Vancouver Canucks: #ShotgunJake has got everyone excited

The Vancouver Canucks are off to an impressive start to the season, currently sporting a 10-7-2 record and sitting atop the Pacific division. There is a lot that is going right for this team and the future is bright after seeing what the young guns are capable of after 19 games. The on ice product has been great but the off ice product has been amazing.

The NHL is a young mans game, you hear it every time a panel comes together on television or you plug into your favourite hockey podcast. The game is full of young talent that are making a huge difference no matter what colour jersey they wear. The Vancouver Canucks have had a jolt of youth over the past few seasons and this year seems to be the time where we are seeing big jumps in some of those young guys’ game.

There have been 13 different players at the age of 25 or under who have played a game for the Canucks so far this season, that number should grow as the season rolls on and we get even more of a youth boost from the Utica Comets.

Youth is on display every time 22 year old Jake Virtanen takes the ice, his game looks to have taken a jump this year and is it due to a certain hashtag?

#ShotgunJake

Jake Virtanen has been a Twitter sensation off the ice and a solid contributor on the ice so far this season. With seven goals and two assists in 19 games, Virtanen is off to a great start this year and to me it looks like his confidence is the key.

Jake Virtanen is clearly aware of #ShotgunJake and if you are not here are a couple great examples.

@eDWEEB has earned the crown so far in this early season of #ShotgunJake

https://twitter.com/eDWEEB/status/1050570967544557568

@Suga_Addy is getting everyone involved in #ShotgunJake!!

https://twitter.com/Suga_Addy/status/1061358204855083008

And of course I’ve been partaking in the silliness as well…

https://twitter.com/ChrisFaber39/status/1061345040096616448

These are not just people chugging beers or milk. This is a movement that is backing up one of the Canucks top young players. Of course, Virtanen is more than aware of it. The guys in the locker room love it, calling him “Shotgun Virtanen” as they make jokes about the twitter fun that’s been going on. The movement was originally created in part by Jason Brough and Mike Halford of TSN1040 and part by the listeners of the show.

#ShotgunJake is great! Nobody is getting hurt, and people are coming together to show support for Virtanen, who has been challenged multiple times by coach Travis Green. It seems to me that all that was needed was a little bit of a push from fans, a show of confidence in the 22-year-old.

Lets not forget that Virtanen is only 22 years old. Please, please, please DON’T forget he’s 22.

In the end it seems that Jake Virtanen is on pace for 20 goals, which would have been where I would love to see the growth in his game. He is going to the dirty parts of the ice and finishing every hit as he forechecks. It’s been a great start to the season for Jake and though I’m not saying it’s all due to #ShotgunJake, I’m thinking that having a city behind you (as they slam beers and hard iced teas) is definitely a sign that we have your back Jake.

Keep growing as an NHL player and keep the fans excited about your top six potential. Potential that had him drafted so high in the draft, the big right hand shot winger with incredible speed and a shot that still needs work on accuracy but has some real “giddy-up” to it as I quote an old Junior “A” coach.

He’s 22 years old!

With so much time to grow and more importantly LEARN, there is plenty of hope that Virtanen will continue to be a fan favourite for Canucks fans and keep scoring so we can shotgun drinks at 11am…