Prospect Info: The Prospect Thread (Part XXXIV)

[mathonwy]

Might be too early to speculate, but does Virtanen hang on to an NHL roster spot, at least as a fourth-liner?......if he can't beat out some of the plugs the Canucks have been auditioning for fourth line duty, you'd really be starting to panic.

I am uncertain about Jake's future on this team.

Based on the body language of Jake's teammates, I'm fairly certain that Jake doesn't have any proponents on this team. Obviously his buddy Ben has got his back but the guys that really matter, Bo, Hank... I don't think either of them are Jake fans.

Jake doesn't seem the type to be all that patient about being snubbed or getting the cold shoulder which was exactly what was happening when he was playing with Bae and Bo at the beginning of this past season. And when this happens, what we the fans see is a disconnected Jake skating around like he's lost. Just like how Zack was acting!!!

Assuming Jake stays away from the Whoppers and shows up to camp in shape; if Travis can smooth out the locker room stuff then I think Jake has a good chance to secure a spot in the bottom 6. If Travis can't, then Jake's gonna get traded as I don't see this management team having the patience of riding out another season of Jake in Utica.

 

[VanJack]

Yes....supposedly the Canucks are 'rebuilding' and trying to get younger players into the lineup....at least that's the spin....so if Virtanen does a face-plant again at training camp and ends up in Utica, you'd have to think a trade out of the organization would be a possibility.....unfortunately the Canucks would be selling at the bottom of the market.

 

[Zombotron]

Hope he doesn't come to camp looking like a brick:

 

[Gaunce4gm]

Last year he showed up weighing 223lbs

By seasons end he was 213lbs and was visibly slimmer. People even suggested he was "too skinny" [MOD]

If you've seen any of his instagram posts you can pretty clearly see he is not back up to 223lbs.

It appears as if he's doing his bulk up still before he cuts off a little bit before camp starts, however he can't be too much bigger than he was at his season end interview in Utica where he weighed (213)

He looks a lot more fit than he did last year. Hopefully he liked his relationship with Green enough to earn a spot in Camp.

 

[MS]

Virtanen should be back in Utica whether he has a good camp or not.

He needs to consolidate his confidence and consistently get large amounts of icetime and PP time, not get pigeonholed right back into being a physical bottom-6 guy the moment he shows any signs of turning things around.

 

[Orca Smash]

Virtanen should be back in Utica whether he has a good camp or not.

He needs to consolidate his confidence and consistently get large amounts of icetime and PP time, not get pigeonholed right back into being a physical bottom-6 guy the moment he shows any signs of turning things around.

Was going to say the same thing, dont want to label him a 4th liner just yet by stapling him to that line getting 8 minutes a night with guys like dorsett, give him another yearin the ahl as a prominent player and hopefully he comes around to become more then a 4th liner.

 

[me2]

Good thing Willie isn't here anymore we hopefully won't have to go through that BS 8 minute a game crap. Not to mention how he was so appalled by everyones fitness level.

He's not going to get 15+ mins and prime offensive time on the 4th line no matter who the coach is. Best place for him is either AHL with prime time or top 9 canucks. 4 line is just a waste of time, if they need him for the top 9 because of injures then call him up.

 

[rune74]

I am uncertain about Jake's future on this team.

Based on the body language of Jake's teammates, I'm fairly certain that Jake doesn't have any proponents on this team. Obviously his buddy Ben has got his back but the guys that really matter, Bo, Hank... I don't think either of them are Jake fans.

Jake doesn't seem the type to be all that patient about being snubbed or getting the cold shoulder which was exactly what was happening when he was playing with Bae and Bo at the beginning of this past season. And when this happens, what we the fans see is a disconnected Jake skating around like he's lost. Just like how Zack was acting!!!

Assuming Jake stays away from the Whoppers and shows up to camp in shape; if Travis can smooth out the locker room stuff then I think Jake has a good chance to secure a spot in the bottom 6. If Travis can't, then Jake's gonna get traded as I don't see this management team having the patience of riding out another season of Jake in Utica.

Oh I see, you used scientific analysis of the players body language here. I can see that as legit.

 

[mathonwy]

Oh I see, you used scientific analysis of the players body language here. I can see that as legit.

Thanks dude. I appreciate the vote of confidence.

 

[Pip]

If he's really an NHLer then he'll be able to work his way up quickly from the AHL as a standout player in that league.

 

[Alan Jackson]

Virtanen should be back in Utica whether he has a good camp or not.

He needs to consolidate his confidence and consistently get large amounts of icetime and PP time, not get pigeonholed right back into being a physical bottom-6 guy the moment he shows any signs of turning things around.

I tend to agree. Unless he's completely lights out in the preseason and earns a top 6 role somehow, I think Utica is probably the best place for him to get his ice-time, and hopefully, some production offensively.

I won't say the Canucks are exactly brimming with star wingers, but they do have a lot of guys they want to take a look at. Sedin, Erikson, Baertschi, Boeser, Granlund, Goldobin and possibly even a guy like Boucher are all going to get looks on the top 3 lines and on the PP.

Unless you're going to shoehorn him onto a line with the twins or Horvat, and hope you get some points from him by osmosis, Utica is probably the place for Jake to find his game. At least to start.

 

[701]

I tend to agree. Unless he's completely lights out in the preseason and earns a top 6 role somehow, I think Utica is probably the best place for him to get his ice-time, and hopefully, some production offensively.

I won't say the Canucks are exactly brimming with star wingers, but they do have a lot of guys they want to take a look at. Sedin, Erikson, Baertschi, Boeser, Granlund, Goldobin and possibly even a guy like Boucher are all going to get looks on the top 3 lines and on the PP.

Unless you're going to shoehorn him onto a line with the twins or Horvat, and hope you get some points from him by osmosis, Utica is probably the place for Jake to find his game. At least to start.

Also perhaps Dahlen, either in the NHL or more likely in Utica. Unless he returns for a year in the SHL.
Anyway, yeah, several wingers, left and right. Though if Jake's still a RW, and Dahlen's listed as a
LW/C, they might not have to compete for the same slot after all.

 

[ChilliBilly]

I tend to agree. Unless he's completely lights out in the preseason and earns a top 6 role somehow, I think Utica is probably the best place for him to get his ice-time, and hopefully, some production offensively.

I won't say the Canucks are exactly brimming with star wingers, but they do have a lot of guys they want to take a look at. Sedin, Erikson, Baertschi, Boeser, Granlund, Goldobin and possibly even a guy like Boucher are all going to get looks on the top 3 lines and on the PP.

Unless you're going to shoehorn him onto a line with the twins or Horvat, and hope you get some points from him by osmosis, Utica is probably the place for Jake to find his game. At least to start.

Dahlen, Rodin ...

 

[Zombotron]

13) Libel: Any posts libeling players, prospects, or hockey personnel. It's not acceptable to post that you heard Player X has a drinking/drug/sex/personal problem from a "good" source. Do not post information that can be considered defamatory without a link to a credible media source. Other forums, personal websites, hearsay, and personal testimonials are not considered credible.

 

[VanJack]

If he's really an NHLer then he'll be able to work his way up quickly from the AHL as a standout player in that league.

Reality is, Virtanen may never be a top-six winger in the NHL, but that doesn't mean he can't play in the league....if he spends the year in VanCity as an 8-10 goal scorer and a contributor on the fourth line, I'd be fine with that.

Just a gut feeling, but I'm semi-convinced that fourth line comprised of Labate and Virtanen, with Gaunce in the middle, could be a load for any team to handle....really depends on how they play defensively,

 

[604]

I don't understand how some people are saying Virt may be in the NHL next year when he was a marginal AHLer last year.

The discussion we're having sounds like were talking about a bubble guy while we're actually talking about a long-term project st this point.

 

[Kryten]

Reality is, Virtanen may never be a top-six winger in the NHL, but that doesn't mean he can't play in the league....if he spends the year in VanCity as an 8-10 goal scorer and a contributor on the fourth line, I'd be fine with that.

Just a gut feeling, but I'm semi-convinced that fourth line comprised of Labate and Virtanen, with Gaunce in the middle, could be a load for any team to handle....really depends on how they play defensively,

If that happens then Virtanen will likely top out as a 4th liner like Skille. If he gets sent to Utica and gets top 6 minutes and PP time theres still a slim chance he becomes a middle 6/top 6 NHLer.

 

[m9]

I don't understand how some people are saying Virt may be in the NHL next year when he was a marginal AHLer last year.

The discussion we're having sounds like were talking about a bubble guy while we're actually talking about a long-term project st this point.

He was an NHL-level player the year before, so I don't think it's unreasonable that he could be that again fairly quickly.

 

[Luck 6]

Look at Nicklas Jensen, personally I think he's a guy we gave up on too soon. He's finally put together an excellent AHL season at 24 years old, it takes some guys longer than others. Now, I know Jensen hasn't made it yet, but that's progress.

Let's not give up on Virtanen too soon. He's 20 years old, that's pretty damn young. It takes some people longer than others.

 

[ChilliBilly]

Look at Nicklas Jensen, personally I think he's a guy we gave up on too soon. He's finally put together an excellent AHL season at 24 years old, it takes some guys longer than others. Now, I know Jensen hasn't made it yet, but that's progress.

Let's not give up on Virtanen too soon. He's 20 years old, that's pretty damn young. It takes some people longer than others.

yep people want new and glitzy way to fast.

 

[Rotting Corpse*]

Look at Nicklas Jensen, personally I think he's a guy we gave up on too soon. He's finally put together an excellent AHL season at 24 years old, it takes some guys longer than others. Now, I know Jensen hasn't made it yet, but that's progress.

Let's not give up on Virtanen too soon. He's 20 years old, that's pretty damn young. It takes some people longer than others.

That's nice to see for Jensen but players who progress and become good AHL players at 24 don't typically, like, continue developing and become good NHL players at 28. This is probably where he tops out and he will be a free agent soon enough. He is most likely to spend the next few years bouncing around, being good enough in the AHL to earn the odd call up but never really sticking, and maybe ending up in Europe if the money is better. Like Linden Vey.

Point being, I wouldn't point to Jensen as a reason to be optimistic about Virtanen. There are better examples to use; his most often comp'ed Chris Kreider for one.

 

[VanJack]

That's nice to see for Jensen but players who progress and become good AHL players at 24 don't typically, like, continue developing and become good NHL players at 28. This is probably where he tops out and he will be a free agent soon enough. He is most likely to spend the next few years bouncing around, being good enough in the AHL to earn the odd call up but never really sticking, and maybe ending up in Europe if the money is better. Like Linden Vey.

Point being, I wouldn't point to Jensen as a reason to be optimistic about Virtanen. There are better examples to use; his most often comp'ed Chris Kreider for one.

Not sure at 24 whether Nick Jensen makes the NHL or not.....but I know one thing....the guy they traded him for--Emerson Etem--didn't even last 15 games in VanCity.....and if you're wondering why we don't have a sixth rounder in this year's entry draft, it now belongs to the Rangers as part of the same trade...@##$#%......

 

[FroshaugFan2]

It will be interesting to see if Cederholm can make the Comets after failing to stick in the SHL.

 

[M2Beezy]

It will be interesting to see if Cederholm can make the Comets after failing to stick in the SHL.

So i guess hes no good? Any relation to the other Holm we just signed or is part of his last name just a coincidence? If he helps out the Comets great if not this could be a nother head scratcher

 

[TruGr1t]

It will be interesting to see if Cederholm can make the Comets after failing to stick in the SHL.

This was the dude who was momentarily famous for busting a medicine ball on Canucks TV?