Jake Virtanen | #18 | RW

[HomeBrew]

2 hours ago, Boeser6 said:

Excellent video thanks for sharing my comments

 

1. Granted its only a highlight video and of is offensive impact but he certainly looks to have improved ALOT - more confident with the puck, using his speed to go wide and his shot has always been teir 1 NHL quality

 

2. He does seem to score alot from the outside still and would have liked to see him score a few more greasy goals

 

3. He's driving the net more but needs to really charge harder in my view vs some of his outside shots, and related to those, seems he chooses sometimes to take a shot when he doesn't have much of an angle or traffic crashing to look for a rebound - he needs to know at those times you either drive the net or use your speed and take the puck deep behind the net and wait for help. Minor but you cant afford to do that in the NHL as that's just giving the puck away

 

Regardless, its good to see him looking like he's improved and showing more flashes of what he can be. Green seems to be getting through to him, now just add more physicality, attention to details (like above and defensively) and he'll be NHL ready - one more year in the AHL to cement things together and he should be ready for a real hard look with the Canucks.

This is exactly what I was going to say. 

 

He needs to drive to the net and drive hard. Even when he enters the offensive zone he could start cutting into the middle. He is just way to straight lined at the moment, but when he can change it up, the offensive game will flourish. 

 

Just imagine him doing his patented "knock'em down while carrying the puck" hits, just aimed directly towards or in front of the net. So, far he only does this when the defensemen closes in on him at the blue line, but if he just takes the mentality straight to the net every time, he will be a handful!

[Boeser6]

2 hours ago, *Buzzsaw* said:

Great video of Virtanen.

 

The difference in his game after he lost all the excess weight is amazing... he is so much more dangerous.

 

Obviously this is the AHL, but it is clear he has great potential with both his speed and shot.

 

I think the chances of him making the Canucks... assuming he works hard over the summer, is very good.

I'd like to see them give him one more year in the AHL regardless of how he does in camp. Let's not repeat the same error of rushing him again just because he seems to be on the cusp of being ready.

 

That video is night and day from his performance in the NHL so clearly he's improving - I'd rather have him go down, hone the things he still needs to work on, start dominating offensively at that level and come up with confidence and polish to his game

 

They often say, you want players who when they get called up, never look back - give him a year to get to that point. Just my opinion

Edited April 19, 2017 by Boeser6

[Boeser6]

1 minute ago, HomeBrew said:

This is exactly what I was going to say. 

 

He needs to drive to the net and drive hard. Even when he enters the offensive zone he could start cutting into the middle. He is just way to straight lined at the moment, but when he can change it up, the offensive game will flourish. 

 

Just imagine him doing his patented "knock'em down while carrying the puck" hits, just aimed directly towards or in front of the net. So, far he only does this when the defensemen closes in on him at the blue line, but if he just takes the mentality straight to the net every time, he will be a handful!

Yes, I was thinking add a bit of that Bertuzzi net drive and even if he doesn't score he's going to create oppty's for his linemates to clean up the garbage

 

I'd also like to see him in that 20 ft danger zone in front of the net alot more. Scoring greasy goals like Burr and Hansen is the way for him to go from 20 goal potential in the NHL to 30..with his size he should be there more often

 

This is why I think he needs another year, start scoring from the dirty areas (going there more) and ensure the other parts of this game are ready for the big leagues

 

I however am REALLY impressed at how different he looks relative to when he was with the Canucks - he looks (albeit only his highlights and he didn't put up big numbers), alot more like the player they expected when they drafted. Green seems to be doing a good job with him if that video is representative of his effort and play.

[Dekey Pete]

8 hours ago, Boeser6 said:

Excellent video thanks for sharing my comments

 

1. Granted its only a highlight video and of is offensive impact but he certainly looks to have improved ALOT - more confident with the puck, using his speed to go wide and his shot has always been teir 1 NHL quality

 

2. He does seem to score alot from the outside still and would have liked to see him score a few more greasy goals

 

3. He's driving the net more but needs to really charge harder in my view vs some of his outside shots, and related to those, seems he chooses sometimes to take a shot when he doesn't have much of an angle or traffic crashing to look for a rebound - he needs to know at those times you either drive the net or use your speed and take the puck deep behind the net and wait for help. Minor but you cant afford to do that in the NHL as that's just giving the puck away

 

Regardless, its good to see him looking like he's improved and showing more flashes of what he can be. Green seems to be getting through to him, now just add more physicality, attention to details (like above and defensively) and he'll be NHL ready - one more year in the AHL to cement things together and he should be ready for a real hard look with the Canucks.

Biggest takeaway from that highlight video for sure.  He needs to realize that when he's got both defenders on the other team beat, it's time to drop that shoulder and cut in to a better scoring position.  

[N4ZZY]

6 hours ago, Boeser6 said:

Yes, I was thinking add a bit of that Bertuzzi net drive and even if he doesn't score he's going to create oppty's for his linemates to clean up the garbage

 

I'd also like to see him in that 20 ft danger zone in front of the net alot more. Scoring greasy goals like Burr and Hansen is the way for him to go from 20 goal potential in the NHL to 30..with his size he should be there more often

 

This is why I think he needs another year, start scoring from the dirty areas (going there more) and ensure the other parts of this game are ready for the big leagues

 

I however am REALLY impressed at how different he looks relative to when he was with the Canucks - he looks (albeit only his highlights and he didn't put up big numbers), alot more like the player they expected when they drafted. Green seems to be doing a good job with him if that video is representative of his effort and play.

I think this is key. He looks like a different player than he did at the beginning of the year with the Canucks. This can only mean good things are ahead, and it means that Virtanen is growing, and maturing. I'm excited and I anticipate another year of seasoning to grow his offensive side of the game would only benefit him. There's really no rush to bring him onto the Canucks. If he's earning a call up, then call him up, give him a taste (again) of the big leagues, and force him to work even harder and become even hungrier. A hungry Virtanen is a deadly Virtanen. 

 

[R35Godz1lla]

7 hours ago, N4ZZY said:

I think this is key. He looks like a different player than he did at the beginning of the year with the Canucks. This can only mean good things are ahead, and it means that Virtanen is growing, and maturing. I'm excited and I anticipate another year of seasoning to grow his offensive side of the game would only benefit him. There's really no rush to bring him onto the Canucks. If he's earning a call up, then call him up, give him a taste (again) of the big leagues, and force him to work even harder and become even hungrier. A hungry Virtanen is a deadly Virtanen. 

 

Without rehashing the past again your last statement is bang on. I don't think management made a bad decision in keeping him on the team over him going back to the Hitmen. I think there was however a collective failure in letting Virtanen know that just because he was playing in the NHL that it didn't mean he could start taking things easy.

 

Then once the bad habits and laziness started to really become evident it became harder and harder to get him back on track while he was under the media / fan spotlight of his hometown combined with not being a liability on the ice ( at least in the eyes of Willie ) .

 

Had he been able to go strait to Utica from draft day forward we would of had a much different Virtanen this year.

[N4ZZY]

5 hours ago, R35Godz1lla said:

Without rehashing the past again your last statement is bang on. I don't think management made a bad decision in keeping him on the team over him going back to the Hitmen. I think there was however a collective failure in letting Virtanen know that just because he was playing in the NHL that it didn't mean he could start taking things easy.

 

Then once the bad habits and laziness started to really become evident it became harder and harder to get him back on track while he was under the media / fan spotlight of his hometown combined with not being a liability on the ice ( at least in the eyes of Willie ) .

 

Had he been able to go strait to Utica from draft day forward we would of had a much different Virtanen this year.

without a doubt in my mind that we would have had a different player had he been able to go straight to the AHL. he will absolutely need more seasoning. but he's able to still become a solid contributor to the Canucks squad moving forward. he's got competition now though with the likes of Boeser, Dahlen, etc etc. 

[Freeridebc]

23 hours ago, N4ZZY said:

without a doubt in my mind that we would have had a different player had he been able to go straight to the AHL. he will absolutely need more seasoning. but he's able to still become a solid contributor to the Canucks squad moving forward. he's got competition now though with the likes of Boeser, Dahlen, etc etc. 

If he can stay out of Finnegans and Cactus club in Abby over the summer we may have a chance.  

 

The kids lazy unless someone is riding him. Pretty sad given his skill set and potential. 

[aGENT]

5 minutes ago, Freeridebc said:

If he can stay out of Finnegans and Cactus club in Abby

Is that what passes for trendy hangouts in Abby? 

 

Explains a lot...

[Freeridebc]

3 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Is that what passes for trendy hangouts in Abby? 

 

Explains a lot...

Yeah sadly hahah.

[lethal_spaghetti]

40 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Is that what passes for trendy hangouts in Abby? 

 

Explains a lot...

It is quite sad out here hahaha. 

[Nessnuck27]

I'm really hoping virtannen can have a great summer and come into camp in excellent shape and do as well as stecher did last summer. I do want him on this team as I think at his lowest potential he could be a tom Wilson type player. Move up and down the lineup with a physical and scoring presence. 

Or at his top potential a Corey perry type player. Just stand in front of the net and bang away till it goes in. Let Bo Baer and godly play the skill game an virtannen just have that excellent net presence. 

[Zhukini]

It's good to see he's improved, but other than that, how much does he hit? That was part of the big appeal of selecting him, it seems to have dissipated entirely. 

If someone wants to bring up the whole shoulder issue that would be disappointing. 

[Harvey Spector]

I watched that whole video. The video proves 100% that Jake Virtanen is a LEFT WINGER. He scored pretty much all of his goals on the left side and most of his rushes up the ice came from the left side. 

 

I'm assuming Green had him playing left wing. If he becomes our head coach I am certain left wing is where Green will be playing him. Willie D never once played him on the left side from what I can remember. Not sure why when even in Junior that was his natural position. I guess Willie thought it's easier for Jake to play well defensively on the right side as a right shot. Well if someone naturally plays on the left wing then that's where you should play him. I don't recall Pat Quinn ever playing Bure on the left side even though he was a left shot. 

 

If he comes into camp in tremendous shape and Green or whoever is the coach plays him in his natural left wing position then Virtanen has a good shot at making the team. It wouldn't hurt if he went down to Junior for another year. I just want to make sure the head coach understands he's a left winger and plays him there to get maximum production from Jake. I'd like to see Jake playing with Goldobin. Two guys playing on their off wing on the same line. You add a Hischier/Patrick/Glass to that line and it could be a dynamic 1B line playing behind Baer Bo Boes...

Edited April 22, 2017 by Harvey Spector

[ilduce39]

I'd like to see Jake at least start the year in the A.  Add some power moves to the net to complement that laser of a shot and really dominate before getting his call up.

 

Either way really looking forward to watching his progress... brings a much needed element to the team.

[R35Godz1lla]

1 hour ago, ilduce39 said:

I'd like to see Jake at least start the year in the A.  Add some power moves to the net to complement that laser of a shot and really dominate before getting his call up.

 

Either way really looking forward to watching his progress... brings a much needed element to the team.

If Jake come into camp on a mission to prove himself and he does, then let him start with the Canucks, but then hopefully if he starts to waiver Management doesn't hesitate to re-evaluate and possibly send him back to the AHL for a bit to keep him focused.

 

All conjecture at this point on what may happen, but its all we have right now  .

[Erik Karlsson]

I think he'll crack the team if he keeps his fitness up. He's going to be on a mission for sure with all these new young guys coming in. (Boeser, Goldobin, Dahlen, our pick this year) and I really don't think he wants to spend another season in Utica with all his family and friends in Van. 

 

Can see a starting line up of 

 

Baertschi-Horvat-Boeser

Granlund-Sutter-Eriksson

Sedin-Sedin-Goldobin

Virtanen-Gaunce-Dorsett

 

Virtanen can get some pp time and move up the line up with injuries or outplaying other players, and yeah he definitely should be playing lw.

[Rollieo Del Fuego]

3 minutes ago, Erik Karlsson said:

I think he'll crack the team if he keeps his fitness up. He's going to be on a mission for sure with all these new young guys coming in. (Boeser, Goldobin, Dahlen, our pick this year) and I really don't think he wants to spend another season in Utica with all his family and friends in Van. 

 

Can see a starting line up of 

 

Baertschi-Horvat-Boeser

Granlund-Sutter-Eriksson

Sedin-Sedin-Goldobin

Virtanen-Gaunce-Dorsett

 

Virtanen can get some pp time and move up the line up with injuries or outplaying other players, and yeah he definitely should be playing lw.

...yup....

[kenhodgejr]

7 hours ago, Erik Karlsson said:

I think he'll crack the team if he keeps his fitness up. He's going to be on a mission for sure with all these new young guys coming in. (Boeser, Goldobin, Dahlen, our pick this year) and I really don't think he wants to spend another season in Utica with all his family and friends in Van. 

 

Can see a starting line up of 

 

Baertschi-Horvat-Boeser

Granlund-Sutter-Eriksson

Sedin-Sedin-Goldobin

Virtanen-Gaunce-Dorsett

 

Virtanen can get some pp time and move up the line up with injuries or outplaying other players, and yeah he definitely should be playing lw.

Does this mean we get rid of Ried Boucher, Michael Chaput, Jason Megna, Drew Shore, Jack Skille, Anton Rodin, and Griffen Molino? 

[RetroCanuck]

10 minutes ago, kenhodgejr said:

Does this mean we get rid of Ried Boucher, Michael Chaput, Jason Megna, Drew Shore, Jack Skille, Anton Rodin, and Griffen Molino? 

Send Boeser to Utica and put Boucher there for now. If he ups his game we can trade him at deadline and bring Boeser up. Megna to Utica, Drew Shore or Anton Rodin as 13th forward. Dorsett traded/waived, Skille walks. Virtanen in Utica or third line, 4th will delay development.

 

Baer-Bo-Boucher

Goldobin-Sutter-Eriksson

Sedins-Granund

Gaunce-Chaput-Shore

Rodin

 

Cant see a scenario where Sedins are resigned.