Jake Virtanen XI - Showtime Big Country (Update: Suspended for 2 Games)

[CanaFan]

They had a Grizzlies night and there's a picture of Jake in this thread wearing a Bryant Reeves jersey (#50 for the Grizzlies). I think they know exactly what they're doing. The fact that Jake is so good natured about it all actually makes me like him a bit more than I did.

Oh I'm sure Jake who grew up in Vancouver knows who Reeves is and is aware of the nickname. Are a couple of young guys from Ontario going to connect Jake's weight and that of a long-gone mediocre basketball player? Maybe I guess. Or like they said, he's from the country. Of course once everyone pointed it out to them (like the blog I linked earlier) then ya maybe it became another thing.

Anyway believe what you like, I just wanted to share the article with Horvat and Hutton saying they didn't know the reference. Everyone is free to find lines to read in between if they like. At least I'll give you credit, this has been the most light hearted Virtanen "debate" I've had in his 1 1/2 years since being drafted. That's some kind of progress I think

 

[Proto]

Oh I'm sure Jake who grew up in Vancouver knows who Reeves is and is aware of the nickname. Are a couple of young guys from Ontario going to connect Jake's weight and that of a long-gone mediocre basketball player? Maybe I guess. Or like they said, he's from the country. Of course once everyone pointed it out to them (like the blog I linked earlier) then ya maybe it became another thing.

Anyway believe what you like, I just wanted to share the article with Horvat and Hutton saying they didn't know the reference. Everyone is free to find lines to read in between if they like. At least I'll give you credit, this has been the most light hearted Virtanen "debate" I've had in his 1 1/2 years since being drafted. That's some kind of progress I think

I just get a real kick out of this nickname. It's light years ahead of typical hockey nicknames in terms of intent/being somewhat interesting.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

Critical of the pick...the first of those three things actually. I could have added several things that can all co-exist. I stopped at three.

Of course people are going to bring up players that could have been drafted instead that may appear to be a better prospect. Doesn't mean they are cheering for Virtanen to fail.

So discussing other players endlessly in "Jake Virtanen" thread is being critical? Okay then.
Let's bring Ehler up every time when he scores a goal, cause that was exactly what happened couple days ago.
Ehler scored a hat trick after a 20 games goalless streak and a poster thought that it belongs in this thread instead of the " around the league" thread.

 

[tantalum]

So discussing other players endlessly in "Jake Virtanen" thread is being critical? Okay then.
Let's bring Ehler up every time when he scores a goal, cause that was exactly what happened couple days ago.
Ehler scored a hat trick after a 20 games goalless streak and a poster thought that it belongs in this thread instead of the " around the league" thread.

When one is critical of the pick they are going to discuss who they (and others) believed should have taken instead when discussing a players progress. You aren't going to look at things in vacuum but rather compare to how others in the draft class are also developing. Seems pretty self explanatory to me.

That said, my personal opinion is that one waits some time before making comparisons and saying a pick is a bad one or a bust...except in the obvious cases (Patrick White) etc. But I perfectly understand why some may not choose that route and have an ongoing comparison.

I also don't disagree that the post came out of nowhere. However, that was not what I was responding to. I was responding to the assertion that one couldn't be disappointed with the pick while still hoping Virtanen does well.

 

[Nucker101]

Man, irony of this is that the "lets keep this about JV" crowd are the ones who are bringing up Ehlers/Nylander now.

Arguing/complaining about what happened in the last thread has already derailed this thread.


Anyway, one thing I am happy with is that JV's possession numbers are pretty decent. I really hope WD gives him more ice time down the stretch if the team falls out of the playoff race. If not, then JV will likely have to settle for limited minutes and earn WD's trust. Unlike McCann/Hutton, it's more difficult for JV to get increased minutes with an injury to another player at his position since the Canucks have plenty of wingers.

 

[Nick Lang]

I think Jake has made big strides in the past two weeks. Really good to see.

 

[VanJack]

I think Jake has made big strides in the past two weeks. Really good to see.

He'd have made even bigger strides if the coach hadn't parked him the pressbox or benched him in the third periods of games he did pay in.

 

[DL44]

He'd have made even bigger strides if the coach hadn't parked him the pressbox or benched him in the third periods of games he did pay in.

Objection! Speculation, your honor.



Well at least it's looking like he'll be something 'real good'... despite Willie trying to hinder his development.

 

[LeftCoast]

He'd have made even bigger strides if the coach hadn't parked him the pressbox or benched him in the third periods of games he did pay in.

I feel like I'm in a odd place defending Willie Desjardin because I have a lot of issues with him as a coach. However a less biased view would say something seems to be working. Under Willie's watch, Horvat, Virtanen, McCann and Hutton seem to be developing pretty well. Additionally, 2 reclamation projects (Vey and Baertschi) seem to be responding to his approach.

 

[Pip]

I feel like I'm in a odd place defending Willie Desjardin because I have a lot of issues with him as a coach. However a less biased view would say something seems to be working. Under Willie's watch, Horvat, Virtanen, McCann and Hutton seem to be developing pretty well. Additionally, 2 reclamation projects (Vey and Baertschi) seem to be responding to his approach.

Hutton and McCann came in great and have tapered off. Don't know it Id count them.

 

[LeftCoast]

Hutton and McCann came in great and have tapered off. Don't know it Id count them.

News flash - rookies can be inconsistent.

 

[Pip]

News flash - rookies can be inconsistent.

You're telling me that the two guys who played much better at the beginning of the year are examples of Willie D developing young players well?

 

[Nick Lang]

He'd have made even bigger strides if the coach hadn't parked him the pressbox or benched him in the third periods of games he did pay in.

Maybe, although he looked out of place early on and needed more time than McCaan to figure it out. He really seems to be picking his spots now and playing from an intellectual as compared to a reactionary standpoint. That's really good.

You're telling me that the two guys who played much better at the beginning of the year are examples of Willie D developing young players well?

Would it be better if they got worse? That's the definition of developing is it not?

Oh sorry you are arguing they are worse ... point taken. Still I think the overall performance is a positive.

 

[Billy Kvcmu]

You're telling me that the two guys who played much better at the beginning of the year are examples of Willie D developing young players well?

So base on that, no NHL coach knows how to develop rookie

 

[Pip]

So base on that, no NHL coach knows how to develop rookie

What?

 

[Hansen]

Oh I'm sure Jake who grew up in Vancouver knows who Reeves is and is aware of the nickname. Are a couple of young guys from Ontario going to connect Jake's weight and that of a long-gone mediocre basketball player? Maybe I guess. Or like they said, he's from the country. Of course once everyone pointed it out to them (like the blog I linked earlier) then ya maybe it became another thing.

Anyway believe what you like, I just wanted to share the article with Horvat and Hutton saying they didn't know the reference. Everyone is free to find lines to read in between if they like. At least I'll give you credit, this has been the most light hearted Virtanen "debate" I've had in his 1 1/2 years since being drafted. That's some kind of progress I think

In every video, interview, what have you, that I've seen involving Jake and interactions with the teammates, guys are ribbing him about his weight. Maybe this is what Benning meant when he said he wanted Virts up to keep his fitness in check, public hazing in the eye of the fishbowl is probably a good way to keep a young athlete focused on working hard and getting into better shape

Or, y'know, developing an eating disorder in a teen. Though Virts cocky pretty-boy attitude doesn't seem the type to cave to that kind of pressure, who knows what goes on in someone's head.

 

[VanJack]

You're telling me that the two guys who played much better at the beginning of the year are examples of Willie D developing young players well?

I guess it was vitally important for Virtanen and McCann to sit in the pressbox early in the season and gain some valuable lessons from just watching Higgins and Prust play most nights....after all, the 'mentoring thing' is pretty important according to Willie

 

[IntangiBo]

Being critical of a pick.

Being critical of a players skill/abilities/how they play the game.

Hoping a player turns into a great player/does well/makes an impact for years.

Those are all three different things that one person can easily think. To equate criticism of the pick or player into hoping a player fails is not at all fair or even remotely accurate.

Being critical of a GM on this board usually means not liking anything he does or being shocked at anything they don't hate. It allows those to watch things purely negatively and while they may tell you they hope he works out, they're usually more concerned with the "I told you so" response of internet champions.

 

[Wilch]

Being critical of a GM on this board usually means not liking anything he does or being shocked at anything they don't hate. It allows those to watch things purely negatively and while they may tell you they hope he works out, they're usually more concerned with the "I told you so" response of internet champions.

Not a single poster leads me to believe they deliberately want a prospect to fail so they can tell some ******** off on the internet.

I didn't agree with picking McCann, and nothing makes me happier to see the significant progress he's made.

 

[geebaan]

Objection! Speculation, your honor.



Well at least it's looking like he'll be something 'real good'... despite Willie trying to hinder his development.

You're right, guys like Ehlers and Larkin really do poorly with more ice time. Rookies just can't handle it.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I thought corsi was your stat of choice?

It is, but not to the exclusion of every other stat.

 

[SgtToody]

You're right, guys like Ehlers and Larkin really do poorly with more ice time. Rookies just can't handle it.

Hey, there's 'the other guys' ways' and then there's 'Willie's ways'... You really don't think we'd copy Detroit's model, do you? If that were something ownership was looking to do, they'd have canned Gillis/moved him up earlier and jumped on Nill...

 

[Jimson Hogarth*]

Kinda have to agree.

I get that you don't like the pick but to go on for a couple of years about it, saying Virtanen will be a bust, has lost his shot, is dumb with low hockey IQ ya da ya da....pretty lame when he starts to look good and I mean more in the future then right now, even though he is looking better and better, it is pretty lame to all of a sudden hop on the bandwagon and say you were always cheering for him to work out for the Canucks.

Yup, precisely, people want to be over the top critical of a 19 year old and then with their second face pretend to be "cheering Jake on". Like wow.

 

[Cupless44]

When one is critical of the pick they are going to discuss who they (and others) believed should have taken instead when discussing a players progress. You aren't going to look at things in vacuum but rather compare to how others in the draft class are also developing. Seems pretty self explanatory to me.

That said, my personal opinion is that one waits some time before making comparisons and saying a pick is a bad one or a bust...except in the obvious cases (Patrick White) etc. But I perfectly understand why some may not choose that route and have an ongoing comparison.

I also don't disagree that the post came out of nowhere. However, that was not what I was responding to. I was responding to the assertion that one couldn't be disappointed with the pick while still hoping Virtanen does well.

So what is the saturation point when you get over a draft pick, stop comparisons and move on? nearing 2 years now....will it be 3 years, 4? Never? Cuz it sure gets ****ing boring.

 

[Cupless44]

Being critical of a GM on this board usually means not liking anything he does or being shocked at anything they don't hate. It allows those to watch things purely negatively and while they may tell you they hope he works out, they're usually more concerned with the "I told you so" response of internet champions.

Completely.