hill said:

 

The market wanted and needed a power forward who skates and hits hard and can shoot the puck, and Virtanen is right handed to boot.

It would've been hard to resist all that and draft Nylander, another smallish Swede.

Remember Jake last year drilling Mike Knuble into the boards and beating the crap out of Filip Forsberg for playing enforcer? That's why we drafted him. We need him to do THAT, and score reasonable amount of goals.

 

 

 

Nylander is not small. He is only small the way Bure and Crosby are small...

 

He was easily the most physically impressive player at the draft combine. People trashed Nylander because he looks androgynous. The reality is that he was entering the NHL more physically ready than most.

[Miles Mayhem]

Ok cool, we drafted him and unless someone can travel through time and convince JB otherwise, crying about drafting him is a complete waste of time. 

 

How is he doing in Utica? Does anyone actually know? 

[Tystick]

I'm probably the only one still saying this, but have patience with Jake.

Sure he's not lighting it up in the NHL right now, but give him some time with Green. Most of his skills are NHL ready. 

IMO, he doesn't really need to develop anything other than his timing and drive (Green will take care of this).

He's worth the wait IMO, and there's no rush.

Give him a season or two in the AHL (if it even takes that long) and he'll return much better.

[The Big Luongo]

20 minutes ago, DeNiro said:

The only thing that's keeping me positive about his numbers is looking at Ryan Kesler's numbers in his first 30 games.

 

Although Kesler was a year younger and had a much more refined game.

What keeps me positive is the fact that when he played with the Canucks last season using his skill, speed and size and was driving to the net and imposing himself in scrums he was one of the best Canuck players and I haven't lost any faith in him whatsoever.

 

Seems fans are always so paranoid we're drafting busts Virtanen imo is definitely not one if them.

 

At worst he'll be a Hansen type player not as defensive but with the same great speed, very good forecheck, a much heavier hitter, better net front presense, more powerful shot, better one on one skill and a guy who will protect teammates fight and intimidate opponents and unique in the fact we'll have nobody else like him.

 

He'll come around its just a matter of time and when he does look out we'll have a real imposing force on the top lines and more importantly a player who can play and excel in playoff hockey instead of disappearing like other soft players who are producing more now.

Edited January 8, 2017 by The Big Luongo

[J-Dizzle]

Remember when Niederreiter was a bust?

[Zhukini]

57 minutes ago, Tystick said:

I'm probably the only one still saying this, but have patience with Jake.

Sure he's not lighting it up in the NHL right now, but give him some time with Green. Most of his skills are NHL ready. 

IMO, he doesn't really need to develop anything other than his timing and drive (Green will take care of this).

He's worth the wait IMO, and there's no rush.

Give him a season or two in the AHL (if it even takes that long) and he'll return much better.

Really? If anything this season has shown most of his skills aren't AHL ready, not NHL

[canucklehead44]

40 minutes ago, J-Dizzle said:

Remember when Niederreiter was a bust?

He had a terrible rookie season in the NHL, but Jake hasn't played well in three difference leagues since being drafted. 

- Niederreiter scored 5 more goals in 10 less games in his +1 draft WHL season. Jake scored 24 less goals in 21 less games. 
- Niederreiter scored 31 goals over his first 80 AHL games. Jake has scored 4 over his first 34. On pace for 9 over 80 games. 

It isn't so much Jake's lack of offense at the NHL level that is alarming - that is kind of expected. It is the fact his junior numbers dropped (blame the injury) and he isn't scoring in the AHL (blame his teammates). Also 2/3 forwards (Connolly & Burmistrov) drafted after Niederreiter are busts. Skinner was a solid pick but Ehlers is already producing more and Nylander is close. 

It is too early to write off Jake, but there is some cause for concern. 

[Alflives]

11 minutes ago, canucklehead44 said:

He had a terrible rookie season in the NHL, but Jake hasn't played well in three difference leagues since being drafted. 

- Niederreiter scored 5 more goals in 10 less games in his +1 draft WHL season. Jake scored 24 less goals in 21 less games. 
- Niederreiter scored 31 goals over his first 80 AHL games. Jake has scored 4 over his first 34. On pace for 9 over 80 games. 

It isn't so much Jake's lack of offense at the NHL level that is alarming - that is kind of expected. It is the fact his junior numbers dropped (blame the injury) and he isn't scoring in the AHL (blame his teammates). Also 2/3 forwards (Connolly & Burmistrov) drafted after Niederreiter are busts. Skinner was a solid pick but Ehlers is already producing more and Nylander is close. 

It is too early to write off Jake, but there is some cause for concern. 

It's these first round picks, especially the high ones, that make the level of the rebuild.  So far JB looks like his four first rounders are leading us to becoming a middle of the pack team, at best.  

[Hortankin]

Wernt fans also writing off Bertuzzi as well? Power forwards take time to adjust. They go from beating their way through smaller teens to battling a bunch of grown men. It may take him 2-3 years but he WILL be a force. I just hope Benning doesn't trade him before that happens, because we will regret it if we do!

 

2020

 

Virtanen Horvat Boeser

Baertschi Granlund Rodin

Sedin Sedin Eriksson

 

Juolevi Gudbranson

Tryamkin Stecher

Hutton

 

Demko

Markstrom

Edited January 8, 2017 by Hortankin

[Alflives]

4 minutes ago, Hortankin said:

Wernt fans also writing off Bertuzzi as well? Power forwards take time to adjust. They go from beating their way through smaller teens to battling a bunch of grown men. It may take him 2-3 years but he WILL be a force. I just hope Benning doesn't trade him before that happens, because we will regret it if we do!

 

2020

 

Virtanen Horvat Boeser

Baertschi Granlund Rodin

Sedin Sedin Eriksson

 

Juolevi Gudbranson

Tryamkin Stecher

Hutton

 

Demko

Markstrom

Where are Edler, Tanev, Sutter, and Hansen?  

[10pavelbure96]

6 minutes ago, Hortankin said:

Wernt fans also writing off Bertuzzi as well? Power forwards take time to adjust. They go from beating their way through smaller teens to battling a bunch of grown men. It may take him 2-3 years but he WILL be a force. I just hope Benning doesn't trade him before that happens, because we will regret it if we do!

 

2020

 

Virtanen Horvat Boeser

Baertschi Granlund Rodin

Sedin Sedin Eriksson

 

Juolevi Gudbranson

Tryamkin Stecher

Hutton

 

Demko

Markstrom

True, but not all..

 

Look at Matthew tkachuk.. I love the juolevi pick but tkachuk is impressive.

[jagori78]

I am starting to consider him a bust. Funny how the most important trait is inbetween the ears; and most of the time the scouts just dont know.

 

I wonder is Jake has ever put a team on his back and dominated for a stretch. He has never been more than a second liner even at his peak in junior.

 

I have way more faith in Baertschi developing into a top winger than Virtanen. I would dump him as more useful players can be found on waivers.

Edited January 8, 2017 by jagori78

[Alflives]

24 minutes ago, 10pavelbure96 said:

True, but not all..

 

Look at Matthew tkachuk.. I love the juolevi pick but tkachuk is impressive.

Ehlers, Pasternak, and Tkatchuk (and Boeser next season) would sure make our forwards a lot younger, a lot more exciting, and a lot better.  JB has stalled his retool/rebuild because he missed the better player on three out of his four first rounders.  

[Odd.]

5 minutes ago, jagori78 said:

I am starting to consider him a bust. Funny how the most important trait is inbetween the ears; and most of the time the scouts just dont know.

 

I wonder is Jake has ever put a team on his back and dominated for a stretch.

 

I have way more faith in Baertschi developing into a top winger than Virtanen. I would dump him as more useful players can be found on waivers.

I'll give him 3-4 more years before I make a conclusion like that.

[canucklehead80]

4 hours ago, BlackBeard said:

Filthy stupid that our fans had the better choice during that 2014 1st round draft than somebody who is a GM/scout and does it for a living.  

Because a couple seasons a career makes, same goes for guys like Ehlers and Nylander. A fair number of good players took a few years to establish themselves, and there have also been a fair number of players that looked like sure things early on before disappearing or ending up a different player than all the hype would have suggested early.