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RW Jake Virtanen (2014, 6th, VAN) III

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Yeah, I certainly don't think you give the guy a ton of icetime if you don't think he's ready or has earned it. But...if that's the case then send him down. Why waste time like this? Is he gaining anything in his development watching games from the bench for most of the night?

Seems pretty darn odd.
 
The Hitmen could sure use him. Unlike last season, he'd be in an ideal situation--French and company are probably begging the Canucks management to send him back. I was watching tonight's Hitmen game, and the whole time I kept thinking, if only Fazleev had Virtanen to pass to. Coming in and putting this hardworking (not the greatest offensive) team on his shoulders would be good for him, but obviously NHL professionals think otherwise.
 
Whileee said:
I wonder, who watched him play last season in junior and the AHL and thought he looked close to NHL ready in terms of hockey sense and IQ?
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I have no idea but it doesnt look like it to me. It really is a shame he cant be sent to the AHL.
 
FlareKnight said:
Yeah, I certainly don't think you give the guy a ton of icetime if you don't think he's ready or has earned it. But...if that's the case then send him down. Why waste time like this? Is he gaining anything in his development watching games from the bench for most of the night?

Seems pretty darn odd.
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Canucks management don't know what they are doing. Pretty simple.
 
I'll take 5 mins of ice-time in the NHL over the Calgary Hitmen any day. Virtanen needs pro level coaching and I have no problem with the Canucks bringing him along slowly and methodically as they did with Horvat. Bo's 1st NHL game wasn't until November 4th, after spending a lengthy conditioning stint in Utica, where he was able to learn the Canucks system relatively under the radar.

Jake's going to get his minutes just like Horvat did. He'll also likely be loaned to Team Canada where he can get 7 games of top line minutes playing a key offensive role. But most importantly is getting the wrinkles out of his game, and it seems to be working. In his limited ice time, I don't see him making those high risk low reward plays that seem to work all too well in the WHL. It took McDavid 4 games to learn that you can't beat a defender out wide with speed every single time.

In Calgary, Virtanen either didn't listen to his coaches, or they never bothered to work on his deficiencies. Doesn't matter which party is to blame, the point is that Virtanen is listening now.
 
I'd like him to get his 9 games in, even if it's with minimal icetime. I don't think you can trade having that NHL experience and pro development and it will prepare him better for next year. But he really should be sent down to juniors after the 9.
 
Transom Bob said:
I'll take 5 mins of ice-time in the NHL over the Calgary Hitmen any day. Virtanen needs pro level coaching and I have no problem with the Canucks bringing him along slowly and methodically as they did with Horvat. Bo's 1st NHL game wasn't until November 4th, after spending a lengthy conditioning stint in Utica, where he was able to learn the Canucks system relatively under the radar.

Jake's going to get his minutes just like Horvat did. He'll also likely be loaned to Team Canada where he can get 7 games of top line minutes playing a key offensive role. But most importantly is getting the wrinkles out of his game, and it seems to be working. In his limited ice time, I don't see him making those high risk low reward plays that seem to work all too well in the WHL. It took McDavid 4 games to learn that you can't beat a defender out wide with speed every single time.

In Calgary, Virtanen either didn't listen to his coaches, or they never bothered to work on his deficiencies. Doesn't matter which party is to blame, the point is that Virtanen is listening now.
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I think Virtanen needs to play 17 min a night to grow and learn. He is never going to get that up in Vancouver. I think he would be better off going back to Calgary. I doubt Benning is going to burn a year of his ELC just so he can get 5 min a night.
 
Signed said:
I think Virtanen needs to play 17 min a night to grow and learn. He is never going to get that up in Vancouver. I think he would be better off going back to Calgary. I doubt Benning is going to burn a year of his ELC just so he can get 5 min a night.
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I'd agree with you, if the plan was for him to get 5 minutes a night for the next 70 games, but I don't think that's the plan. In the post game presser, WD admitted that our rookies played well, and he may not have deployed them enough. So it doesn't sound like 5 minutes will be the norm for very long. WD will make his adjustments. I think the low minutes is actually a good thing for Virtanen's defensive game. 17 minutes right away, and he could very well fall into his bad habits again. 5 minutes and a low shift count and Virtanen can focus on doing the little things right, each and every shift and build off that.
 
Don't agree with you at all transom bob.

The kids are walking in egg shells in these 2 shifts a period games. They can't "go out and play" without fear they'll have even their 2 or 3 shifts a period shortened.

Pro level coaching is also a bit of a farce in this sense. Desjardins was a junior coach for 20+ years and has only broken into the pro ranks in recent times.

He's better off playing. Vancouver needs this prospect to be a scorer some day not another Derek Dorsett.
 
I agree to a large degree Arsmaster.

The Vancouver Canucks are not Jake Virtanens personal playground to develop into a pro. The organization is paying $70 mil to win hockey games.

There are all kinds of guys in the bottom 6 who also want that ice time. Its not all about Virtanen or Mc Cann being nurtured to satisfy their fans on hockey forums.

There is also 3 first round draft picks mired in Utica who get up every morning hoping it will finally be the day they get a chance at that 5 min a night with the big club. These players have put in their time in junior and the AHL. Should Virtanen and Mc Cann get those spots just because some fans wish it so?

No. They have to earn it. Mc Cann has made a case so far in a limited way. Virtanen simply has not.
 
Signed said:
I agree to a large degree Arsmaster.

The Vancouver Canucks are not Jake Virtanens personal playground to develop into a pro. The organization is paying $70 mil to win hockey games.

There are all kinds of guys in the bottom 6 who also want that ice time. Its not all about Virtanen or Mc Cann being nurtured to satisfy their fans on hockey forums.

There is also 3 first round draft picks mired in Utica who get up every morning hoping it will finally be the day they get a chance at that 5 min a night with the big club. These players have put in their time in junior and the AHL. Should Virtanen and Mc Cann get those spots just because some fans wish it so?

No. They have to earn it. Mc Cann has made a case so far in a limited way. Virtanen simply has not.
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Virtanen should be back in junior where he is getting playing time. I don't understand why he's still with the Canucks if they're going to use him in such a limited role.
 
Virtanen needs to be in the AHL. Doesn't look ready in the NHL and won't benefit from less than 10 minutes a game. He needs to adapt to the pro level, and some prospects just can't do it without experiencing the AHL which is 100% fine. Virtanen will lose confidence playing in a super sheltered role at this level if he's not ready. Let the kid score goals and put up points in junior for another year, then put him in the AHL for a half season/full season and watch how well he develops with 20 minutes of ice time a game. It also doesnt make sense to burn a year of his ELC for marginal playing time, that would be just an awful decision by Canucks managment.
 
I wasn't impressed by him last night. I did not have him in my top 10 in last year's draft. But he was one I liked. Needs more seasoning.
 
The Capitals kept Tom Wilson up as a 19 year old and barely played him for a full season (7:56 per game).

I haven't seen enough of Wilson this year to judge where he is at, but I suspect the Capitals would have sent him back as a 19 year old if they could do it again. Canucks really need to do the right thing here and send him back.
 
The Mentalist said:
I wasn't impressed by him last night. I did not have him in my top 10 in last year's draft. But he was one I liked. Needs more seasoning.
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If I had my way, he would be ordered to stop hitting and concentrate on making plays, seeing the ice, and playing a finesse game. I say that because in junior he BOWLS over kids with his size and he doesnt need to finesse. Thus not improving in that way.

When he gets to the NHL or AHL next year, he can incorporate what he has learned with his hitting and if all goes well the Nux will have a quality scoring winger.
 
I could understand keeping him up if he were getting ~10mins a night, but thats not happening, and our brain dead coach is afraid to play youth. I would like to see him go back if his ice time stays were it is.
 
Virtanen isn't even playing at a level where he is irreplaceable or a significant figure in the lineup. Not that he has been given the icetime to do so but its not like he consistently stands out above the rest with the ice time he has been given. I do see flashes of greatness but its clear that he isn't ready. Jerking him in and out of the lineup isn't going to change that fact.

The NHL is not a development league. If Virtanen isn't ready to be a significant contributor to the Canucks then he should be sent down until he is.
 
Phenomenon13 said:
Virtanen isn't even playing at a level where he is irreplaceable or a significant figure in the lineup. Not that he has been given the icetime to do so but its not like he consistently stands out above the rest with the ice time he has been given. I do see flashes of greatness but its clear that he isn't ready. Jerking him in and out of the lineup isn't going to change that fact.

The NHL is not a development league. If Virtanen isn't ready to be a significant contributor to the Canucks then he should be sent down until he is.
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He hasn't been any less impressive than Horvat at the beginning of last season. I don't think he's really stood out either. Annoying to give him an "audition" and repeatedly bench him for career 4th liners in Dorsett and Prust (although they have been effective). At this point I say send him down, but if he has a game where he plays for 12 mins, scores a goal and wreaks havoc on the opposing d-men it becomes a tough call.
 
ManoWarrior said:
He hasn't been any less impressive than Horvat at the beginning of last season. I don't think he's really stood out either. Annoying to give him an "audition" and repeatedly bench him for career 4th liners in Dorsett and Prust (although they have been effective). At this point I say send him down, but if he has a game where he plays for 12 mins, scores a goal and wreaks havoc on the opposing d-men it becomes a tough call.
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1 good game does not drastically change things. He still needs to reach his potential offensively and for that he needs to play.
 
I don't think the kid has looked out of place. Just incredibly tentative in barely any minutes.

But to quote a baseball player "this isn't a try hard league. It's a get it done league".

He's gonna have to accomplish something tangible soon or our coach and GM are going to botch his development and his contract structure moving forward.
 
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