Pre-Game Talk: 2014 NHL Entry Draft (for non-6th overall pick discussion) - Part IX

[BobbyJazzLegs]

Virtanen's agent said they had to decide when to get the surgery, they knew he could play with it but at some point he would need the surgery.

I believe they chose ASAP, in order to make the WJC fall camp and be in contention to make that team.

It's kind of sad, yet also cool that this is the world we currently live in. We force kids to go have surgery because we know - with enough certainty - that the results will be better than waiting for the actual "injury" to happen ala tommy john surgery.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Benning loves the 2013 draft for the Canucks. Big fan of Horvat. Mentioned Shinkaruk and Cassels specifically. Thought they did really well. So this might influence what they do in this draft. If they like that WHL + OHL + USHL focus in last draft, that may persist here.

 

[thefeebster]

Benning loves the 2013 draft for the Canucks. Big fan of Horvat. Mentioned Shinkaruk and Cassels specifically. Thought they did really well. So this might influence what they do in this draft. If they like that WHL + OHL + USHL focus in last draft, that may persist here.

I liked the way he spoke about Horvat.

I think that spells good news for the restructured staff. Crawford will likely stay as the top guy.

Also, i've heard from two different places that Boston really likes Sanheim. Wonder how much influence comes from Benning's viewings in Finland.

Benning likes Teddy Hampson (edit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Hampson) on the Canucks scouting staff. Looked up to him. What do we know about him?

This got way buried in the Benning thread, so i decided to put it here.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...=165321&team=&year=&status=&leagueid=&season=

That has his history as a scout as well. The last known hit attached to his name from what i can find was Shattenkirk.

As for his role in the Canucks, after the restructuring, appears to be the right hand of Eric Crawford:

Crawford, who worked his way through pro scouting to Canuck management, is being assisted by career amateur scout Ted Hampson.

 

[Nuckles]

Also, i've heard from two different places that Boston really likes Sanheim. Wonder how much influence comes from Benning's viewings in Finland.

I would love to get Sanheim with our 2nd rounder, but I could very easily see Calgary taking him with the 34th overall pick since they're light on good defensive prospects (and I think it's guaranteed they take a forward with their 1st).

I don't know about Boston taking him at 25th though, it seems a bit early even though he had a strong 2nd half of the season.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I liked the way he spoke about Horvat.

I think that spells good news for the restructured staff. Crawford will likely stay as the top guy.

Yep, and even with the new "directives", he will give them time to execute. Crawford remaining at the top seems logical.

This got way buried in the Benning thread, so i decided to put it here.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...=165321&team=&year=&status=&leagueid=&season=

That has his history as a scout as well. The last known hit attached to his name from what i can find was Shattenkirk.

As for his role in the Canucks, after the restructuring, appears to be the right hand of Eric Crawford:

They work in concert? I think that greatly endorses the structure currently here.

 

[LiquidSnake]

Is there a link for the Benning interview? Or is Bnap just replaying it?

 

[BuddyBoy]

I would love to get Sanheim with our 2nd rounder, but I could very easily see Calgary taking him with the 34th overall pick since they're light on good defensive prospects (and I think it's guaranteed they take a forward with their 1st).

I don't know about Boston taking him at 25th though, it seems a bit early even though he had a strong 2nd half of the season.

I really wan't Sanheim, and I think he is going in the first. It's not so much that he had a big second half but that his potential is through the roof; he's just so raw. If it's true that Boston likes him I hope Benning was a big part of that.

 

[Bleach Clean]

Is there a link for the Benning interview? Or is Bnap just replaying it?

Hour 3 here: http://www.teamradio.ca/SekeresandPrice.aspx

It's a different interview at noon.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Wouldn't mind Virtanen at all. His stock is actually higher than Ritchie right now on a lot of mock drafts.

But if we have the chance to get a guy like Reinhart, this is the year. I don't think the Canucks are a team that will consistently get a top 10 pick.

That doesn't make any sense to me. He has a slightly better shot and is slightly faster than Ritchie but is worse in basically all other facets of the game and is smaller.

 

[Tiranis]

That doesn't make any sense to me. He has a slightly better shot and is slightly faster than Ritchie but is worse in basically all other facets of the game and is smaller.

"slightly faster" is a very disingenuous way of putting it. Virtanen is one of the fastest skaters in the draft while Ritchie is merely average. Not to mention Virtanen's overall agility. He's a better hitter too, even if he's smaller.

 

[dave babych returns]

Slightly faster?

 

[arsmaster*]

That doesn't make any sense to me. He has a slightly better shot and is slightly faster than Ritchie but is worse in basically all other facets of the game and is smaller.

Virtanen is the fastest player in this draft.

You don't like him much. We get it. Don't make stuff up though.

 

[racerjoe]

Ahh I see your angle. Still adds weight to the injury stance however

I think I'm crushing on Virtanen. Every snippet or soundbite is exactly what I want to hear.

I have liked him for a while too, wouldn't be angry if we picked him, but I think I like ehlers and Nylander more. I just think with what we have in the system, I would put hands first.

 

[DadBod]

That doesn't make any sense to me. He has a slightly better shot and is slightly faster than Ritchie but is worse in basically all other facets of the game and is smaller.

Slightly? He's often referred to the BEST pure power forward in this draft. He's physical and hits like a truck. He's a big body and the fastest tested skater in the draft. Not to mention he has a better shot then most NHL players.

Oh yeah, did I mention he's one of the youngest draft eligible players? I think your love for Ritchie is clouding your views of Virtanen

 

[Love]

Maybe go back and read my reasonings for not liking him then. Not going to bother rehashing it over and over again when clearly it's being ignored.

Okay:

Y2K:

I really hope the Canucks don't waste their pick on Nylander.'

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=84959565&postcount=733

Other poster:

Why?

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=84969649&postcount=738

Y2K:

Not high on him at all as a prospect. Considering where we pick there are much better options available.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showpost.php?p=84970543&postcount=740

Thread: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1649917&page=30


So like I said, if you could provide some logical reasoning for hating the kid that would be appreciated. Saying, "Not high on him." is not a logical argument.

 

[Bitz and Bites]

This got way buried in the Benning thread, so i decided to put it here.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/playe...=165321&team=&year=&status=&leagueid=&season=

That has his history as a scout as well. The last known hit attached to his name from what i can find was Shattenkirk.

As for his role in the Canucks, after the restructuring, appears to be the right hand of Eric Crawford:

Pretty interesting resume he has...put up over a PPG for the one season he played for the Vancouver Canucks.Of course they were in the WHL at the time and it was 1958/59.

Looks like he played until age 40 in the NHL and then WHA before becoming a Coach/GM of the Oklahoma Stars of the CHL at age 43.According to that database,he also played a number of games for them that year and several more again the following two seasons.Maybe he had to lace them up if they were short of players or something.

Interesting that he went directly from that gig to being Director of Amateur Scouting for the St Louis Blues.Talk about a fast riser in an organization.

 

[Virtanen2Horvat]

I would love to have Dal Colle. I don't think Benning will go for Virtanen I actually think that is a mistake. His IQ isn't that great from what I have heard.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Slightly? He's often referred to the BEST pure power forward in this draft. He's physical and hits like a truck. He's a big body and the fastest tested skater in the draft. Not to mention he has a better shot then most NHL players.

Oh yeah, did I mention he's one of the youngest draft eligible players? I think your love for Ritchie is clouding your views of Virtanen

Except there's a good chance he might not be. Ritchie had more goals over more games this year.

I still would rather Ehlers (like I have been maintaining) but if the Canucks are going power forward i'd rather the guy who can fight and score than the guy who has the best shot.

 

[LickTheEnvelope]

Virtanen is the fastest player in this draft.

You don't like him much. We get it. Don't make stuff up though.

Ya and Ritchie is also very fast, so don't "make stuff up" yourself.

And I like Virtanen fine, I just really don't like him at 6 and think his goal scoring prowess is over-rated by many on here and he fails to perform in big games, luck or not.

Again:

Junior playoff games vs points:

Virtanen: 26 gp, 3 goals, 7 points

Ehlers: 16 gp, 11 goals, 28 points
Ritchie: 11 gp, 5 goals, 10 points
Fabbri: 22 gp, 13 goals, 29 points

Reinhart: 29 gp, 7 goals, 26 points
Dal Colle: 22 gp, 10 goals, 25 points
Bennett: 11 gp, 5 goals, 9 points

Barbashev: 11 gp, 5 goals, 13 points

Only player in that range with worse playoff stats would be Draisaitl, about 4 points in 8 games or so.

 

[LiquidSnake]

Hour 3 here: http://www.teamradio.ca/SekeresandPrice.aspx

It's a different interview at noon.

Awesome. Just listened. Thank you

 

[Lundface*]

Virtanen is the fastest player in this draft.

You don't like him much. We get it. Don't make stuff up though.

Isn't this the same stuff that Gaunce tested the fastest in?

I think Ehlers is faster, not that it matters. He can flat out fly

 

[Mofletz]

Junior playoff games vs points:

Virtanen: 26 gp, 3 goals, 7 points

lol you are counting his 5 games he played as a 15 year old in the playoffs.. This playoffs he was clearly playing with an injured shoulder and wrist..

If you dont consider Reinhart's 2014 playoff stats he would have scored 3pts in 16games

 

[just22]

Except there's a good chance he might not be. Ritchie had more goals over more games this year.

I still would rather Ehlers (like I have been maintaining) but if the Canucks are going power forward i'd rather the guy who can fight and score than the guy who has the best shot.

Ritchie had a higher GPG, but is also 8 months older and played his 3rd CHL season, while Virtanen only his 2nd. And there is a clear and obvious distinction between who's faster. Ritchie is a good skater, but by no means is he "very fast".

There is a much closer gap between these two than people make out to be.

 

[ShouldveDraftedFiala]

At this point I just hope the canucks draft anyone but Virtanen.

 

[GetFocht]

It will be Nick Ritchie,

You can't pass up a 6'3, 229lbs forward that has the most even strength goals.

Kassian, Horvat, Gaunce, and Ritchie is what the evolution of Canucks should look like considering how heavy the West is.