phishnapper Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Yes it is the same thing he did in junior. But if he made a few minor changes I think it could rwally work in his favour. And the break outs are bad. Just looks like hes hearing footsteps. Cant seem to dig the puck off the board clean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 7 hours ago, ihaveyuidonttouchme said: time to bring Virtanen's life back again had a great game just like the one i've posted some weeks ago the only thing i'd want to see him do more is actually hitting the net... oh and his regular linemates were Pelletier 23 and Kunyks Still looking like he's on track. The difference between a bust and an NHL player, is the NHL players is willing to do what it takes. It's all mindset. Considering his conditioning results and strides towards a consistent game, Virtanen is well on his way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 1 minute ago, Tystick said: Still looking like he's on track. The difference between a bust and an NHL player, is the NHL players is willing to do what it takes. It's all mindset. Considering his conditioning results and strides towards a consistent game, Virtanen is well on his way. Yes, he's more fit, and leaner now. Let's see what shape he's in at the September camp, after another summer. My fingers, toes, and eyes are crossed for this kid to finally get it. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Canuck Surfer Posted February 13, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 13, 2017 56 minutes ago, Tystick said: Still looking like he's on track. The difference between a bust and an NHL player, is the NHL players is willing to do what it takes. It's all mindset. Considering his conditioning results and strides towards a consistent game, Virtanen is well on his way. I watched that video. My observation is that both with his shot, and carrying the puck > Jake is simply trying to power straight through people. Considering his physical tool set, that's not a completely bad thing. But its easy to read when he has the puck. He needs to develop a slight of foot, of hands, some deception. Practice aberration in pace, explosiveness, lateral motion, evasive agility, shifting the puck side to side (and protecting it with his body, I almost said his big ass). It goes hand in hand with core strength. There is almost no juke and jive, no finesse to his game? 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thad Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 2 hours ago, Tystick said: Still looking like he's on track. The difference between a bust and an NHL player, is the NHL players is willing to do what it takes. It's all mindset. Considering his conditioning results and strides towards a consistent game, Virtanen is well on his way. Yeah he's definitely a project but the tools on display in that video are very encouraging. The scoring troubles kind of remind me of Horvat when he first came into the NHL. He just didn't have the timing on the shots and the outside inside move he pulls once a game now wasn't getting through. He was still doing better than Jake but there were so many golden chances and breakaways he wasn't converting on. Jake looks like he just needs to clean up the finer details of his offensive skills and the points will come. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckledraggin Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 22 hours ago, TheRealFan said: I believe a team's system dictates player stats more than individual talent. Individual talent and where you play in a line up usually reflects more on where you rank in team scoring. Throw in the fact that he's still learning the pro game at 20 years old it shouldn't be surprising he's not putting up numbers. The most important stat for Jake is games played, he needs more. The same is true for Cassels, Subban and Demko. The AHL is a tough league and players will give up position to make a play on the puck, so there is very little time to do anything. It is the perfect place for these young players to get repetitions and increase their decision making abilities. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 (edited) 5 hours ago, UticaHockey said: It's disappointing that it hasn't resulted in any points. I do think he needs line mates that can match his speed and skill but painfully they do not exist in Utica with a roster devoid of much skill. Be nice if we had the Utica equivalent of a 'Horvat' and a 'Hansen' to play with. Fast, skilled, north/south, hard working guys. Maybe next year (Gaudette and Lockwood)? Edited February 13, 2017 by J.R. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 17 minutes ago, J.R. said: Be nice if we had the Utica equivalent of a 'Horvat' and a 'Hansen' to play with. Fast, skilled, north/south, hard working guys. Maybe next year (Gaudette and Lockwood)? Gaudette, Lockwood, Boeser, and Zukinov. Virtanen is a finisher, and needs high skilled set up guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Zhukini Posted February 14, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 14, 2017 Detroit may lose their playoff streak this year, but if they did one thing right it's how they handled Anthony Mantha. Went from future superstar to bust to very good draft pick. Point is it takes time, took him his draft year + 4 to get it at the NHL level. Play Virtanen in the AHL next year also, give him a cup of coffee up here sure, but let him play on what should be a better team next year and if not dominate, get his confidence back. 2018-2019 is realistically the earliest people should be using the word bust with him. 16 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReggieBush Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 1 hour ago, J.R. said: Be nice if we had the Utica equivalent of a 'Horvat' and a 'Hansen' to play with. Fast, skilled, north/south, hard working guys. Maybe next year (Gaudette and Lockwood)? I think Lockwood gets at least another year in College Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RogersTowell Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 4 hours ago, Canuck Surfer said: I watched that video. My observation is that both with his shot, and carrying the puck > Jake is simply trying to power straight through people. Considering his physical tool set, that's not a completely bad thing. But its easy to read when he has the puck. He needs to develop a slight of foot, of hands, some deception. Practice aberration in pace, explosiveness, lateral motion, evasive agility, shifting the puck side to side (and protecting it with his body, I almost said his big ass). It goes hand in hand with core strength. There is almost no juke and jive, no finesse to his game? Agreed. Additionally, he works too much on the periphery currently. He needs to watch Bo's tapes. Drive to the net with the puck, or, if he does go around behind the net, look for someone in the slot or top of the circle, not always back to the point - he's getting predictable that way and the opposing wingers are picking those passes off. He really needs someone else to bring the puck into the zone, or to hand it off to so he can sit back in the slot or circle with that nice shot of his. If the play goes to the net, he's just a stride or two from being able to bang away at the puck and create some mayhem. The good news is that he's improving. The better news is that there's a lot more room for improvement if someone pushes him in the right direction and he listens to them and works on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HomeBrew Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 1 hour ago, RogersTowell said: Agreed. Additionally, he works too much on the periphery currently. He needs to watch Bo's tapes. Drive to the net with the puck, or, if he does go around behind the net, look for someone in the slot or top of the circle, not always back to the point - he's getting predictable that way and the opposing wingers are picking those passes off. He really needs someone else to bring the puck into the zone, or to hand it off to so he can sit back in the slot or circle with that nice shot of his. If the play goes to the net, he's just a stride or two from being able to bang away at the puck and create some mayhem. The good news is that he's improving. The better news is that there's a lot more room for improvement if someone pushes him in the right direction and he listens to them and works on it. As per the highlight video, Virtanen actually does a nice job of gaining the zone, which it seems not everyone on Utica is able to do. He can to do this because of his speed which backs the defense off the line. This is where you guys have rightly stated that he lacks that next step of creativity. He definitely needs to improve this side of his game, but I think he will get there - just needs more practice, more drills, more time on the ice. I don't think "sitting back in the slot or circle" is really his game through. This kid needs active feet and needs to be a hound on the puck. He needs need to find those spots where he can pick those shots off, but I do not think he should do this passively - he should read the play more and anticipate those opportunities. With that said he certainly needs to practice his stand still one-timers, he got a few off in that video, but none of them seemed like dangerous shots. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 2 hours ago, ReggieBush said: I think Lockwood gets at least another year in College Probably. That line would look good though IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cripplereh Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 On 2/9/2017 at 6:54 PM, Odd. said: But he knows more hockey than any of us. He's actually quite insightful. wish he would show it more often then stating the obvious Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canuck Surfer Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 5 hours ago, RogersTowell said: Agreed. Additionally, he works too much on the periphery currently. He needs to watch Bo's tapes. Drive to the net with the puck, or, if he does go around behind the net, look for someone in the slot or top of the circle, not always back to the point - he's getting predictable that way and the opposing wingers are picking those passes off. He really needs someone else to bring the puck into the zone, or to hand it off to so he can sit back in the slot or circle with that nice shot of his. If the play goes to the net, he's just a stride or two from being able to bang away at the puck and create some mayhem. The good news is that he's improving. The better news is that there's a lot more room for improvement if someone pushes him in the right direction and he listens to them and works on it. What I did like was three booming shots from Ovechkin's spot in that last minute. Would love to see him roatating and cutting through the slot, semi-routinely, at high speed when he does not have the puck. Looking for feeds to bang on net!. It may be too much of me to have, more or less, described a play maker & puck handler. But a guy who scores like Jeremy Roenick used to? And sets up for one timers? There is also other ways to become dangerous. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tystick Posted February 14, 2017 Share Posted February 14, 2017 21 hours ago, Zhukini said: Detroit may lose their playoff streak this year, but if they did one thing right it's how they handled Anthony Mantha. Went from future superstar to bust to very good draft pick. Point is it takes time, took him his draft year + 4 to get it at the NHL level. Play Virtanen in the AHL next year also, give him a cup of coffee up here sure, but let him play on what should be a better team next year and if not dominate, get his confidence back. 2018-2019 is realistically the earliest people should be using the word bust with him. Absolutely. No need to rush the guy, the Canucks won't be truly competing for a cup until that time anyway. As long as he takes his time and builds his game the right way he'll be worth the wait. P.S. I had no idea Detroit was dwelling the eastern basement until you pointed that out. Unreal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
messier's_elbow Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 Jake is looking faster now with the weight loss. He just needs seasoning, and he will get to 2nd line fixture status one day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaner Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 On 2017-02-13 at 0:29 PM, Canuck Surfer said: I watched that video. My observation is that both with his shot, and carrying the puck > Jake is simply trying to power straight through people. Considering his physical tool set, that's not a completely bad thing. But its easy to read when he has the puck. He needs to develop a slight of foot, of hands, some deception. Practice aberration in pace, explosiveness, lateral motion, evasive agility, shifting the puck side to side (and protecting it with his body, I almost said his big ass). It goes hand in hand with core strength. There is almost no juke and jive, no finesse to his game? +1 Having just watched that highlight package, Jake seems like he's got some of his confidence back. While he may not be putting up the points now, they will come with hard work and patience. I agree that there is room for improvement, but it's always good to see a player get some of their confidence back. Taking 3 shots in the last minute is a good example of that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alflives Posted February 15, 2017 Share Posted February 15, 2017 1 hour ago, Kaner said: +1 Having just watched that highlight package, Jake seems like he's got some of his confidence back. While he may not be putting up the points now, they will come with hard work and patience. I agree that there is room for improvement, but it's always good to see a player get some of their confidence back. Taking 3 shots in the last minute is a good example of that. Why did he lose his confidence? Did Willie D coach it out of him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Warhippy Posted February 15, 2017 Popular Post Share Posted February 15, 2017 23 minutes ago, The 5th Line said: Oh thank god Virtanen looks good in this 9 minute highlight video, I was starting to get worried. I'm gonna create a montage of me going bar-down in my backyard and maybe CDC will sign me to an entry level. It's no secret he is a good skater, he needs to work on all other aspects of the game. Aspects that this video does not demonstrate whatsoever Good gods you must be fun at parties eh 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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