Craig's List - Updated: October 7, 2013

[puckfan13]

Having Virtanen this low is utterly insane, he might be my second highest-rated WHL player right now. He has dominated and changed the complexion and direction of multiple games this year with his skillset and size alone. If you were a head scout and had Virtanen this low, you better be damn sure he is busting - that would be grounds alone to re-evaluate your qualifications for that position.

 

[saska sault]

He originally had Michael Bunting playing for the USA NTDP and had the wrong birth year... mean while hes playing for the Soo Greyhounds and a year older then listed (has been changed now). Good to see him listed, went undrafted twice in the OHL... drafted as an 18 year old and having a solid year on a good team.

 

[sigx15]

I have been reading up on Demko....could be a Gibson

What gives with this? Is he forgetting him because hes in college or just completely ignoring his last 2+ years of dominance. A rated by css

 

[sbtatter]

Having Virtanen this low is utterly insane, he might be my second highest-rated WHL player right now. He has dominated and changed the complexion and direction of multiple games this year with his skillset and size alone. If you were a head scout and had Virtanen this low, you better be damn sure he is busting - that would be grounds alone to re-evaluate your qualifications for that position.

I don't know about Virtanen, at what point will he start producing to live up to the hype? I know he's got size, can skate and likes to fight, but does he have hockey sense and/or hands? I'm starting to wonder if he might be Colton Gillies #2?
Now I've said that, cue an amazing scoring streak from Virtanen!!!

 

[zjh]

I don't know about Virtanen, at what point will he start producing to live up to the hype? I know he's got size, can skate and likes to fight, but does he have hockey sense and/or hands? I'm starting to wonder if he might be Colton Gillies #2?
Now I've said that, cue an amazing scoring streak from Virtanen!!!

He has really good hands. Doesn't really like to fight, but he did the other night and pumped Sam Ruopp. His hockey sense is really "selective", which makes him hard to really place. Looking at it from a WHL perspective, he is game in and game out on of the most dangerous forwards the Hitmen have, but the numbers aren't really there. Pucks just aren't finding the back of the net.

When I say "selective" hockey sense, it means he has flashes of both brilliant and terrible decision making and ice awareness. One game he'll be moving the puck around and throwing filthy passes, the next he will have his head down and taking the puck to the net and throwing it into the goalies pad or missing the net when he has an open pass. Scouts love shooters, but there is a point when I can say he shoots too much.

That being said I think the 57 ranking is pretty drastic. He is the strongest player in the league. No ifs ands or buts. No one throws bodies around like Virtanen. He is a powerful skater that blows past guys every game and creates chances. Has a nasty release, although the pucks just aren't finding the twine right now. I think he is a top-15 talent, but he still has to put the puzzle pieces together. Hope this helps.

 

[Sartorial]

He has really good hands. Doesn't really like to fight, but he did the other night and pumped Sam Ruopp. His hockey sense is really "selective", which makes him hard to really place. Looking at it from a WHL perspective, he is game in and game out on of the most dangerous forwards the Hitmen have, but the numbers aren't really there. Pucks just aren't finding the back of the net.

When I say "selective" hockey sense, it means he has flashes of both brilliant and terrible decision making and ice awareness. One game he'll be moving the puck around and throwing filthy passes, the next he will have his head down and taking the puck to the net and throwing it into the goalies pad or missing the net when he has an open pass. Scouts love shooters, but there is a point when I can say he shoots too much.

That being said I think the 57 ranking is pretty drastic. He is the strongest player in the league. No ifs ands or buts. No one throws bodies around like Virtanen. He is a powerful skater that blows past guys every game and creates chances. Has a nasty release, although the pucks just aren't finding the twine right now. I think he is a top-15 talent, but he still has to put the puzzle pieces together. Hope this helps.

This sounds so much like the verdict on Nichushkin a year ago.

 

[sbtatter]

He has really good hands. Doesn't really like to fight, but he did the other night and pumped Sam Ruopp. His hockey sense is really "selective", which makes him hard to really place. Looking at it from a WHL perspective, he is game in and game out on of the most dangerous forwards the Hitmen have, but the numbers aren't really there. Pucks just aren't finding the back of the net.

When I say "selective" hockey sense, it means he has flashes of both brilliant and terrible decision making and ice awareness. One game he'll be moving the puck around and throwing filthy passes, the next he will have his head down and taking the puck to the net and throwing it into the goalies pad or missing the net when he has an open pass. Scouts love shooters, but there is a point when I can say he shoots too much.

That being said I think the 57 ranking is pretty drastic. He is the strongest player in the league. No ifs ands or buts. No one throws bodies around like Virtanen. He is a powerful skater that blows past guys every game and creates chances. Has a nasty release, although the pucks just aren't finding the twine right now. I think he is a top-15 talent, but he still has to put the puzzle pieces together. Hope this helps.

That's great, thank! Even though he's not producing like Hawryluk and Point, he has more NHL size than them. And Quennville has the same size, but is less aggressive and not such a good skater at Virtanen. He has all the tools, but yet to put them together at this level, but in my books he's still a 1st rounder