Breakers
Make Mirrored Visors Legal Again
I'm not debating that Virtanen has sucked for awhile now
But
Nick ritchie did not play higher in the line-up
He was on the 4th line, so unless their was a 5th line your wrong again.
RW Jake Virtanen (2014, 6th, VAN) III
- Thread starter Woodhouse
- Start date
I'm not debating that Virtanen has sucked for awhile now
But
Nick ritchie did not play higher in the line-up
He was on the 4th line, so unless their was a 5th line your wrong again.
I'd be a little worried about his offense with the numbers he's put up in junior. It's far from a sure thing, but usually top 6 forwards put up more than a point per game in their draft + 1 year, although there are exceptions.
I saw people comparing him to Tom Wilson and I'm not sure about that. Although, Wilson had a better draft + 1 year (year after his draft year), although Virtanen was coming off a shoulder surgery I think.
I mean Johansen just missed putting a 1ppg in his draft year, but his d+1 blew Virtanen's away. Lucic missed 1ppg in his d+1 but just barely, and he's really the outlier. ROR didn't put up 1ppg either but he was already in the NHL.
I saw people comparing him to Tom Wilson and I'm not sure about that. Although, Wilson had a better draft + 1 year (year after his draft year), although Virtanen was coming off a shoulder surgery I think.
I mean Johansen just missed putting a 1ppg in his draft year, but his d+1 blew Virtanen's away. Lucic missed 1ppg in his d+1 but just barely, and he's really the outlier. ROR didn't put up 1ppg either but he was already in the NHL.
Brewsky
King Of The Ice Mugs
Breakers
Make Mirrored Visors Legal Again
When he was McDavid's winger? That was the 4th line
A majority of his time was with Gauthier and Crouse on the 4th
I mean Virtanen was Mcdavid's winger for a few games
But keep trying.
Love his Physical tools , matched by not very many prospects. Very explosive and strong. Obvs needs to work on mental game but that's coachable
His game is definitely more suited for NHL where the robust, grit and intimidating will work well rather than the soft IIHF rules.
Can't wait to have him at 22 yrs old in a 7 game series.
His game is definitely more suited for NHL where the robust, grit and intimidating will work well rather than the soft IIHF rules.
Can't wait to have him at 22 yrs old in a 7 game series.
People calling a 19 yr old bust [mod].
Scouts are paid to predict these players for when they are 23 yrs old or so not what they will be like at 19.
He will be a beauty and a fan favorite for sure. Physically going to dominate. Need more growth in hockey sense.
Scouts are paid to predict these players for when they are 23 yrs old or so not what they will be like at 19.
He will be a beauty and a fan favorite for sure. Physically going to dominate. Need more growth in hockey sense.
Last edited by a moderator:
Brock Radunske
안양종합운동장 빙상장
- Aug 8, 2012
- 16,787
- 4,701
I disagree. Canada would have been a much better team and made it further if he had of never boarded the flight to Finland.
I know he's a kid but this loss is on him and I hope he knows it and learns from it, otherwise I can't see him being an impact player in the future.
Neil Hamburger
Five Bagger!
He's not a bust, but calling him "a beauty & a fan favorite for sure" is equally absurd.
In five games, he was Canada's worst player. That's not the end of the world, but it's definitely not a good sign either.
stempniaksen
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2008
- 11,217
- 4,558
His hockey sense is atrocious. I'm not even talking about the awful penalties, I'm talking about what he does when he doesn't have the puck on his stick. Can't argue with his tools, but he isn't gonna get very far with that (or lack thereof) toolbox.
Atomos2
Registered User
I dont like this player at all. I didnt mind him before the tournament...I even defended him on some occasions. But he has me glad I never get to cheer for him again. His recklessness is just uncanny. He literally doesnt care about the stakes in a game. He'll just do what he wants.
5 games in which the whole team was horrible and the rules are different from NHL ?
Tough to judge a prospect in that sample.
Once his mental game and hockey IQ develops then it will be very very hard to find a prospect player with his skill set.
Neil Hamburger
Five Bagger!
Fixed:
"If his mental game and hockey IQ develops, then it will be very very hard to find a prospect player with his skill set."
Ya very undisciplined but he will learn.
How Many of us can say we are the same now as we were when we were 18-19
He has lots of mental room to grow but physically I'm in awe of what he can potentially bring to the table In a playoff series.
Speed, ability and moxy to take the puck to the net hard, and devastating body checks. Those are all very useful skill sets.
Sure IF but every prospect has an IF.
What do you think would be harder:
Teach a player to be more disciplined and better positional and situationaly in terms of hockey iq
Or
Teach a player to be rugged, big, skate like the wind and fearless to go to the net w. The puck.
This could easily never happen, his hockey IQ is VERY bad right now. Looks like he could be a bit of a Chad Kilger in the making to me - great tools, reasonably long NHL career, but always a 3rd/4th liner despite 1st/2nd line physical talent.
Random Forest
Registered User
- May 12, 2010
- 14,638
- 1,334
FLYguy3911
Sanheim Lover
- Oct 19, 2006
- 55,678
- 92,303
Marc the Habs Fan
Moderator
This is a bad trend that is continuing.
I'm hoping he gets sent down to Calgary and rediscovers his offense game, playing Tom Wilson like hockey 10 MPG ever 3 of 4 games isn't a very good development strategy IMO.
Brock Radunske
안양종합운동장 빙상장
- Aug 8, 2012
- 16,787
- 4,701
I'm pretty sure Jets and Leafs fans are enternially grateful to Benning for taking Virtanen and leaving Nylander and Ehlers on the board. 
stempniaksen
Registered User
- Oct 12, 2008
- 11,217
- 4,558
This. So much this.
I'm not saying he's a lost cause, but it's extremely difficult to teach hockey IQ, it's typically one of those things you either have or you don't. From everything I've seen Virtanen just doesn't have "it".
The kid is very Evgeni Artyukhin-esque out there.
Going back to the Canucks instead of Calgary in the WHL isn't going to help matters either IMO...but I hope that I'm wrong.
Josepho
i want the bartkowski thread back
His upside is not a 4th liner.
How many 4th liners have you seen make plays like this as a 19 year old?
I'm not going to suggest that he's this amazing pick, because he's not. But some of the comments here are ****ing silly. Virtanen is a very difficult prospect to read, and I still think he can also be one of the best (albeit not likely).
Upside top 6 physical power forward.
Downside : 4th like Grinder that can chip in the odd goal.
Downside : 4th like Grinder that can chip in the odd goal.
Latest posts
-
-
-
-
Does Mitch seem different since coming back from the 4 Nations?
- Latest: Antropovsky
