Player Discussion Jake Virtanen | Jake It Or Break It Edition

[The Extrapolater]

Virtanen is such a beast. He has all the tools ! His lower body strength is unreal and the power he generates will become unbelievably tough for defenders to handle.

When this guy matures his game....watch out !!

Please please dont trade him. He will be a beast for us ..especially in a 7 game series where he can pound Dmen and put the fear of god in their eyes when he dumps the puck in their corner and goes full steam ahead.

He is also the only player we have that realiatically backs up defenders w. His speed. The way he made Miller fall tnt was pure speed. We dont have that in anyone else.

Maybe temper your expectations. He's played well in these past few games, but... these out-of-the-playoff-race games are barely of any meaning. They're hardly a step above pre-season in meaning. Good teams are resting their main players and giving their younger players some extra playing team. The Canucks can pick up a few wins against these weakened lineups. Players who have trouble getting space during meaningful games show up a little more in these sorts of games.

Perhaps Virtanen can show this next season during November/December. All Virtanen has done is earn a chance next season to show if he can do this when the games matter.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

I feel like he will always tantalize with his toolset but the production will always be lacking. Top players in this league can barely break a sweat/look uninterested and still rack up 2 or 3 points in a game. Virtanen is the opposite as he can be really noticeable for a 10 game stretch and yet he will only have 1 goal and 1 assist to his name.

Career 3rd/4th liner that pops in 10-15 goals and 30 points a year.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

Maybe temper your expectations. He's played well in these past few games, but... these out-of-the-playoff-race games are barely of any meaning. They're hardly a step above pre-season in meaning. Good teams are resting their main players and giving their younger players some extra playing team. The Canucks can pick up a few wins against these weakened lineups. Players who have trouble getting space during meaningful games show up a little more in these sorts of games.

Perhaps Virtanen can show this next season during November/December. All Virtanen has done is earn a chance next season to show if he can do this when the games matter.

Vegas waa fighting for.home ice advantage tnt so it was hardly a meaningless game for them.

The shot clock was something.like 28-13 at one point in favor of Vegas ao that should indicate their compete level tonight.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

I feel like he will always tantalize with his toolset but the production will always be lacking. Top players in this league can barely break a sweat/look uninterested and still rack up 2 or 3 points in a game. Virtanen is the opposite as he can be really noticeable for a 10 game stretch and yet he will only have 1 goal and 1 assist to his name.

Career 3rd/4th liner that pops in 10-15 goals and 30 points a year.

Thats pretty much what he is now. Youre saying he isnt going to develop more or produce more eventhough he has yet to experience a heavy load of.PP or ES ice time ??

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Thats pretty much what he is now. Youre saying he isnt going to develop more or produce more eventhough he has yet to experience a heavy load of.PP or ES ice time ??

No I don't think he's going to develop much more. He's pretty much maxed out physically and he's not going to suddenly think the game like the Sedins. He's a 30 point depth forward that can maybe play a Torres type role in 2011.

What makes you think he's going to get much PP time? he doesn't have the finish or hockey iq for that.

 

[DownGoesMcDavid]

No I don't think he's going to develop much more. He's pretty much maxed out physically and he's not going to suddenly think the game like the Sedins. He's a 30 point depth forward that can maybe play a Torres type role in 2011.

What makes you think he's going to get much PP time? he doesn't have the finish or hockey iq for that.

Hes maxed out physically at age 21 ??

Thats not even possible even for non professional athletes and regular joe blows like me and you.


I think he is more Chris Kreider than he is Raffi Torres.

 

[Brock Boeser Laser Show]

Hes maxed out physically at age 21 ??

Thats not even possible even for non professional athletes and regular joe blows like me and you.


I think he is more Chris Kreider than he is Raffi Torres.

Most of his problem has nothing to do with his physique and everything to do with his lack of hockey iq. He could be Rod Brind'Amour it still wouldn't matter if he goes to the wrong areas of the ice or can't think the game at a high level. He's maxed out physically in the sense that his brain will never keep up on the ice so any minor improvements made off the ice won't transfer into actual production. What he needs to figure out to be a legit Top 6 forward can't really be taught or improved in the weight room.

I wonder how long people will say "he's only 21! he's only 22! he just need to grow into his body" before people realize that he is what he is and the production people dream about will never be there. I'd be completely shocked if Jake ever had 20+ goals or 50+ points like Kreider.

 

[Luongos Knob]

Don't give up on this kid.. if they get rid of him, he's guaranteed to become a beast on another team. So stick with him at least we'll keep another team from getting a free beast

 

[docbenton]

I think the argument that people don't get smarter after 21 is pretty ridiculous, lol. Do you remember when you were 21? Experience is a good teacher, as long as you're willing to learn, and Jake has shown he can learn.

Chris Kunitz got a lot better in his 30's. Garrison became a player at 27. I don't even think it's that players don't get better, just that the league keeps getting better so if you're improving you're only keeping up.

 

[VanJack]

......Was playing 'like a man possessed' according to play-by-play guy John Shorthouse in the last game.....that speed through the neutral zone is a sight to behold, even if he often bobbles it the end or tends to hit the goalie's crest with his shot. But even the most skeptical of posters would have to admit they feel a lot better about Virtanen's game at the end of this season, compared to last year when he was struggling in Utica.

 

[groov2]

That was one hell of a game for Jake last night.

 

[PelleLindbergh]

how often does it take a hockey player to find their stride once they reach the pro's? usually around 3 years before they really hit their stride but with the influx of players coming in from being drafted right away and playing successfully has skewered that outlook hasn't it.... we are seeing Jake skate by players out there and at 1st when he did he skated to the wall versus taking the puck to the net, it looked like he was surprised that he could do that, then that was followed by power moves to the net with shooting the puck into the goalie crest or losing the puck and now power moves to the net with a little creativity..... that's a lot of growth towards the end of the season

 

[VanJack]

Some of the credit has to go to Green, who was on his case last year in Utica and worked with him after practice.....even this year he wasn't gifted ice-time, but had to earn it....makes you feel somewhat hopeful that this is the right coach to bring Canucks' youngsters along.

 

[Zippgunn]

I think the argument that people don't get smarter after 21 is pretty ridiculous, lol. Do you remember when you were 21? Experience is a good teacher, as long as you're willing to learn, and Jake has shown he can learn.

Chris Kunitz got a lot better in his 30's. Garrison became a player at 27. I don't even think it's that players don't get better, just that the league keeps getting better so if you're improving you're only keeping up.

So you're saying he just needs more time, like 6 or 9 years? Also Jake hasn't shown he can learn at all; he continues to make the same inexplicable boneheaded plays game after game. All he has is his speed and he's a broken ankle away from losing that.

 

[iFan]

Jake has showed good development this year, he needs to keep building on it. He needs to work on his finish, if he can get that handled, he’ll be a 2nd line winger. He creates a lot of scoring chance he just messes up the shot by shooting at the goalie.

 

[Canucks1096]

So you're saying he just needs more time, like 6 or 9 years? Also Jake hasn't shown he can learn at all; he continues to make the same inexplicable boneheaded plays game after game. All he has is his speed and he's a broken ankle away from losing that.

I probably said this about 10x. It's Virtanen sexy skating that's tricking people into thinking he has improve a lot. He is getting more scoring chances but can't finish. That is a sign he is not a top 6 forward. He is also making a lot of mistakes as well.

 

[Canucks1096]

That was one hell of a game for Jake last night.

No points. People are at Rogers Arena to see a hockey game. Seem like we are seeing a figure skater. Btw Virtanen create nothing with that speed.

 

[Canucks1096]

Fyi

You need more that sexy skating in order to score in this league. Virtanen has no hands and hockey IQ at all.

Virtanen remind me of Reid. Yes I know they are different size. But Virtanen like Reid will just skate the puck up ice and beat a few players and create nothing out of it

Last 3 seasons

2016 13 points
2017 19 points AHL
2018 19 points

Virtanen hasn't scored much in 3yrs. So all of sudden he is going to start scoring? Yes all players develope differently but player that become top 6 forward don't usually have 25 goals in there first 3 pro season and one of the those season was in the AHL.

 

[Canucks1096]

Some of the credit has to go to Green, who was on his case last year in Utica and worked with him after practice.....even this year he wasn't gifted ice-time, but had to earn it....makes you feel somewhat hopeful that this is the right coach to bring Canucks' youngsters along.

Not sure why Green has a reputation of being good with young players. What Young players has he improve this year?

Baertschi
Granlund
Hutton
Stecher
Gaunce

Either those players got worst or the same.

He told Boeser in the off-season you are not good enough for the nhl this year and made him a healthy scratch this year for the first 2 games

Horvat would of improve with any coach.

Virtanen has 19 points. He has pretty much the same point pace is his 1st year. He is creating more scoring chances but most of times it doesn't lead to anything. Also making lot more mistakes out there as well. Can you really say he improve? If he did improve. It's not by much

 

[Canucks1096]

If Virtanen wasn't Canadian and a local boy. This conversation will be a lot different.

 

[alternate]

Do you really need four posts in a row to show you have an irrational hatred of JV? It was pretty obvious after the first one.

Jake is better than he was this time last year. Last year was about him learning how to be a pro. This year it was about improving consistency of effort. The next two years will be about conversion. Still hope for a top 6 PWF here, and floor is looking like a playoff calibre bottom 6 player...which is still a useful piece nevermind what could have been.

 

[F A N]

Not sure why Green has a reputation of being good with young players. What Young players has he improve this year?

He did help turn around Baertschi's game at the AHL level and seems to have really mentored Virtanen. You can tell by the way the two talk about each other. Seems to me that Green was willing to put in the time working with Virtanen and Virtanen put in the time and be mentored. Botch was on 1040 and talked about how Virtanen would go back to the arena after games or practices and work out. Botch told a story of a player who stayed behind or came back to a dimly lit arena to work on his game. Full credit to Virtanen, but I think Green played a part.

 

[Pastor Of Muppetz]

No points. People are at Rogers Arena to see a hockey game. Seem like we are seeing a figure skater. Btw Virtanen create nothing with that speed.

 

[LordBacon]

I like how he tried to drive the net more than the last couple of seasons, still no finish but he does provide more energy to his line than before. One thing im really concerned though is right now his biggest assets are his speed and shot, those will start to fade in his late twenties and he would end up being a useless player, im still not seeing top 6 upside in him and I would trade him before he loses even more trade value.

 

[VanJack]

Not sure why Green has a reputation of being good with young players. What Young players has he improve this year?

Baertschi
Granlund
Hutton
Stecher
Gaunce

Either those players got worst or the same.

He told Boeser in the off-season you are not good enough for the nhl this year and made him a healthy scratch this year for the first 2 games

Horvat would of improve with any coach.

Virtanen has 19 points. He has pretty much the same point pace is his 1st year. He is creating more scoring chances but most of times it doesn't lead to anything. Also making lot more mistakes out there as well. Can you really say he improve? If he did improve. It's not by much

Seriously?....Baertschi, Gaunce and Granlund were basically hurt a lot this year.....and the jury's still out on whether they're 'core' players or 'marginal' assets.....there's a good possibility all of them will be exposed to Seattle in the 2020 expansion draft.

And Stecher and Hutton?.....both replaceable d-men.....bring zero offense and continue to get abused in their own zone.....They're both 'gamers' but don't see how Green has impacted their development at all.

The guys who've improved under Green's tutelage include Virtanen, Goldobin, Demko, Boeser and Horvat...and kids like Sautner and Brisebois appear to be knocking on the door from Utica. I also have high hopes for Gaudette and Motte... Green demands accountability and hard work.....if you've got it you'll get on just fine with him.