Canucks: Consider Jake Virtanen safe for another season

In spurts this year Jake Virtanen demonstrated abilities of a dangerous power forward. He’s played well enough to consider himself safe for another season.

The Vancouver Canucks, like a lot of other National Hockey League teams, will likely have to make some difficult decisions regarding roster moves next season. This may result in parting ways with a player or two that the team really didn’t want to give up in the first place.

In the Canucks situation, as it looks now, Vancouver has important choices to make at every area on the ice. The current cap situation is tight, will only get tighter, and general manager Jim Benning is in danger of losing at least one of his prized pieces. He will likely be forced to choose between All-Star goaltender Jacob Markstrom, 10-year defender Chris Tanev or former Stanley Cup champion and top-six forward Tyler Toffoli.

Now, Jake Virtanen is another player in need of a contract next year, but I’m confident that the first draft selection of Benning’s tenure as Canucks GM has already earned himself an extension. Why? There are a few reasons, but let’s start with exactly that. Benning selected the hometown kid sixth overall in the 2014 draft and he’s finally showing spurts of being a dangerous power forward capable of putting up 20+ goals a season consistently. Why would management give up on him now?

More from Editorials

• Which team won the Bo Horvat trade?
• What to expect from newcomers Anthony Beauvillier, Aatu Räty
• Back to the future: How the skate uniforms became a regular Canucks’ feature night
• Canucks kick off 2023 with disappointing 6-2 loss to Islanders
• 2nd period penalty trouble sinks Canucks in 4-2 loss against Winnipeg

With Virtanen still in “restricted” status as a free agent, Benning doesn’t have to bend to the demands of UFA’s like Toffoli and actually has some power in controlling the price and term of Shotgun Jake’s next deal. Yes, with over half a point per game this season and a career-high 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) in 69 games, Virtanen definitely has earned himself a bump in salary and term, but it’s not that simple. The contract getting signed is almost an all-out guarantee at this point, but it’s about price and term right now.

With Virtanen still only being 23-years-old, he’s restricted for another three seasons. This is the leverage that Benning can use in his favour when it comes to negotiating a fair number for both parties. Virtanen will want a raise on a multi-year deal, which he’s definitely earned. But when it comes to striking a long-term contract, Benning is going to want to see a proven 20-goal season from Virtanen first.

If Virtanen wants long-term now, he won’t like the annual dollar figure attached to the proposal. In a full season where Virtanen could have and would have scored 40+ points and 20+ goals, he might consider pushing for a long-term deal. That’s why it makes sense for Benning to use the RFA years he has left on Virtanen’s status as an NHL player. Jake gets the proper bump he deserves (likely comparable to Sven Baertschi‘s deal) and Benning earns himself another year or two before having to really fork out the cash to keep his first-ever selection as an NHL GM playing in Vancouver a little longer.

Virtanen has been a six-year project in Vancouver and with Jake finally reaching his potential there is next to zero chance this kid doesn’t find himself back home next season. He’s done enough to earn himself some stability on the west coast, but another season or two on full-tilt and that’s when Virtanen can really start making it rain in Van-City.