6th Overall - Jake Virtanen UPDATE: Signed to 3-Year ELC

[keslerburrows]

Jake told me and a few of my buddies that the doctors said his day to return in October 15.

 

[Robongo01]

Jake told me and a few of my buddies that the doctors said his day to return in October 15.

That dates been known for a little while now, but thanks for the confirmation.

I wonder what kind of shape he's in? Does anyone know where to find the player measurements and fitness testing results from yesterday or is that not made public?

 

[Get North]

That dates been known for a little while now, but thanks for the confirmation.

I wonder what kind of shape he's in? Does anyone know where to find the player measurements and fitness testing results from yesterday or is that not made public?

I think he should still be fit a little. He can workout and whatever.

 

[Serac]

Carter-esque shot, (Mike) Richards type of banging around ?
Book the cup !

 

[GPNuck]

Carter-esque shot, (Mike) Richards type of banging around ?
Book the cup !

maybe the accuracy of carter but I think he Jake shoots the puck much harder

 

[Bankerguy]

The Rick Nash comparison is horrible.

Nash is a dangler...he's a player who can dance around defenders .. he's got slick hands...

Virtanen IS similar to David booth (think booth then he scored 30 with Florida)
Did anyone watch Booth back then??? He was dynamite. He'd fly down the wing... and beat goalies with a clean shot or he'd crash the net.
He hit quite a bit too... 130 hits a year or whatever...

Booth sucks now...and is a shell of his former self..so people are ..apprehensive to make that comparison

I will say this.... Virtanen does have better hands.. Booth does bobble the puck quite a bit ... Virtanen has slicker hands in tight. He can roof the puck on his backhand from a foot away while off balance (scored a few goals that way actually!) .. and he is MORE physical.

So style wise, yes he is close to booth, but think Virt has better hands, and more physical and a better shot.
If his game translates to the NHL, he's going to score a lot of goals powering around and through Dmen, or beating guys to loose pucks and firing in a lot of goals from in the slot.
Evander kane is another pretty good comparison.

 

[IntangiBo]

Did anyone watch Booth back then???.

He played in Miami, so the answer would be no.

 

[TheWanderer]

He played in Miami, so the answer would be no.

There's a hockey team down there?

 

[Just A Bit Outside]

There's a hockey team down there?

There also used to be a basketball team.

Then LeBron left..

 

[DadBod]

When people compare Virtanen to Booth you have to use the 30 goals Booth. When Booth was scoring 30 goals as a premier, fast power forward, then you might have a close comparison. Even then I wouldn't use him as a direct comparison.

In my opinion I compare Virtanen between a E. Kane/J. Neal hybrid. A speedy, powerful, physical sniper.

 

[GarryValkyrie]

Cant wait to see him in game action in a year or 2, wish the DeLorean was working to go see for a weekend.

 

[Seattle Totems]

I can't wait until he plays so this idiotic comparison to Booth is laid to rest.

 

[BobbyJazzLegs]

The Rick Nash comparison is horrible.

Nash is a dangler...he's a player who can dance around defenders .. he's got slick hands...

I always thought this was a pretty clear east/west vs north/south player comparison but i didn't want to say anything lest I get flamed.

 

[MISC*]

I see a stronger but less dynamic Taylor Hall.

He's only 18. Kid will gain another 10 pounds when he is 22 no problem.

 

[BobbyJazzLegs]

I see a stronger but less dynamic Taylor Hall.

He's only 18. Kid will gain another 10 pounds when he is 22 no problem.

I still can't fathom he's already over 200 with that frame.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

How about we just stop trying to make comparisons between players and prospects altogether?

 

[Canucker]

How about we just stop trying to make comparisons between players and prospects altogether?

No! I compare him to a cross between Cam Neely and Maurice Richard...with a little sprinkling of Mike Bossy.

 

[Reverend Mayhem]

No! I compare him to a cross between Cam Neely and Maurice Richard...with a little sprinkling of Mike Bossy.

What you are saying is Virtanen is going to score 1,512 goals in the NHL? Because I think that number is a bit too low.

 

[vadim sharifijanov]

the runaway son of bure, young jagr, prime jagr, ted lindsay, and marshawn lynch.

 

[Pip]

His backhand is very impressive, something that's rare to find.

 

[TheWanderer]

A [much] bigger Burrows?

 

[Ryp37]

A [much] bigger Burrows?

Probably the worst comparison yet nicely done

 

[The Iron Goalie]

The comparible is Kane that's it. Both are big, strong, hard shooting, powerforwards, who hit everything, and have speed to burn.

 

[CanaFan]

The comparible is Kane that's it. Both are big, strong, hard shooting, powerforwards, who hit everything, and have speed to burn.

I agree. Other players have elements in common with Jake but no one really has a similar "total package", including both strengths and weaknesses. Now that doesn't mean Virtanen is a lock to be as good as Kane, nor does it mean Kane is his "best-case-scenario" ceiling. Simply gives an indication of how Jake's game will likely look at the NHL level.

 

[JA]

I agree. Other players have elements in common with Jake but no one really has a similar "total package", including both strengths and weaknesses. Now that doesn't mean Virtanen is a lock to be as good as Kane, nor does it mean Kane is his "best-case-scenario" ceiling. Simply gives an indication of how Jake's game will likely look at the NHL level.

Is nobody taking the Nolan comparison? Everything I've seen of Jake thus far has given me the impression of him being similar.