Lonny_Bohonos_14 Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 (edited) While I think Jake could handle 9-12 minutes per game at the NHL level, I just think there aren't enough 'sheltered' spots available. Baer, and Vey will both need sheltered minutes -- and to some degree Horvat as well (as good as he was last year, he is only 20). Add in guys like Prust and Dorsett, who are great role players, but we don't want them playing more than 12 minutes a game either. That's 5 guys that will average 12ish minutes or less per game without Jake. Edited July 17, 2015 by Lonny_Bohonos_14 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aGENT Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 (edited) They would not reduce his opportunities for that reason, that's just sillyness. Yes he was givin more ice time in the AHL than I expected, at least in most of the games. But still, 1 point in 10 games. To me he looked like an average junior player 95% of the time, the other 5% would be him going end to end for a highlight reel goal or a huge hit, but those were few and far between. He should go to junior and try to dominate, try being a bit more creative and create more opportunities for himself and his teammates. As far as I see it, he is a 1 trick pony. The skate with your head down as fast as you can down the wing every time and then try a wrap around or a wrist shot isn't going to work on NHL defenceman. This is just my opinion. I hope he can surprise me and crack a spot in the lineup for the year. He could just as easily need more of a challenge than Junior can provide. Losing motivation due to a lack of competition is not good for his development either. Players excel when they're challenged. They flounder when allowed/able to coast. Edited July 17, 2015 by J.R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimberWolf Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 (edited) 9 minutes in the NHL is far superior to 20 minutes in junior. While there is not a one size fits all development path if he's like a Horvat then we should lose a vet to make room We are developers, not contenders right now. So gotta do what best for the future and not the current roster. Though if he would be lost and full of suck then junior he goes even if it's wasted. Edited July 17, 2015 by TimberWolf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballisticsports. Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 Here is Hockeys Future Propect rankings report for Jake 31 Jake Virtanen Talent Score: Prob. of Success: Position: Height: Weight: Team: 8.0 D RW 6-1 210 lbs. Vancouver Canucks With a blend of skill, determination, and physicality, Jake Virtanen is definitely a prospect for Vancouver Canucks fans to watch carefully in the coming years. While it remains to be seen if he can apply his power forward game at the next level, Virtanen has been generally unmatched by most of his junior opponents. That being said, he plays a little too much of a perimeter game at this point, and could stand to assert himself a little more. He had a strong 2014-15 season and will look to build on that progress next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyCuddles Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 A strong 14-15 season? Someone should inform some of the haters who claim he had a disappointing season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grape Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 A strong 14-15 season? Someone should inform some of the haters who claim he had a disappointing season. It doesn't make one a hater to state a fact... His season was disappointing and I don't see how you can argue with that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post WonderTwinPowers Posted July 17, 2015 Popular Post Share Posted July 17, 2015 It doesn't make one a hater to state a fact... His season was disappointing and I don't see how you can argue with that Meh, over a PPG. Won gold at the WJC, and got some AHL playoff experience. All while not getting to train last summer. While I won't argue he could have had a BETTER season, he also could have had a much worse one. Looking forward to see what he can do with a good off season of training. 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
one night Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 "Grape" It doesn't make one a hater to state a fact... His season was disappointing and I don't see how you can argue with that. Dear Sour Grapes, have you ever had shoulder surgery? If not keep the wine to yourself. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
funkyfresh Posted July 17, 2015 Share Posted July 17, 2015 He could just as easily need more of a challenge than Junior can provide. Losing motivation due to a lack of competition is not good for his development either. Players excel when they're challenged. They flounder when allowed/able to coast. I watched him play in about 12-13 games last season and he was benched for long periods of time in 3 of them. That's a coach challenging a player to play better. If he's lost motivation just one season after the draft then what does that say about his character. You know who else got bored of the junior competion without ever actually having dominated juniors? Nicklas Jensen. I have to agree with some of the other posters in that he can, at times, be quite one-dimensional. He doesn't battle for pucks enough, he has trouble cycling the puck, and he makes a lot questionable decisions. The other huge issue for me is that he looks just like Kassian when it comes to defense. I absolutely do not want him on the team for more than 9 games next season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ballisticsports. Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 The thing that surprised me and didn't how up in my copy/paste from Hockey future prospect rankings ,besides listing him #31 (not sure if they were ranking him that low now), but on the probability of success, they gave him a D now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erik Karlsson Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Look at Lucic, he never even got to ppg in jr, skipped the AHL and has put up 30 goal seasons. Virtanen is way faster and is more talented offensively. His offense should translate just fine imo, and I'm pretty positive he will be on the team this season. He's working with the team 5 days a week. His shot should get back to where it was and I'm sure they'll let him know what they expect from him to make the team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honky Cat Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 The thing that surprised me and didn't how up in my copy/paste from Hockey future prospect rankings ,besides listing him #31 (not sure if they were ranking him that low now), but on the probability of success, they gave him a D now Yes..according to HF..he would be considered a boom or bust player.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rex425 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Look at Lucic, he never even got to ppg in jr, skipped the AHL and has put up 30 goal seasons. Virtanen is way faster and is more talented offensively. His offense should translate just fine imo, and I'm pretty positive he will be on the team this season. He's working with the team 5 days a week. His shot should get back to where it was and I'm sure they'll let him know what they expect from him to make the team. I agree. If we are not competing for a playoff spot come the trade deadline, we can try him out with the Sedins, might fit really good with them. Good shot, speedy, and can protect the Sedins even as a 18-19 year old. Why not? Unless we are pretty good and Vrbata or Burrows is having a great season with the Sedins, we can try it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nave Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 If his junior coach didn't give him 20 mins a game, why should we expect Willie to give him 10? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gstank29 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 (edited) He doesn't dominate and he's not a puck possession player. Too many of the games I watched he would get benched at some point and it actually started getting pretty frustrating. He seemed to be the 3rd or 4th best option on the powerplay behind Rankin, Tambellini and Sanheim and was also rarely used as a top shootout player. How can he lose motivation due to a lack of competition when he was never even one of the better players on the ice. That is definitely not the case and if it was the case then that would be a problem. The only thing he has clear superiority over most the other kids is his speed and strength. A lot of penalties will come his way if he plays junior next year, he smashes kids. These two aspect are usually the reason a player is sent back to junior, so either way I think he is going to be on the Canucks. Virtanen would play well on a line where he isn't the "go to" player, that way we could play him to his strengths, which are carrying the puck into the zone and getting to the scoring areas. A Higgins-Bonino-Virtanen line would probably be the best fit for him. Virtanen can be the speed guy who carries the puck into the zone, Bonino the set up/Procession player and Higgins would be the strong two way force. Edited July 18, 2015 by Gstank29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 He doesn't dominate and he's not a puck possession player. Too many of the games I watched he would get benched at some point and it actually started getting pretty frustrating. He seemed to be the 3rd or 4th best option on the powerplay behind Rankin, Tambellini and Sanheim and was also rarely used as a top shootout player. How can he lose motivation due to a lack of competition when he was never even one of the better players on the ice. That is definitely not the case and if it was the case then that would be a problem. The only thing he has clear superiority over most the other kids is his speed and strength. A lot of penalties will come his way if he plays junior next year, he smashes kids. Sounds more like a coaching and development issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoKnows53 Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 While I think Jake could handle 9-12 minutes per game at the NHL level, I just think there aren't enough 'sheltered' spots available. Baer, and Vey will both need sheltered minutes -- and to some degree Horvat as well (as good as he was last year, he is only 20). Add in guys like Prust and Dorsett, who are great role players, but we don't want them playing more than 12 minutes a game either. That's 5 guys that will average 12ish minutes or less per game without Jake. Horvat's not going to need sheltered minutes. He'll be up against Toews and Kopitar even more than he was last year. i Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaudette Celly Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 How so? Jake clearly has outstanding natural skills. If he's being benched and looks lost or ineffective on the ice, it's either because he's lazy or won't listen to the coach, is unable to learn, or is not being developed properly. What do you think it is, or is it something else? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamJamIam Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 I just don't think he's very bright. I don't blame the coach for benching a kid who continuously takes bad penalties or makes bad defensive decisions. I'm sure the benchings did more good than bad. We saw both Travis Green and Willie bench young players only to see them come back stronger in the next game. During the season it just seemed like people around here were just blaming the coach because he wasn't playing Jake 26 minutes a night in all situations. I thought the coach dealt with him just fine. So much assuming. Jake would score a goal then get benched regularly. And if you think Calgary as a team had any idea what their defensive system was supposed to be, you need to go back to timbits hockey. The whole team was lost and played like an absolute mess. The talent on that team could have gone significantly further in the WHL playoffs if they had been coached properly (or at all?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edlerberry Posted July 18, 2015 Share Posted July 18, 2015 Horvat's not going to need sheltered minutes. He'll be up against Toews and Kopitar even more than he was last year. i ok. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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