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

[me2]

This. I'm not worried about Virtanen skating and shooting...

I'm worried about his shooting. It's been poor since his draft year. It looked amazing that year.

 

[604]

Considering the guy has been overweight and out of shape, he's going to be a heck of a lot better when 30 lbs lighter and in shape. I think a great many posters here are going to be shocked at how good this kid will be when at weight, and in shape.

His skating is always good. Add conditioning and he's a guy you sign want to play against.

Next is to rediscover his shot...he should be shooting everyday.

 

[TacitEndorsement]

Could you imagine being Jake Virtanen, seeing the title to this thread, and then reading the posts?

 

[lawrence]

Could you imagine being Jake Virtanen, seeing the title to this thread, and then reading the posts?

he probably doesn't give a ****, because He's jake Virtanen and everyone else is a nobody.

 

[ProstheticConscience]

Could you imagine being Jake Virtanen, seeing the title to this thread, and then reading the posts?

Sorry to tell you this kid, but welcome to the big league. Every pro in every league has to handle this. You don't like it? Check your bank account balance.

Can't deal with it? Drive a cab.

 

[Pastor Of Muppets]

Well, he's always had two Achilles Heels - the other being his motor and ability to keep his feet moving for the length of a shift. Way too much gliding around behind the play.

I could care less if he gets bigger or stronger. He needs to get fitter so he can play an active puck-pressure game for a full 45-second shift. If he can do that, he'll be an NHL player in some capacity. If he can't, he's a bust.

This is precisely what Travis Green was trying to rectify in Jakes game...I'm anxious to see significant improvement in that area.

 

[KH]

he probably doesn't give a ****, because He's jake Virtanen and everyone else is a nobody.

Although it's true, the criticisms are valid. If he doesn't address those criticisms. He becomes a nobody like us.

 

[RobertKron]

he probably doesn't give a ****, because He's jake Virtanen and everyone else is a nobody.

Wasn't this kind of the whole problem?

 

[F A N]

I've said this before, who cares if Virtanen acts like he is better than everyone else. Has there been reports about him being a bad teammate, a locker room cancer, disrespectful to veterans on the team? No? In his Utica interviews, he seemed pretty respectful of Bancks. Whatever it takes for Virtanen to develop. It's on him. If being humbled helps him develop, great. If the drive to be better than anyone else helps him develop, great. If he thinks it's an insult to spend another year in the AHL and that helps him develop, great. There's a fine line between confidence and cockiness. At the end of the day, no one cares if he's confident or cocky if he backs it up with his play and production.

 

[rune74]

You're too late. He already did.

Why shouldn't we though...both first round picks....one given a lot of leeway, for reasons the other written off.

 

[MS]

$25 he says something about gaunce.

Interestingly, by his logic, Gaunce has 'proven he can score in the NHL' because he scored one goal.

I've said this before, who cares if Virtanen acts like he is better than everyone else. Has there been reports about him being a bad teammate, a locker room cancer, disrespectful to veterans on the team? No?

Actually, yes, there were multiple reports to that extent during the 15-16 season and to start last season - that he was acting unprofessional, that he wasn't getting along with the veterans on the team, etc.

Henrik in particular made a couple pointed comments that appeared to refer directly to Virtanen.

 

[lawrence]

Interestingly, by his logic, Gaunce has 'proven he can score in the NHL' because he scored one goal.



Actually, yes, there were multiple reports to that extent during the 15-16 season and to start last season - that he was acting unprofessional, that he wasn't getting along with the veterans on the team, etc.

Henrik in particular made a couple pointed comments that appeared to refer directly to Virtanen.

Source pls

Thanks in advance,

 

[Fatass]

Source pls

Thanks in advance,

I searched for a Hansen comment I remember about Jake eating hotdogs, but can't find it. I don't remember anything about Jake being a bad teammate - NOTHING. I think the older guys really want to win, as they know their days are numbered, and get frustrated with young guys, who could be more professional. I thought the comments I remember were about off ice stuff, like the Hansen one about hotdogs. There was that Beiber stuff:
http://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-t...-twitter-go-private-bieber-to-blame-1.2200619

I still think Jake has things figured now, and with TG coaching will score 20 this season.

 

[FroshaugFan2]

Source pls

Thanks in advance,

There was this from Daniel and Burrows.

“The only thing I worry about is effort,†he said. “And I think from some guys right now, the effort is not there. It’s not good enough. I think those guys know who they are. I think it’s embarrassing if you’re not giving the effort every night. Shift in and shift out, game in and game out, it has to be there otherwise it’s going to look like this.â€

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/...team+effort/11797833/story.html#ixzz43XjfDyhl

[Tweet]752314589065277440[/MEDIA]

I believe Henrik said something as well, but I can't find it.

 

[vancityluongo]

http://nationalpost.com/g00/sports/hockey/nhl/vancouver-canucks-giving-suspended-jake-virtanen-some-tough-love/

Jake Virtanen hasn’t been feeling the love in what has been the toughest month of his professional career.

In contemplating the future of the Vancouver Canucks there are two key questions to consider.

One, if things go right over the next couple of seasons, can they improve enough to dig themselves out of the pit they currently inhabit?

Two, if things go right over the next couple of seasons, can they improve enough to compete with the best teams in the West?

The answer to that first question seems fairly straight-forward. The Canucks’ young players will get better. The team will get healthier.

He was among a group of players Daniel Sedin recently, and uncharacteristically, called out publicly for, essentially, not trying often enough.

He had his minutes choked by his head coach for “mistakes,†which may have been on the ice, off of it or both.

 

[GetFocht]

he probably doesn't give a ****, because He's jake Virtanen and everyone else is a nobody.

It's doesn't work that way, he's a 19 year old kid that has faced some tough public adversity. No doubt, he avoids these boards and these posts because it would make any person feel like crap.

 

[KingOfTheES]

Why shouldn't we though...both first round picks....one given a lot of leeway, for reasons the other written off.

Gaunce has scored at a 0.56 ppg pace in his AHL career while being drafted at 26
Virtanen has scored at a 0.28 ppg pace in his AHL career while being drafted at 6

Your argument is bad and you should feel bad.

 

[iFan]

Gaunce has scored at a 0.56 ppg pace in his AHL career while being drafted at 26
Virtanen has scored at a 0.28 ppg pace in his AHL career while being drafted at 6

Your argument is bad and you should feel bad.

And Horvat scored at at a 0.00 ppg pace in the AHL... your point is ridiculous.

 

[F A N]

Actually, yes, there were multiple reports to that extent during the 15-16 season and to start last season - that he was acting unprofessional, that he wasn't getting along with the veterans on the team, etc.

Henrik in particular made a couple pointed comments that appeared to refer directly to Virtanen.

Please provide the reports that suggest that he's been a bad teammate, a locker room cancer, or that he's been disrespectful to veterans on the team.

So he's been unprofessional for not being well conditioned and or working hard on the ice when the games don't matter. He got called out for it by the team's leadership group and rightly so. Hopefully he learns.

But that's a far cry from not getting along with the veterans on the team or that he's been a bad teammate or that he's been disrespectful to the veterans. But if you want to argue that simply not showing up to work and working hard everyday equals all of the above then okay.

 

[DL44]

This is precisely what Travis Green was trying to rectify in Jakes game...I'm anxious to see significant improvement in that area.

If Green doesn't like cruising wingers.. he's surely gonna have beef with Boeser's game.

 

[vancityluongo]

Please provide the reports that suggest that he's been a bad teammate, a locker room cancer, or that he's been disrespectful to veterans on the team.

So he's been unprofessional for not being well conditioned and or working hard on the ice when the games don't matter. He got called out for it by the team's leadership group and rightly so. Hopefully he learns.

But that's a far cry from not getting along with the veterans on the team or that he's been a bad teammate or that he's been disrespectful to the veterans. But if you want to argue that simply not showing up to work and working hard everyday equals all of the above then okay.

Do you really think having your captain call out your work ethic publicly is a sign of getting along with veterans?

There's also this:

http://www.vancourier.com/pass-it-t...-like-lonely-star-says-andrey-pedan-1.2266811

t's worse than that, though. Now everyone is going to start talking about Jared McCann's "character", and that's going to be hard to shut down, since this isn't the first time it's come up. Throughout the season, there were rumours that the Canucks didn't like McCann's attitude. And remember Beth Bartkowski's endearing radio appearance, when she gushed about her experience on the mothers' road trip, save for this little coda?

"Every guy on the Canucks is the nicest guy... oh my god, except that little 19-year-old, what's his name?"

That could, of course, only be one of two dudes.

So either McCann or Virtanen. And again, there were reports* that those two sort of formed their own clique/did their own thing, whereas Bo integrated with the veterans and essentially acted like he was a 20-year pro, not 20 years old.

This is also speculation for the sake of discussion. You need more proof simply to continue this discussion which may or may not have merit? Where is the proof that he wasn't disrespectful to the veterans? Do you have pictures of Jake babysitting Ryan Miller's kid or taking Henrik out to a Whitecaps game?

*because you probably won't click the link, here is the quote:

Both Jared McCann and Jake Virtanen are going through them right now. They have worked themselves into Willie Desjardins’ doghouse, something the head coach pointed out after Wednesday’s 3-1 loss to Colorado, a game in which both players had their ice time limited because they hadn’t “earned it.â€Â

“Both guys have made a couple of mistakes and we’ve talked to them about it,â€Â Desjardins said.

“They have to be a little better.â€Â

Asked specifically if those mistakes were solely on the ice, Desjardins said: “I’m talking all. Overall, in the game.â€Â

Now, what that means exactly is anyone̢۪s guess.

But suggestions that there were mistakes made off ice, and in part teenagers being teenagers, makes a whole lot more sense.

Because these two haven̢۪t done anything obvious on the ice to warrant any kind of discipline. This is especially true for Virtanen, who has arguably been the Canucks̢۪ most consistent forward since returning from the world junior championship.


Any other take about the way Virtanen has actually played hockey games is clueless. He̢۪s led active players in Fenwick (ratio of unblocked shots) for most of the year. That̢۪s not a fluke.

He̢۪s done his job defensively all season and recently has been adding offence.

Sure, Virtanen struggled in his first couple of games with the Sedin twins, but so did Jannik Hansen back in 2007. This isn̢۪t uncommon, especially for a player who has been wired to play a different role all year.

Desjardins said it̢۪s not always easy determining how best to motivate and discipline his youngest players, strongly hinting this wasn̢۪t the first time the pair dipped their toes into some hot water.

Real good character stuff there.

 

[Pip]

And Horvat scored at at a 0.00 ppg pace in the AHL... your point is ridiculous.

Horvat play what like 5 AHL games? The point is actually a good one, unlike yours. If you can't score in the AHL (over a reasonable number of games) then you're just not a good prospect and your chances of being a decent NHLer is slim to none.

 

[NoShowWilly]

Horvat play what like 5 AHL games? The point is actually a good one, unlike yours. If you can't score in the AHL (over a reasonable number of games) then you're just not a good prospect and your chances of being a decent NHLer is slim to none.

Horvat also played on the 4th line while down there. The team wasn't going to disrupt things for horvat because he was only there for two weeks.

 

[DL44]

Horvat also played on the 4th line while down there. The team wasn't going to disrupt things for horvat because he was only there for two weeks.

Coach being a dick... putting winning above development. The nerve. I remember the outrage like it was..... still ongoing.

 

[Disappointed EP40]

That's only to HFers. Virtanen should have, and likely would have, been one of those players that slipped down the draft board till around the 15th pick. He's obviously a bit of a project, as most power forwards are, even more so than was originally anticipated.

Just because he isn't living up to his draft position doesn't mean he's worth a 4th round pick - Not a team in the league would pass on that deal.

Regardless of his draft position, he's not trending well to become an NHL player. (AHL player is very debatable at this point too)

That's 3rd/4th rounder value territory.

Also, this tripe about "power forwards taking longer to develop" has been debunked repeatedly. They almost always dominate in the AHL.