The Canuck Way Mailbag: Schmidt, Virtanen, free agency, more
Virtanen, Gaudette, Leivo
Will Jake Virtanen get a real opportunity inside the top six? And will he be a better fit on the first or second line?
— Brayden Ursel (@bkursel23) October 16, 2020
If the Canucks do not add someone to replace Toffoli, Jake Virtanen will be given a chance to take that coveted top-six winger spot. He definitely has the skills to succeed in that role, but given his bouts of inconsistency and overall inability to shift his work ethic into another gear, head coach Travis Green won’t have the patience to give him a real opportunity there.
Without another option, Green probably will put a player like Tyler Motte or Zack MacEwen up there instead, which would be a mistake. Despite how much value both of them have on the roster, they are not proven top-six forwards. Heck, Virtanen is not a proven commodity there either. If it was me, I would try Nils Hoglander in the top-six if he didn’t work out, but I digress.
If Virtanen is going to succeed at the top of the lineup, he has to play with Pettersson and Miller. At times, he’s looked good with Horvat, but as Chris Faber of Canucks Army has mentioned in the past, he just plays better and generates more offence on the top line than anywhere else. In fact, he actually drags the second line down when he plays there.
Do you think Gaudette would be more suited to play 3RW and bring in a more defensively responsible 3C (if cap room can be made)
— brennen poole (@brennenpoole) October 16, 2020
I have been a big proponent in the past of bringing in a third-line center to play with Adam Gaudette. However, for the Canucks to be a perennial playoff contender, he has to learn how to play in the NHL as a centreman, not a winger.
That being said, I think it’s a good investment to find someone for him like J.T. Miller is for Pettersson on the top line. Someone that can take faceoffs and then retreat to the wing afterward. His line would have the puck more often and could spend a lot more time dictating the play rather than chasing it around the ice.
Related Story. The Canucks need Virtanen to be a top-six forward. light
Since the most ideal candidate is off the board in Mikko Koivu, I would like the Canucks to bring in Erik Haula, Mikael Granlund or Dominik Kahun to fill that role. They all have relatively good faceoff numbers and can generate offence as well. They also should be motivated to bounce back from mediocre 2019-20 seasons with their respective teams.
Does Josh Leivo sign?
— Pete Edwards (@pete_gas) October 16, 2020
The only concern I have about Josh Leivo re-signing with the Canucks is the uncertainty surrounding his injury. He has not played since Dec. 19 of last year, and by the time the 2020-21 season begins, it will be over a year since he last played an NHL game. We also don’t know how much his speed has been affected as a result of the injury.
Though if Leivo is healthy and has no adverse effects from the surgery to repair his broken knee cap, he would be a great addition to the lineup. The Canucks clearly missed him in the playoffs on the third line with Gaudette and Virtanen, and if there are no further top-six additions, he could even play on the second line with Horvat.
Before the injury, he was playing quite well with him posting five points in his past seven games. He’s a solid play driver with a career 52.1 CF% and has shown the ability to score goals too. More importantly, he’s a proven commodity and could be had for a budget-friendly contract.