Player Discussion Jake "Big Tuna" Virtanen | XVII Nikolaj Who...?

[WinterEmpire]

Right now his feet are writing cheques that his brain can't cash, but his overall play has been a net positive and a revelation considering how atrocious he looked last season.

The coaching/video staff really, really need to be working with him on developing a power move and taking the puck to the middle of the ice for high-percentage shots. Right now, he's consistently getting a step on opposing defenders but as soon as a shot becomes a vague option he's just prematurely winging these low-percentage no-hopers at the net rather than using his size/speed/strength to get inside on those defenders.

I actually think this is a mandate of the coaching staff. Jake isn't the only one doing it this year. Majority of the time as soon as they get in the top of the slot, they are ripping a shot on net trying to create a rebound for the follow up skaters. Baertschi, Boeser, Horvat, Granlund, Vanek, Burmi...I've seen them do the same thing too many times for it to be a coincidence.

 

[docbenton]

Someone who can score 20-20 without prime offensive opportunities and can control possession in difficult matchups to me is a harder player to find and more valuable than a 30-30 player who plays cushy minutes in offensive situations and offer limited defensive value. It means you can put other players in those offensive situations. Hopefully Jake can become that.

 

[beachcomber]

Always liked the kid. If he absorbs the teachings of Green and his associates the kid will be a handful for opposing teams with his speed and strength. I also like how chippy and irritating he can be to the other team. Nucks need more of these and with kids like Gaudette, Lockwood and Lind hopefully the trend will continue.

 

[lawrence]

he will be a valuable component come those playoff matches where the other team have their bullies. He played extremely well last night, and lets hope he continues to trend the right away.

 

[Motte and Bailey]

Jakes game is being rebuilt brick by brick I think he will be a possible Jamie Ben type player in his mid-20s. Jake is all instinct it will take a lot of time for him to learn the NHL league by instincts until it's second nature. This year he must get comfortable with the simple shot plays. Next year maybe he can fake or make a move before shooting. Then the year after that he Will add cutting to the middle before shooting. Then the year after that he can make a move to the middle drive the net and shoot. Then the year after that make a move to the middle drive the net juke the goalie and shoot. Then the year after that he can start to dish it off. Then he will be a complete power forward. I'm about 5-6 years when all the bricks are laid down one by one boy oh boy look out he could be an incredible player for us.

 

[lawrence]

I actually think this is a mandate of the coaching staff. Jake isn't the only one doing it this year. Majority of the time as soon as they get in the top of the slot, they are ripping a shot on net trying to create a rebound for the follow up skaters. Baertschi, Boeser, Horvat, Granlund, Vanek, Burmi...I've seen them do the same thing too many times for it to be a coincidence.

I know what you mean. This old school tactic, was deployed by a famous Canucks coach Pat Quinn. this style or play, or whatever we call it, was often used by the Canucks from 92 all the way to of course 1994.

 

[JanBulisPiggyBack]

Jakes game is being rebuilt brick by brick I think he will be a possible Jamie Ben type player in his mid-20s. Jake is all instinct it will take a lot of time for him to learn the NHL league by instincts until it's second nature. This year he must get comfortable with the simple shot plays. Next year maybe he can fake or make a move before shooting. Then the year after that he Will add cutting to the middle before shooting. Then the year after that he can make a move to the middle drive the net and shoot. Then the year after that make a move to the middle drive the net juke the goalie and shoot. Then the year after that he can start to dish it off. Then he will be a complete power forward. I'm about 5-6 years when all the bricks are laid down one by one boy oh boy look out he could be an incredible player for us.

Just in time for the rebuild and we can trade him for draft picks!!!!

 

[CanaFan]

Someone who can score 20-20 without prime offensive opportunities and can control possession in difficult matchups to me is a harder player to find and more valuable than a 30-30 player who plays cushy minutes in offensive situations and offer limited defensive value. It means you can put other players in those offensive situations. Hopefully Jake can become that.

Sure but those situations aren’t necessarily implied by those numbers. He could become a 20-20 guy only with cushy deployment, or he could become so good that he could produce 30-30 even against other team’s top lines. It’s not inherent in those production levels which of the deployment situations he would be in.

 

[MS]

Jakes game is being rebuilt brick by brick I think he will be a possible Jamie Ben type player in his mid-20s. Jake is all instinct it will take a lot of time for him to learn the NHL league by instincts until it's second nature. This year he must get comfortable with the simple shot plays. Next year maybe he can fake or make a move before shooting. Then the year after that he Will add cutting to the middle before shooting. Then the year after that he can make a move to the middle drive the net and shoot. Then the year after that make a move to the middle drive the net juke the goalie and shoot. Then the year after that he can start to dish it off. Then he will be a complete power forward. I'm about 5-6 years when all the bricks are laid down one by one boy oh boy look out he could be an incredible player for us.

Only a Jamie Benn-type player? I mean, that guy has only won one scoring title and finished 2nd another year. And just a Hart finalist, never even won it!

I think he can be a Jaromir Jagr-type player, if Jagr had the mean streak of Cam Neely! Hopefully I'm not selling him short.

 

[Grantham]

Chris Kreider is a type of player you really need come playoffs. I think no two players are exactly alike, but they can be similar type of weapon. I think Jake’s positive turn in development from Camp onwards is probably my favourite surprises so far this year.

The goal and effort against Detroit made me smile!

 

[Craz1bo1]

 

[Jyrki21]

I think this will please @WTG.

 

[WTG]

I think this will please @WTG.

I'll throw my vote in for Jake the snake.

Because the idea of Virtanen's face being photoshopped onto a snake is just the type of humor that gets me. Because I'm a man-child.

 

[Jyrki21]

I'll throw my vote in for Jake the snake.

Because the idea of Virtanen's face being photoshopped onto a snake is just the type of humor that gets me. Because I'm a man-child.

I meant the Jim Halpert allusion, but now realize you've changed your avatar.

 

[Royal Canuck]

Jakes game is being rebuilt brick by brick I think he will be a possible Jamie Ben type player in his mid-20s. Jake is all instinct it will take a lot of time for him to learn the NHL league by instincts until it's second nature. This year he must get comfortable with the simple shot plays. Next year maybe he can fake or make a move before shooting. Then the year after that he Will add cutting to the middle before shooting. Then the year after that he can make a move to the middle drive the net and shoot. Then the year after that make a move to the middle drive the net juke the goalie and shoot. Then the year after that he can start to dish it off. Then he will be a complete power forward. I'm about 5-6 years when all the bricks are laid down one by one boy oh boy look out he could be an incredible player for us.

Let's not jump ahead of ourselves here.

Virtanen's not far removed from the AHL. Sure, he's off to a good start, but there's still a long season ahead and he needs to keep improving.

The ceiling for Virtanen is high, but comparing him to Jamie Benn at this point is a little silly considering that Jamie is an art ross winner and hart finalist.

 

[Oliewud]

jakes ceiling to me is chris kreider and the low end would be hansen/torres

 

[VanJack]

You have to give Travis Green props for the way Virtanen is playing.....obviously even while he was going goal-less in Utica last year, he was picking up valuable pointers and practice habits.....they're rebuilt his game from ground up....which really makes sense since in junior he was able to get by with just his speed and physically dominating younger players......they were saying on the post-game show that he hasn't been on for a goal-against yet this year.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Nice to see the kid on a decent roll. Have to admit my expectations were lower than whale shit at the bottom of the ocean after last year, but I like seeing him actually playing with spirit. Keep it up, kid.

Also, completely useless trivia: Big Tuna was the nickname of Tony Accardo, once protege of Al Capone who went on to be the boss of the Chicago Outfit for decades. Oversaw the mob's expansion west to Las Vegas and LA, made somewhere in the neighbourhood of a quarter billion dollars, and never saw the inside of a prison cell.

 

[member 290103]

The Big Tuna is Bill Parcells. Big Country is Bryant Reeves. Can't we give him an original nickname?

 

[ProstheticConscience]

The Big Tuna is Bill Parcells. Big Country is Bryant Reeves. Can't we give him an original nickname?

I like Tony Accardo better. More menacing.

 

[Wo Yorfat]

The Big Tuna is Bill Parcells. Big Country is Bryant Reeves. Can't we give him an original nickname?

How about the Great One?

 

[Regal]

How about the Great One?

The Great Eight...teen

 

[Jyrki21]

How about the Great One?

Or Jake “Sid the Kid” Virtanen.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

Knowing the kind of creative names hockey players come up with, I expected something like Jakey or The Jakester. Big Tuna? Better than Big Tobacco, I guess.

Anyway, I couldn't be happier to see him finally show some signs of being a decent NHL player. If he can stay healthy and maintains some kind of consistency, we may just have something here. Fingers crossed, breath held etc.

 

[LeftCoast]

Knowing the kind of creative names hockey players come up with, I expected something like Jakey or The Jakester. Big Tuna? Better than Big Tobacco, I guess.

Anyway, I couldn't be happier to see him finally show some signs of being a decent NHL player. If he can stay healthy and maintains some kind of consistency, we may just have something here. Fingers crossed, breath held etc.

Big Tuna may be a reference to him bring of Fin-nish descent, but that might be over thinking things. As you say, hockey nicknames are usually pretty simplistic.

Either way he's playing great and had clearly earned the confidence of "Greener"