JAKE VIRTANEN - RW - 23 - $1.25MM Cap Hit - RFA in 2020-2021
LAST UPDATED 8/28/19
While Canucks fans may have voted Virtanen as a top-20 winger in the NHL Network fan countdown last offseason, I have to say he's not quite there yet. Now, that's not to say he's made some real, tangible improvements from his rookie season, because he has. He's morphed himself from high-profile bust to being still a pretty decent draft mistake but also a pretty legitimate NHL winger. While some Canucks fans may still be holding out hope, I'm going to be realistic here: Jake Virtanen will not be the high-end offensive star in the NHL like he was for WHL Calgary. He just won't. He relied too much on his rare combination of size and speed to dominate younger, smaller players in junior hockey, and didn't developed sustainable scoring habits in the WHL. As a result, he still makes some mistakes with the puck that veterans just don't make. Sometimes he'll still plant his skate in the netural zone, taking his time to look for a pass, or try to power his way to the net instead of using his teammates to work around a defender. Those are things that work in the WHL, but don't at the professional level. Still, I believe in Virtanen. His blend of size and speed is unique, and few wingers are like him. He can blaze his way past defensemen and get to the net quickly just as easily as he can outmuscle defenders for pucks and grit & grind his way through tough shifts. That being said, his hockey IQ and overall awareness needs some work. For all the natural talent he has, his mind sometimes processes the game a step behind his wheels. This can result in wasted chances, missed opportunities, and general frustration on offense. defensively, Virtanen has shown himself to be a very inconsistent talent and he can sometimes just look lost in his own end. His speed and size gives him value, but I wouldn't have him touch the penalty kill until I saw more improvement. But for all his flaws, he's talented, and he's a fit in the NHL. Right now, I think he's a speedy energy winger with some genuine 20 goal upside in the future.
While Canucks fans may have voted Virtanen as a top-20 winger in the NHL Network fan countdown last offseason, I have to say he's not quite there yet. Now, that's not to say he's made some real, tangible improvements from his rookie season, because he has. He's morphed himself from high-profile bust to being still a pretty decent draft mistake but also a pretty legitimate NHL winger. While some Canucks fans may still be holding out hope, I'm going to be realistic here: Jake Virtanen will not be the high-end offensive star in the NHL like he was for WHL Calgary. He just won't. He relied too much on his rare combination of size and speed to dominate younger, smaller players in junior hockey, and didn't developed sustainable scoring habits in the WHL. As a result, he still makes some mistakes with the puck that veterans just don't make. Sometimes he'll still plant his skate in the netural zone, taking his time to look for a pass, or try to power his way to the net instead of using his teammates to work around a defender. Those are things that work in the WHL, but don't at the professional level. Still, I believe in Virtanen. His blend of size and speed is unique, and few wingers are like him. He can blaze his way past defensemen and get to the net quickly just as easily as he can outmuscle defenders for pucks and grit & grind his way through tough shifts. That being said, his hockey IQ and overall awareness needs some work. For all the natural talent he has, his mind sometimes processes the game a step behind his wheels. This can result in wasted chances, missed opportunities, and general frustration on offense. defensively, Virtanen has shown himself to be a very inconsistent talent and he can sometimes just look lost in his own end. His speed and size gives him value, but I wouldn't have him touch the penalty kill until I saw more improvement. But for all his flaws, he's talented, and he's a fit in the NHL. Right now, I think he's a speedy energy winger with some genuine 20 goal upside in the future.
Services |
Company |
|