Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[aGENT]

4 hours ago, alfstonker said:

So you don't believe what Green and JB said at the time. Even on the video taken during the off season he looked flabby. But hey put a player on the ice for 15 secs and watch him struggle to the bench sucking air out his ass MUST mean he is super fit right?

It sounds like he spent his summer pumping iron and getting 'swole' instead of working on cardio and lean muscle. Hopefully he's been set straight this season on how he needs to actually work out, train and eat to be a pro hockey player.

 

So it's not that he wasn't working out...he was just doing ENTIRELY the wrong things.

[aGENT]

2 hours ago, Eastcoast meets Westcoast said:

Just did a seminar on desicion making. For it was about clinical decisions made in the emergency setting, but I would imagin it works the same way across the board. The main point was the difference between intuitive thinking (fast) and analytical thinking (slow). In Paramedicine, the goal is to be analytical, but with experience and practice analytical thinking becomes intuitive.

 

This works the same way with learning newer skills and algorithms.  The experienced person has been there before and has much faster reaction time and has learned to anticipate outcomes.  The older experienced Paramedic makes things look a lot easier than the new guy.  The new guy is having to devote more time and energy to interpreting data, processing and then executing and acting.  They may get to the same place, but have different processes.  

 

This is what Jake is going thru. He is having to practise and take a lot of reps to speed up his thought process. If he has never had to rely upon anything but his natural abilities and intuition until now, it will take some time to adjust.  He might be using his brain muscle for the first time . Luckily the cure is exactly what Jake is doing, reps, coaching and lots of practise. The more he works on his head game, the sooner his natural abilities can be exploited.  

 

EW

Bingo.

[Spitfire_Spiky]

9 minutes ago, Alflives said:

I can accept that.  Although, young guys (even under age) party, don't they?  I have no information regarding Jake's behavior in Calgary, but I'm wondering if the Canuck's had concerns, and that's why they kept him here instead of sending him back for his final year with the Hitmen?

Underage kids definitely party its just harder for them to party then someone of age.  The concerns the Canucks had I believe was based on his development and how he was being utilized in Calgary. He wasn't developing the defensive side of his game and was simply using his speed and size against smaller opponents to dominate. It was one of those he had nothing left prove in junior and that combined with the Canucks lack of depth, remember McCann also made the team, was the reason they kept him up.

 

[alfstonker]

19 minutes ago, J.R. said:

It sounds like he spent his summer pumping iron and getting 'swole' instead of working on cardio and lean muscle. Hopefully he's been set straight this season on how he needs to actually work out, train and eat to be a pro hockey player.

 

So it's not that he wasn't working out...he was just doing ENTIRELY the wrong things.

Possibly.

[Zhukini]

1 hour ago, Alflives said:

I can accept that.  Although, young guys (even under age) party, don't they?  I have no information regarding Jake's behavior in Calgary, but I'm wondering if the Canuck's had concerns, and that's why they kept him here instead of sending him back for his final year with the Hitmen?

The thing is the whole partying teenager thing isn't something that is unique to Jake, in fact I'd say most players do it. It's how seriously they take the other things that will help or hurt them, and for Jake it's just taking longer it seems

[Gurn]

10 hours ago, alfstonker said:

So you don't believe what Green and JB said at the time. Even on the video taken during the off season he looked flabby. But hey put a player on the ice for 15 secs and watch him struggle to the bench sucking air out his ass MUST mean he is super fit right?

What did they say? I did not hear them say he was out of shape, but I have heard he was heavy. The Canucks have said he worked out every day.

Reminds me of Stan Smyl's last year, the Canucks asked him to add some weight during the previous off season, which he did. It was hoped that would make him an even better hitter, but all it did was slow him down so he ended up not getting as many hits.

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, gurn said:

What did they say? I did not hear them say he was out of shape, but I have heard he was heavy. The Canucks have said he worked out every day.

Reminds me of Stan Smyl's last year, the Canucks asked him to add some weight during the previous off season, which he did. It was hoped that would make him an even better hitter, but all it did was slow him down so he ended up not getting as many hits.

I think TG said ealier that Jake was lighter and more fit, implying that both weight and lack of fitness were issues.

[Gurn]

28 minutes ago, Alflives said:

I think TG said ealier that Jake was lighter and more fit, implying that both weight and lack of fitness were issues.

That may not imply what you think. He could have been in great shape and gotten even better. Different conclusion, same words( allegedly) from TG.

Edited February 24, 2017 by gurn
changed does to may

[alfstonker]

12 hours ago, gurn said:

What did they say? I did not hear them say he was out of shape, but I have heard he was heavy. The Canucks have said he worked out every day.

Reminds me of Stan Smyl's last year, the Canucks asked him to add some weight during the previous off season, which he did. It was hoped that would make him an even better hitter, but all it did was slow him down so he ended up not getting as many hits.

It was something about professionalism/eating habits etc as I recall.

The point I made was you didn't need anyone else to tell you his conditioning/fitness was off, you only had to watch him on the ice and compare him to how he performed after the WJC the previous season.

I seriously don't think his "slowness" was as much of a factor as his probably carrying an injury. If there is one thing to come out of his interviews it was Jake looks after No1 and he knew if he discussed an injury he was out the team and probably down to Utica. As it turned out he was sent down in the end anyway.

[DownUndaCanuck]

With all the Canucks injuries is Virtanen getting more of a top-6 role in Utica yet?

 

-2 tonight in a 3-2 win is a pretty ugly stat line though. Anyone know if they were his fault or just unfortunate?

[stonecoldstevebernier]

31 minutes ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

With all the Canucks injuries is Virtanen getting more of a top-6 role in Utica yet?

 

-2 tonight in a 3-2 win is a pretty ugly stat line though. Anyone know if they were his fault or just unfortunate?

He wasn't a negative factor on either goal. On the first one his line got caught midway through a change and the Binghamton player skated right between Cassels and Archibald and passed it off to Flanagan who scored. The second one was a 2-on-1 where Pedan was slow getting back and Sautner blocked a pass that went right back to Bailey who scored. Binghamton's twitter feed has footage of both goals if anyone wants to look them up.

 

Later on, he decked Rumble on a hit that was pretty similar to Labate's from tonight (although Rumble wasn't nearly as hurt after) and got the Comets a four minute PP after one of the Senators retaliated and tried to fight VIrtanen. He was throwing his weight around today, had a couple good looks with the wrister but he has a bit of a tendency to hover in the offensive zone instead of getting involved in the play. Played with Cassels and Kunyk today in a very jumbled lineup... personally I would've liked to see him with Archibald and Valk but Green chose to put Rendulic with them, who's been playing pretty well lately.

[HomeBrew]

1 hour ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

With all the Canucks injuries is Virtanen getting more of a top-6 role in Utica yet?

 

-2 tonight in a 3-2 win is a pretty ugly stat line though. Anyone know if they were his fault or just unfortunate?

 

[aqua59]

What is the big deal about JV? We've all heard the works over and over. Bottom line now is to stop even talking about this kid. I think the fan has to get used to the fact he's not where we expected him to be and he's not going to meet that expectation any time soon. So fans need to dummy up here a bit and accept that this guy is a work in progress. 

We're waiting for a late bloomer to mature, as a hockey player and human. As we know some people never grow up and this kid might not enough in time to be a NHLer. 
Remember, there's more to life than hockey.

I just wish him success in growing up.

[DownUndaCanuck]

15 hours ago, HomeBrew said:

 

Thanks for that. Pretty piss-poor defence from the entire team but especially from the forwards on both those plays.

 

Hopefully he can focus on one thing at a time. I'd like it to be defence first, similar to Gaunce's play, then physicality second but whatever works, as long as he gets all the tools in about 3 years time.

[N4ZZY]

9 hours ago, aqua59 said:

What is the big deal about JV? We've all heard the works over and over. Bottom line now is to stop even talking about this kid. I think the fan has to get used to the fact he's not where we expected him to be and he's not going to meet that expectation any time soon. So fans need to dummy up here a bit and accept that this guy is a work in progress. 

We're waiting for a late bloomer to mature, as a hockey player and human. As we know some people never grow up and this kid might not enough in time to be a NHLer. 
Remember, there's more to life than hockey.

I just wish him success in growing up.

i think it's more than just wishing him success to grow up. life isn't quite that nicely packaged. he's involved in a multi million dollar organization within a multi billion dollar league. he's considered a professional hockey player that comes with his career, scrutiny, especially in a canadian market. the kid has a lot of growing up to do. i agree with you. but he's also got to prove that he was worthy of the 6th overall pick that this organization used on him. that's a lot of pressure. but that's why they play the games. he's got some time left to prove that he can be a top six player in this league. if not. he will have to assess what his alternatives are besides pro hockey at the highest level in the world. 

[MJDDawg]

21 hours ago, aqua59 said:

What is the big deal about JV? We've all heard the works over and over. Bottom line now is to stop even talking about this kid. I think the fan has to get used to the fact he's not where we expected him to be and he's not going to meet that expectation any time soon. So fans need to dummy up here a bit and accept that this guy is a work in progress. 

We're waiting for a late bloomer to mature, as a hockey player and human. As we know some people never grow up and this kid might not enough in time to be a NHLer. 
Remember, there's more to life than hockey.

I just wish him success in growing up.

 

The way I look at it is that he's not part of this team right now and may not be for a couple more years...if at all. 

 

As a defense mechanism to avoid being constantly frustrated and disappointed, I'm just assuming the worst (that he doesn't pan out) so if and when he does make it back to the big club ready to contribute, in my mind it'll simply be a huge bonus and pleasant surprise. Till then, there's nothing really to discuss.

 

 

[ihaveyuidonttouchme]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFm_Unk0zLg

 

thought he had a real good effort game

few great and 1 good scoring chances. good hits here and there

super snake bitten 

 

this pretty much sums up his season in a nutsshell

[b3.]

Question for you guys, since I can't remember.

 

Did WD ever play Jake with the twins for more than a period?

[N4ZZY]

18 minutes ago, b3. said:

Question for you guys, since I can't remember.

 

Did WD ever play Jake with the twins for more than a period?

i don't know if jake played with the twins for more than a period. but he did play with them.....iirc

 

Edited February 28, 2017 by N4ZZY

[KKnight]

I gotta say he compared to a lot of the other players in the Ahl, he looks super fast. You can tell its in his head right now. Super snake bitten. Not a very offensive team down there and hes not a one do it yourself player. He needs players to get him the puck. But, this is going to show his character the way he battles through this. I still believe Jake!