Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[HomeBrew]

[Sedinyoureyesontheprize]

He looks way too small now doesn't he? Can he still hit hard ?  

[CRAZY_4_NAZZY]

1 hour ago, ajhockey said:

I think Jake had the mistaken impression that he had to be the next Todd Bertuzzi and be 230 pounds, hence why he maybe bulked up last summer. That or he was just lazy. Either way, it's clear that he plays MUCH better when he's closer to 210 and should remain that size.

Isn't it bizarre though that all summer long Trevor, Jim, and canucks management saw Jake at Rogers arena with Roger Takahashi throughout the whole summer and was diligently working?  Have to really wonder how was able to pour in a lot of work in the gym working with Roger yet turn out so out of shape by the fall.

[Sedinyoureyesontheprize]

 

Jake Virtanen, here in AHL action for Utica, has always had the Canucks enamoured of his speedy, physical game. Lindsay Mogle

BEN KUZMAMore from Ben Kuzma

Published: March 27, 2017 

Updated: March 27, 2017 12:40 PM PDT 

•  

Wayward winger may have found his way

 

 

Jake Virtanen has played against Nikolay Goldobin and knows all about Brock Boeser.

 

“I played against Goldobin in the Top Prospects Game (2014) and Boeser has incredible talent,” said the wayward Vancouver Canucks winger, who is finding his professional way with the AHL’s Utica Comets.

What the mercurial Virtanen also knows is despite the departures of Jannik Hansen and Alex Burrows, there’s considerable competition on the right side next fall.

Factor in Markus Granlund’s career season, Loui Eriksson’s need for a reset, Goldobin, Boeser, Derek Dorsett returning from neck surgery and a curiosity about Reid Boucher, and nothing is guaranteed for the Abbotsford native.

“You have to earn every opportunity — and I have to prove that I belong,” said Virtanen. “It’s how the game works.”

 

 

Well, yes and no.

 

Last season was about feel-good stories when a trio of wide-eyed rookies in Virtanen, Jared McCann and Ben Hutton cracked the roster. Virtanen and McCann were 19, played like it and sometimes acted like it.

The college-tested Hutton was 22 and looked like he had been in the National Hockey League for years.

Vancouver Canucks winger Jake Virtanen rocks Edmonton Oilers blueliner Darnell Nurse — who is an imposing specimen himself at 6-foot-4 and 213 pounds — during an NHL pre-season game last October in Edmonton. JASON FRANSON /  Canadian Press files

With everything Virtanen has been through in a fishbowl existence of being the sixth overall selection in the 2014 entry draft — struggling with the mental and physical transition to the pro game — he may be turning both a competitive and character corner, because NHL roster reality can do that.

It’s why Fun Jake is trying to become Serious Jake.

“I want to go into camp and be in phenomenal shape, and I’m already pretty prepared for that and I’m completely dedicated to that,” stressed Virtanen, who is down to 213 pounds after reporting to camp at 231 pounds in September. “I’m going to be really excited and I have to be an everyday guy.”

Virtanen lasted just 10 games and had one assist when he was dispatched to the farm team for the season. Even with a rash of recalled wingers, he has purposely stayed with the Comets, and his progression isn’t something that can be measured in point totals.

 

 

“In the last month, I’ve taken another step in my game and they’ve been pushing me in the right direction,” added Virtanen.“I’m trying to be a difference-maker every night, and this (AHL) is a tougher league than guys think.

 

“Whether it’s scoring goals or making plays, being that physical presence and using the jump that I have, I’ve got to find a way to help the team win.”

Utica Comets head coach Travis Green (above) has put the onus on Jake Virtanen to be a more fit, complete, two-way player. ‘It hasn’t been all roses for Jake down in the AHL. We’ve been very honest with him,’ says Green. ‘Are we hard on him? Sometimes. But with that, there’s good dialogue.’ Arlen Redekop /  PNG Files

Details in Virtanen’s game — reading plays, moving his feet, using his size and and not being a defensive liability — have improved under demanding Comets coach Travis Green.

It hasn’t been easy. Telling an impatient first-rounder that it’s about the process and not points — Virtanen had just seven goals in his first 57 Comet games — is a tough sell. But it’s working slowly, steadily.

“Jake is still a young guy (20) and people forget that,” said Green. “He went through a stretch where I know he was getting frustrated because he wasn’t getting the points. And that was a good time to break it down to him that the goals and assists will be a by-product of doing things to be a difference in a game.

“When young players don’t have success it can sometimes look like they really don’t want it. And for some, it’s hard. They’re in and out and their compete levels go up and down. And they tend to take their foot off the gas and you have to make them accountable.

“It hasn’t been all roses for Jake down in the AHL. We’ve been very honest with him. Are we hard on him? Sometimes. But with that, there’s good dialogue. He understands that and is confident his game is going in the right direction, even though it’s hard sometimes.

“It can help a player to play outside his comfort zone.”

Virtanen isn’t the first big junior who could skate and score to struggle at the next level. In the game’s ongoing transition to speed, the fact he can move well and hit hard convinced the Canucks he could become that power forward who could wreak havoc in so many ways.

 

Utica Comets winger Jake Virtanen goes to the net against the Toronto Marlies during a 2016-17 American Hockey League game. Lindsay Mogle

 

In his prime, Todd Bertuzzi did that. And did that with size, talent and a mean streak.

The polarizing Virtanen earned a Canucks roster spot last season because of that big-body presence, bravado, surprising speed and a nose for the net that showed in four pre-season points (2-2) in six games.

His bowling-ball approach was perceived to be a boon, but there were gutter balls along the way. There were seven goals in 57 games, but he was also on a tight leash from coach Willie Desjardins because the only option was to send Virtanen back to junior. And the only way to get through to him was to cut his minutes back.

It’s never been just one thing with Virtanen. Fitness and focus have been the biggest hurdles for him to clear. And in that respect, there’s no better environment. Utica is not Vancouver, and the AHL is not the NHL.

In the minors, it’s more about practice, training and games than rest and recovery. Last September, Virtanen saw how seriously Nikita Tryamkin took his level of fitness concern by dropping four-and-a-half per cent body fat in one month.

Abbotsford’s Jake Virtanen was picked sixth overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Canucks. Jeff Vinnick / NHLI via Getty Images files

The plan for Virtanen was never that complex: Train hard, play harder, keep your eyes open and your mouth shut.

“We have the luxury of getting a guy to ride the bike for 30 minutes after a game — even though we play the next night — because we think he needs it,” said Green. “We’ve pushed Jake in that direction knowing that it (fitness) might not be the best in his game, but that in two or three months down the road it would pay off.

“I give him credit. There have been some tough times for him and they’re still tough. But he has a better understanding of how much he can work off the ice and still play well. He’s a horse. He can put a lot of work in that he doesn’t even know that he can.”

Virtanen knows this much.

Drawing the admiration, rather than the ire, of Henrik and Daniel Sedin next fall will be of paramount importance. The twins didn’t name names last March, but cited a lack of daily commitment among young players to get better every day, even with missing the playoffs.

“They (Sedins) are such great mentors for guys coming in and even guys on the team,” said Virtanen. “They go to the rink every day and are eager to get better.”

If the Sedins can say the same about Virtanen next fall, then he really will have turned a critical corner.

 

 

 

[higgyfan]

3 hours ago, WeneedLumme said:

And I don't understand the need to constantly discuss them in order to put Jake (and JB) down. They were my top 2 choices, but they are not Canucks. This is CDC, not MLDC or JDC. If you want to drool over those players, those other sites would be more appropriate venues.

He's trolling.  If he wanted to talk about Ny and Ehl he could have done so in the 'around the league' forum.  Putting up videos and yapping about them in the Virt talk is bad form.

 

Virtanen seems to be working hard and learning from his coaches, which is great to know.  I think he needed a shorter leash than what he had in Vancouver and will benefit from his time in Utica.   I hope he has another year in Utica to reinforce all that he's learned in the past year.  Kid just needs some seasoning, so a little marinating should help him significantly.

 

Too bad he will return to Vancouver for the offseason.

[Rob_Zepp]

On 4/3/2017 at 8:12 AM, GoBoGo53 said:

But what do you mean like there are players like them every draft. Show me a list of players that have produced at the level of Ehlers and Nylander and come back to me. There are hundreds if not thousands of players that put up Virtanen's numbers numbers and make up the show. I can guarantee with almost 100% certainty that players int he last 10 years that have put up 60 points in their 20 year old seasons like Ehlers/Nylander have, have gone on to be superstars at the NHL level.

And of course you are being salty. You called them daisy pickers. That's out of jealousy or a complete lack of understanding for the game. It's an insult. 

My question to you is, is Juolevi a daisy picker? Because he is soft, doesn't throw hits, and plays a very European game. Guess we should have traded that pick for Lawson Crouse then because he hits a bunch of people? People who think like you are the exact reason people pick Tyler BIggs over Rakell, Lawson Crouse over Kyle Connor, Nick Ritchie over David Pastranak, and Jake Virtanen over Nylander and Ehlers.

wow, so little hockey knowledge.  are you entirely new to the game?

[Beary Sweet]

Jake had a solid weekend. He produced a 2 goal game vs Rochester while recording a few shots in each game during the 3 game weekend. It's only a matter of time he'll break out and if Utica make the playoffs, he'll have the opportunity to do some damage

[leomessi]

6 hours ago, BananaMash said:

 

It definitely looked like a botched bulk - most power-lifters and bodybuilders will mess up their first bulk when they're new to that kind of training and end up with a way higher body-fat percentage than they need. It wouldn't surprise me if Jake's goal was to pile on a lot of strength prior to the season and messed up due to inexperience with that style of training. He's young, and given his age he probably never really trained that way before.

 

When you bulk too much and don't focus on your conditioning at all, your cardio goes to hell too. It would explain why he was having such issues with the pace of the game compared to the end of last season. If you're going to be a low-IQ player like Virtanen, you better make sure you can keep up.

 

I think he'll need more AHL time next season, but I sure hope the team and him reevaluate his training style over the summer. If he can keep his conditioning up, and even improve it, he'll be exciting to watch in camp.

I agree with what you're saying but shouldn't the team give him goals and how to attain those goals as well?

 

I don't think they just say hey go put on 20lbs ..

I believe the nutritionist and trainers are at fault here..

[-AJ-]

I watched this interview of Jake today (his part starts at 3:01) and it seems to me like he is maturing. Perhaps he's just giving cliche answers, but it seems to be that Jake is starting to understand what being a professional means. A great step for him.  

 

[stonecoldstevebernier]

2 hours ago, leomessi said:

I agree with what you're saying but shouldn't the team give him goals and how to attain those goals as well?

 

I don't think they just say hey go put on 20lbs ..

I believe the nutritionist and trainers are at fault here..

There might be some truth there... Virtanen isn't the first. We heard about Tryamkin being out of shape in the preseason; the Canucks also asked McCann to bulk up which he did, and then he got traded to Florida where they told him he was too heavy and needed to slim down. I remember Linden Vey put on weight in the summer in between his two seasons here, came to camp looking a step too slow and got sent to the minors. Obviously this is all just unproven speculation but I think especially with younger players that aren't yet familiar with how to train for the pro game, more supervision rather than less is probably a good thing.

[HomeBrew]

Virtanen post game interview after his 2 goal showing (starts at the 3 minutes mark):

 

 

To me he sounds far more mature than before. Previously he kind of stumbled through his interviews, but his responses here seem to be far more clearly spoken. 

[BananaMash]

8 hours ago, leomessi said:

I agree with what you're saying but shouldn't the team give him goals and how to attain those goals as well?

 

I don't think they just say hey go put on 20lbs ..

I believe the nutritionist and trainers are at fault here..

The fault probably lies partly on nutritionists/trainers and partly on Jake. I don't doubt that he was given unrealistic goals (most can only gain a maximum of 0.5lbs of lean mass a weak) but he should also have realized that coming into camp with that much body fat would hurt himself more than anything. 

 

Given the amount of injuries and out of shape players we've had though, I do think the training staff needs to be reevaluated pretty seriously.

[Stelar]

20 hours ago, Art Vandelay said:

 

I saw this picture on Twitter. I knew he lost weight but holy smokes. I thought this might have been him when he played for utica during the playoffs in 2015, but I don't think he had the arm tattoo then. 

 

Great to see him get into shape. 

 

 

Looks like mcconaughey from Dallas Buyer Club. 

[Boudrias]

17 hours ago, J.R. said:

From what I recall, contractually, NHL team trainers are allowed VERY limited access to players in the summer as per the CBA.

You are probably right.

 

I kinda have to laugh as my cousin was drafted by the Devils many years ago. When his season was over the Devils gave him a menu to follow and a exercise schedule. He got a phone call about once a month. I don't know if that was simply the way young players were managed back then, mid '80's.

 

When I read that Virtanen and Stecher were using the Canuck training room all summer I maybe assumed to much.  

[SamJamIam]

17 hours ago, PhillipBlunt said:

Well done, Virtanen. He looks 20 pounds lighter. Looking forward to him back up with the Canucks next season. A far bigger piece than many realize.

As a guy with a similar build, that is definitely more than 20 pounds

[73 Percent]

Just now, SamJamIam said:

As a guy with a similar build, that is definitely more than 20 pounds

I thought so too when someone mentioned it was easy to lose 20 pounds in a season. 

 

Looks closer to 35-40 to me. But what do I know.

[PhillipBlunt]

Just now, SamJamIam said:

As a guy with a similar build, that is definitely more than 20 pounds

I was going off reports that he showed up to camp around 230, and was last thought to be 210-215. You think he's below 200?

[Putgolzin]

14 minutes ago, PhillipBlunt said:

I was going off reports that he showed up to camp around 230, and was last thought to be 210-215. You think he's below 200?

I've gone from 215 to 190 since Christmas and I hardly notice it visually.

I'd also say this looks like more like 35-40.

Also though, that first pick looks like it could be more than 230...

[aGENT]

Would you look at that, with a little patience, our little Jake at the geriatric age of 20 is starting to grow up, mature and develop...just like some of said was likely to happen.

 

And as that occurs, it has and will likely to continue to, show up in games and on the score sheet. 

 

Funny that.

[snizzle_]

1 hour ago, J.R. said:

Would you look at that, with a little patience, our little Jake at the geriatric age of 20 is starting to grow up, mature and develop...just like some of said was likely to happen.

 

And as that occurs, it has and will likely to continue to, show up in games and on the score sheet. 

 

Funny that.

 

His play of late is more encouraging, but still far from anything substantial. If Utica makes a playoff run, I hope he makes strides there. He's been streaky all year, remember when he scored in three straight games in November, so it's too early to say he's turned it around.