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Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW


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12 minutes ago, Horvats_Big_Head said:

Can anyone update us on how well Jake is doing? 

 

Edit: Just looked at his stats on hockey db. 7 pts and -4 in 23 games. Wow, those numbers call into question...is JV a #bust?!

:picard: CDC, where people call a 20 year old a bust. He has been misused and he hasn't matured. Not everyone is a Horvat. Let's wait a few years to make an accurate assumption. 

 

Heck the Sedins would be labeled as busts by the time they were 20 and look where they are now.

 

 

 

Patience.

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7 hours ago, HomeBrew said:

It was generally understood at the time of drafting Virtanen that it was between him, Nylander and Ehlers for our 6th pick. Our choice, thus far, has not turned out to be as effective in the NHL as the others which leads people to be a little disgruntled because a lot of people here wanted either one of the other choices (Nylander or Ehler) when the selection was made. It is understandable that people are not happy. With that said, and what some others have said, it is getting tiresome with the amount of whining and the people whining about the whiners.

 

I would rather read and participate in discussions about his progress for what it is and where he might fit the team. Often the vast array of possible targets for the whining are isolated, so while people still complain that we chose Virtanen, at the same time we complain that the team gets pushed around too much. Perhaps there was a reason GM JB chose Virtanen as a piece for his cup team and not the others. I think the guys he is intentionally bringing in, like Virtanen and Gudbranson, will pay huge dividends when we are threats for the cup again. I care less about what Virtanen does during regular season output, than I do with his eventual role in bringing a cup to town. I personally have given Virtanen the benefit of doubt this year - being his first "back to reality" season in the AHL. If he does not improve upon this season next year, I will start to be worried about his potential. 

 

Me too but there's no progress to discuss right now. Once he actually starts doing something we can discuss that. Until then, the only talking point is his lack of progression. For instance, guys like Skille, Gaunce, Rodin, Chaput, Dorsett, Sbisa had better point per game in the AHL in their draft+3 years. That should tell you how concerning his play is. For one of the highest picks the Canucks had in decades, this is a huge letdown. So, I think people are rightfully angry and deserve to let their anger out on their keyboards. 

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1 hour ago, GettinGuddyWithIt said:

:picard: CDC, where people call a 20 year old a bust. He has been misused and he hasn't matured. Not everyone is a Horvat. Let's wait a few years to make an accurate assumption. 

 

Heck the Sedins would be labeled as busts by the time they were 20 and look where they are now.

 

 

 

Patience.

Are there any players who put up 0.29ppg in their draft+3 season and still ended up being top 9 players? I'm still hoping Virtanen can be a solid 3rd line guy but it's not looking good right now.

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1 hour ago, GettinGuddyWithIt said:

:picard: CDC, where people call a 20 year old a bust. He has been misused and he hasn't matured. Not everyone is a Horvat. Let's wait a few years to make an accurate assumption. 

 

Heck the Sedins would be labeled as busts by the time they were 20 and look where they are now.

 

 

 

Patience.

it wasn't too long ago where people actually though horvat would be a bust xD one year could make all the difference. i think jake can be salvaged, but ultimately it's up to the guy himself. either he breaks out or busts out like hodgson

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2 hours ago, Twilight Sparkle said:

it wasn't too long ago where people actually though horvat would be a bust xD one year could make all the difference. i think jake can be salvaged, but ultimately it's up to the guy himself. either he breaks out or busts out like hodgson

 

jake is gone and won't be back for a while.  

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On ‎1‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 0:47 PM, Warhippy said:

There is no discussion of weeding out anyone.  It is simply saying that this forum needs an enema

 

CDC's belief that anyone picked int eh top 10 NEEDS to be an immediate producer in the NHL on the top 6 or top 4 immediately following draft without once considering the multitude of players picked in the last 7 or 8 years in the top 10 that are not panning out, have not lived up to CDCs desperate belief that all top 10 players will be studs, that not all top 10 picks will be immediate impact players or will not live up to the hype of their draft position

 

Look at this thread and the Juolevi thread.  Then go look at the trade proposals for prospects on other teams and watch as they offer up our prospects like they're candy

 

it's sickening.  Then to get asked why there is a comparison like it hasn't sunk in that not every pick is a guarantee and I face hump my keyboard in frustration

 

Imagine us getting the 1st overall pick and us drafting a Hall, RNH or a Yakupov.  Good players (barring Yak) but nowhere NEAR their draft position for CDC standards.

 

Go look at the 2017 draft threads it's the exact same thing.  ZOMG Patrick/LIljegren/Hischier immediate impact 1st line player ZOMG without once thinking they'll need development, time or that they won't be immediate impact players like a Matthews/McDavid/Ekblad

 

Hell it's a good thing the twins were drafted pre forum/internet or they'd have been run out of town by their 3rd year.

 

Virtanen, who is at the heart of this matter might never be more than a quality bottom 6 player.  And so what.  OMG he better pan out, he better be this he better be that Nylander Ritchie Ehlers blah blah blah.  Well we don't have those guys.  We have Virtanen.  And people are all but writing him off at age 20 and it bugs me.

 

Nobody is speaking of weeding out people on this forum.  But this forum needs an enema and needs to start understanding that nothing is guaranteed.  We want a cup.  Ok, well we don't get one by rushing players in to the league.  We want a good team.  Great, that won't happen this year.

 

Virtanen is a project picked at 6th overall, it's a get behind it or whine about it situation.  Yet nobody ever considers the other option

 

Patience.

Nice job Hippy!

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This a forum where we can share our opinions.  My opinion is this kid can't skate and chew gum at the same time.  Do I wish he'll succeed in the NHL?  Absolutely.  But I've heard enough of the off ice decisions he makes and I am personally tired of all the defending I did during the offseason that he belongs in the NHL.  From him posing with Biebers, to seeing a Drake concert on a night before gameday, to now suddenly not being able to hit himself out of a wet paper bag it's clear he just doesn't get it.  So go ahead and flame me and call me a whiner but it's not going to change anything.  It's up to him to turn his career around and do a complete 180, if not he's going to be vilified in his hometown market as a titantic bust.   

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44 minutes ago, Jägermeister said:

People can have a grand "let's wait and see" approach to how Jake develops and still be disappointed with how he has progressed thus far.

The two thoughts are not mutually exclusive.

Exactly. 

I mean, he will play in the NHL. Does anyone really, truly doubt that?

But the fact that he's regressed since early season promise last year/late season resurgence after a miserable WJC, and STILL not getting it is concerning. 
The fact that he's not hitting is by far the most concerning... like, if he's not battling an injury, there's just no excuse. He just looks lost, deflated, and emotionless.

 

But, there's still hope that he can come out of this and be a good player for us. He's not Bo Horvat. He's not a Sedin. This kid is not a leader, not an intelligent player, and not even really a likeable figure. Todd Bertuzzi wasn't exactly a 'good guy' either, but we loved what he brought to the ice.

 

Jake is vilifying himself in the eyes of our fanbase, but I hope he can vilify himself to opposing players at some point as well. Not every player is going to have the heart of Bo Horvat, people forget how rare that is. JV has some pretty rare talents himself (insane speed, good shot, heavy hitter), but it's pretty clear he's been leapfrogged on the depth chart by Brock, Thatcher, Olli... so he can kind of just slide in at his own pace and play his own game. But at this point, he needs to figure out what the hell that game is... 

 

Is he an enforcer? Does he get under other players' skin like Burrows used to? Does he just level guys and bring intimidation? Is he a GOAL SCORER? 

Does he even know?

 


We'll be in a world of trouble if Brock Boeser is not able to translate his play to the bigs, because it's pretty clear who the better player is between he and Jake. But, if Brock is able to come in and do what we expect him to do, it takes a TON of pressure off Jake. Our fanbase can kinda forget about him while he continues to develop.
You've got to think a team that has Bo, Sven, Brock, and Olli already integrated into the lineup would be in a more welcoming position to re-insert Jake. 

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Even if he has a low hockey IQ you would think that with his speed, hitting and shooting ability he can at  least be a very good third liner if he just sticks to a north south game.

 

Im not so worried about his AHL performance so far.  They may  have him working on aspects of his game that take him out of his comfort zone and he still has to adjust.  Apparently he has really picked it up during the past couple games.

 

What I cant get out of my mind is his WJC performance. His passes were either too hard, misplaced or way off of the mark, he took a lot of bad penalties, and in many cases he just looked like he was standing still while others were carrying the play.  Did he play like that in junior too?

 

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11 hours ago, GettinGuddyWithIt said:

:picard: CDC, where people call a 20 year old a bust. He has been misused and he hasn't matured. Not everyone is a Horvat. Let's wait a few years to make an accurate assumption. 

 

Heck the Sedins would be labeled as busts by the time they were 20 and look where they are now.

 

 

 

Patience.


History shows however that players who in their draft+3 season put up numbers similar to Virtanen's don't amount to much. For Virtanen, it's always been the same issue. Great tools (skating, shooting, hitting) but his IQ is very substandard. Scouts said it was going to severely limit him, and so far it has. 

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2 hours ago, Tre Mac said:

This a forum where we can share our opinions.  My opinion is this kid can't skate and chew gum at the same time.  Do I wish he'll succeed in the NHL?  Absolutely.  But I've heard enough of the off ice decisions he makes and I am personally tired of all the defending I did during the offseason that he belongs in the NHL.  From him posing with Biebers, to seeing a Drake concert on a night before gameday, to now suddenly not being able to hit himself out of a wet paper bag it's clear he just doesn't get it.  So go ahead and flame me and call me a whiner but it's not going to change anything.  It's up to him to turn his career around and do a complete 180, if not he's going to be vilified in his hometown market as a titantic bust.   

 

Where's Mike Keane when you need him, eh?

 

I certainly hope that the Canucks can somehow get some real veteran presence down in Utica, not just for JV, but the entire team in general.  I know Travis Green was a long-time NHLer, but the gap between coach and player may buffer the message a bit.  It's one thing for a coach to tell you to eat right and work hard when they don't have to, but it's another to see some 15+ year veteran, who has had success in the NHL, who plays down in the minors for the love of the game, and putting in the hard work day in and day out.  Someone who isn't afraid to go up to another teammate give them the honest truth, yet at the same time passing along some of their experience and wisdom along the way.  

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Lancaster said:

Where's Mike Keane when you need him, eh?

Siberia:emot-parrot:

 

9 minutes ago, Lancaster said:

I certainly hope that the Canucks can somehow get some real veteran presence down in Utica, not just for JV, but the entire team in general.

Ideally they already have one in Jack Skille.  A guy that was drafted in the top 10 and never found his game at the NHL level.  You'd think he would've of had something to say to Jake, and maybe he did.  I honestly don't see JV as teachable as say Horvat or Hutton. 

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1 hour ago, Tre Mac said:

Siberia:emot-parrot:

 

Ideally they already have one in Jack Skille.  A guy that was drafted in the top 10 and never found his game at the NHL level.  You'd think he would've of had something to say to Jake, and maybe he did.  I honestly don't see JV as teachable as say Horvat or Hutton

And that's where he will fail to make it to the NHL. 

 

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