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Canucks: 3 questions facing Jake Virtanen in 2021

By Brayden Ursel

Jan 29, 2020; San Jose, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (57) and right wing Jake Virtanen (18) celebrate after the goal against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 29, 2020; San Jose, California, USA; Vancouver Canucks defenseman Tyler Myers (57) and right wing Jake Virtanen (18) celebrate after the goal against the San Jose Sharks during the third period at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports /
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Vancouver Canucks Jake Virtanen, Tyler Myers. (Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports)
Vancouver Canucks Jake Virtanen, Tyler Myers. (Neville E. Guard-USA TODAY Sports) /

The Vancouver Canucks have done it all for Jake Virtanen and now it’s time for him to show them what he can do. Here are three questions he’ll face in 2021.

Every move Jake Virtanen has made since being drafted by the Vancouver Canucks in 2014 has been well documented. For the better part of six years, the New Westminster native has been under the microscope of management, coaching staff, and fans of the Canucks.

Waves of brilliance followed by lapses of bad play, Virtanen’s journey with Vancouver has been an up and down rollercoaster from start to finish. The “two steps forward, one step back” approach has been slow-moving for Virtanen, but last season was by far one of his best.

But even with that, gaps in his overall play were not forgotten and he’s still got a ways to go before he’s the player the Canucks envisioned him to be. With that in mind, let’s take a look at three of the biggest questions facing “Shotgun Jake” when the puck drops next season.

Does Virtanen start the season as a top-six forward?

Virtanen may never be given a better opportunity than he has right now to be a player inside the Canucks’ top-six. With Tyler Toffoli and Josh Leivo having signed with other teams over the course of the offseason, there is a golden ticket just waiting for Virtanen to claim it.

Outside of Brock Boeser, the options run thin in terms of Vancouver’s winger talent. Top prospect Vasili Podkolzin isn’t roster eligible until at least April, and as entertaining as Nils Hoglander has been to watch in recent weeks, his jump to the NHL this upcoming season is not guaranteed.

This leaves Virtanen as the next guy up on the depth chart unless he miraculously gets leapfrogged by either rookie Zack MacEwen or newcomer Jayce Hawryluk. I don’t see that happening (at least not right out of the gate), meaning that Virtanen should more or less be given a top-six position by default. The only question about it is, which line does Virtanen slot in on?

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