Vancouver Canucks Jake Virtanen: NHL vs. AHL in 2016-17
The case for the NHL
Turning Virtanen into a scorer should be close to the top of the Vancouver Canucks’ priority list. But since he is an extremely valuable defensive player, they also kind of need him in the NHL. The problem here is that there’s a good chance that he would be stuck in the bottom six again.
But even there, Virtanen would be an incredibly important player. Elite Prospects scout Curtis Joe describes it nicely: “[Virtanen] possesses a non-stopping motor and creates an abundance of on-ice energy when throwing his weight around and establishing his physical presence.” Virtanen is the perfect bottom-six player for the modern NHL, as he combines physicality with offensive skill.
Do we want him there, though?
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If the Canucks want Virtanen to become a top-six power forward eventually, they can’t park him in the bottom six and force him to be a defensive player. He needs to be trusted to play in crucial situations and get time on a scoring line with Bo Horvat and Sven Baertschi, which looked very promising at the end of the 2015-16 season.
I would even love to see Virtanen play on a line with Daniel and Henrik Sedin. As Jannik Hansen showed, a hard-working player with a nose for the net is all the twins need as their complimentary player. Virtanen possesses both of those attributes.
Playing with more talented players and, perhaps even more importantly, playing at all could greatly improve Virtanen’s development. He was a healthy scratch for many games last season and only played a maximum 10 minutes when he played. That isn’t enough to give a young player confidence, and it also isn’t enough for a young player to develop his game. Virtanen has a long way to go, but only ice time can turn him into the player he is supposed to become.
The 2015-16 campaign showed that he can play in the NHL. There is no doubt about it. He just needs to get a chance to play the way he wants to play and play the way he plays best.
Next: Outlook