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Virtanen Vs Etem


dpn1

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38 minutes ago, harrytoolips said:

I agree, it would be totally moronic for WD to put Baertchi on the 4th line..the Nucks are supposed to mold him into being part of our future top 6..

Not if our 4th line is a secondary, youth 'scoring' line. 

 

Something like Baer, Granlund, Virtanen/Burrows might work quite well.

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32 minutes ago, J.R. said:

Not if our 4th line is a secondary, youth 'scoring' line. 

 

Something like Baer, Granlund, Virtanen might work quite well.

That did not work so well in March.  Baertschi and Granlund have not combined for one single point.  

WD kept on talking of how Baertschi was making things happen - even other teams feed noticed that he was creating scoring opportunities for his linemates.  Nothing on the scoresheet.  

 

Granlund and Virtanen have yet to find their scoring touch and Granlund needs to improve on face-offs.  Baertschi is much further along in his development.


It's also not ideal for Granlund or for Virtanen - both are still trying to find their consistency.  Each would be better off surrounded by veterans who can bring stability but also mentor them on the ice.  Virtanen would have probably made more progress if they had been able to keep the Burrows-Sutter-Virtanen line intact but unfortunately injuries.

 

Also I think a full 'youth' line is too easy to bench.  Especially this year where there is so much pressure on WD to win. Can't blame him to favour the vets.  Also who to say the opponents don't just send over their best lines.  Therrien tried an all rookie line with heavy o-zone starts - the Penguins sent Malkin and that was it. 

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3 hours ago, mll said:

That did not work so well in March.  Baertschi and Granlund have not combined for one single point.  

WD kept on talking of how Baertschi was making things happen - even other teams feed noticed that he was creating scoring opportunities for his linemates.  Nothing on the scoresheet.  

 

Granlund and Virtanen have yet to find their scoring touch and Granlund needs to improve on face-offs.  Baertschi is much further along in his development.


It's also not ideal for Granlund or for Virtanen - both are still trying to find their consistency.  Each would be better off surrounded by veterans who can bring stability but also mentor them on the ice.  Virtanen would have probably made more progress if they had been able to keep the Burrows-Sutter-Virtanen line intact but unfortunately injuries.

 

Also I think a full 'youth' line is too easy to bench.  Especially this year where there is so much pressure on WD to win. Can't blame him to favour the vets.  Also who to say the opponents don't just send over their best lines.  Therrien tried an all rookie line with heavy o-zone starts - the Penguins sent Malkin and that was it. 

I added Burr as an option there hours ago that I think resolves some of your concerns. 

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Just now, drummerboy said:

In a couple seasons, this won't even be a question.   Jakes got the upside on Etem big time.  

agreed .   He may have been really green last year but he still had an impact .  Imagine more strength and maturity ..  kids gonna be a great piece of the puzzle !

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1 minute ago, Lulover88 said:

agreed .   He may have been really green last year but he still had an impact .  Imagine more strength and maturity ..  kids gonna be a great piece of the puzzle !

I love the idea of a big heavy hitting kid that has top end speed and a ripper of a shot.   

Still so happy they picked him. 

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12 minutes ago, drummerboy said:

I love the idea of a big heavy hitting kid that has top end speed and a ripper of a shot.   

Still so happy they picked him. 

hes also got swagger .  I know that might be tough to quantify but this is a game of confidence and the kid just carries himself like he's knows something others dont  . 

 

 

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We get too tied up on here with what line a player is on. Gone are the days where we needed to have a 4th line of goons, now we want our 4th line to "play" and contribute on the scoreboard. 

 

If anything it is used more to accommodate younger players, where their minutes can be steadily increased until they are ready to move up (see Bo)

 

I don't think Willie wants any less from his 3rd or 4th than he wants from his 1st and 2nd. He wants speed, skill, compete and when required grit and pushback. Above all he wants a line that will maintain momentum because that is how you ware the opposition down.

 

To that end I'm not sure it matters where Virtanen and Etem play. They are competing for a role in the team and not necessarily with each other. Etem improved markedly as the season drew to an end and Jake was a much more "savvy" player after he came back from the pasting he took for his WJC performances.

 

Both know what is at stake and I will have no sympathy for either if they show they failed to come to pre-season ready to "rock and roll"

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I really don't understand why there is such an aversion to include Etems games in New York.  During the same time period (Oct. through April) they played close to the same amount of games.Etem was not with the Canucks at the beginning of the season and Virtanen was away for the WJC.  It makes sense to include those games in his totals to get a picture of his totals for the entire season.

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14 hours ago, dpn1 said:

I really don't understand why there is such an aversion to include Etems games in New York.  During the same time period (Oct. through April) they played close to the same amount of games.Etem was not with the Canucks at the beginning of the season and Virtanen was away for the WJC.  It makes sense to include those games in his totals to get a picture of his totals for the entire season.

Again you're ignoring the fact Etem had to get use to a new coach, new system, and new linemates. Something Virtanen had the prospects tourney, camp, preseason and an additional 16 games to adjust. What happened in NY, on another team, coach, and system is less important than what Etem did here. What happened here is a comparable. Both moved up and down the lineup here. Same coach, same system, same teammates. It's simply a much better comparison than what was done on another team. You won't change my mind on that.

 

Some have gone on about trading Bonino after the season he had in Pittsburgh. Would he have had a Kessel on his wing on the third line here? No. Would he have put up the same points here? Unlikely. What happens on another team is somewhat irrelevant in this context.

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I think we both aren't going to change our minds::D.  I would like to know what those doing analytics would say about whether to include his games in New York.  Thanks for your willingness to talk about it Baggins.

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