Canucks Young Guns

[Aaronp18]

Juolevi named captain of Team Finland.

[Tciso]

Pretty depressing indictment of our prospect pool it seems to me. I know BB is injured, which is too bad, but geez will we ever see some Canuck prospects standout at the WJC?

Cody did.

If I recall, he had as many points as Tavares. We were excited.

Yes we were excited. He had the "intelligence, integrity and character" that Gillis loved...a sure fire prospect.
What a disappointment in the end.

Whooaaah, Must be da MONEY !!!!

[SKYO]

Juolevi named captain of Team Finland.

Right on Juo!

Can also see how well Kristian Vesalainen does, see if he's worth drafting.

[Mickey107]

Captain Juolevi and his Team Finland face off against the Canadian National Junior Team in Montreal this afternoon at 4pm P.S.T. on TSN 2.

[5thhorseman]

Apparently Finland is predicted to not make much of a splash this year. Unlikely to make the semis.

[Chef Boi RD]

Apparently Finland is predicted to not make much of a splash this year. Unlikely to make the semis.

Well, they've lost Laine, Puljiarvi, Aho, Rantanen and Kapanen to name a few. That's a big hit. A small country like that just ain't got the depth as per say the Canadians and Americans.

[SKYO]

I always find it interesting how teams find that rare HHOF game changer to draft, like the RedWings dynasty and how they drafted Niklas Lidstrom.
http://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/1404 ... ame-career

Found this tidbit, it's what doug lidster should be doing with all our young dmen, especially for a guy like Juolevi...

The Los Angeles Kings, under the leadership of formal rival Rob Blake, still study Lidstrom and the way he played. They show clips of Lidstrom to all the defensemen in the organization from the teenager recently drafted right on up to Drew Doughty.

The reason is simple: Lidstrom wasn't some other-worldly physical specimen never to be duplicated. He didn't have Zdeno Chara's size. He didn't have Al MacInnis' huge shot. He wasn't an all-time skater like Paul Coffey or Bobby Orr.

"There isn't anything that young D playing in the NHL physically couldn't do that Nick was doing," Blake said. "You look, physically, he's normal. He doesn't have any attributes that stand out. His understanding of the game, it made it so simple."

[lostinarink]

Has anyone had a chance to watch Jasek at the worlds? I was very impressed with him at Shawnigan Lake 2 years ago. He easily stood out as the prospect with the most potential at that time with his speed and creativity. What he appeared to need was a couple of good years to develop his body - definitely slight of frame

Any sign that his strength has been developing and that he will be able to handle the rigours of the NHL? Does, what he showed at the prospects camp 2 years ago, translate well in a real life combat with high caliber teammates and opposition?

His shots on goal seem to be promising, but nothing to show on the score card so far.

[Mickey107]

Well, I guess at this point, I have to admit to quite likely being wrong about what I thought I saw in Jake Virtanen.
Let's put it this way. He absolutely has to get things going in Utica now. If he can't by the end of this year, I don't know if there is any point trying to forward with him. Different styles of play but Baertschi had problems with the Flames organization that were somewhat similar. Took a while but it's looking like change is working for him.

I was strongly against drafting Jake, solely because of the reconstructed shoulder, and I didn't want to take the chance, but for the life of me, I thought I saw some great potential last year.

This arm chair GM-ing is very difficult, damn it.
Makes you appreciate how hard it is for the guys sitting in the real chairs.

Gees! Jake actually bought a condo in Vancouver.
Ouch.

[Cornuck]

Brock could be back in action this weekend against UNO (which would be great, since I have tickets for Saturday's game).

[Chef Boi RD]

Well, I guess at this point, I have to admit to quite likely being wrong about what I thought I saw in Jake Virtanen.
Let's put it this way. He absolutely has to get things going in Utica now. If he can't by the end of this year, I don't know if there is any point trying to forward with him. Different styles of play but Baertschi had problems with the Flames organization that were somewhat similar. Took a while but it's looking like change is working for him.

I was strongly against drafting Jake, solely because of the reconstructed shoulder, and I didn't want to take the chance, but for the life of me, I thought I saw some great potential last year.

This arm chair GM-ing is very difficult, damn it.
Makes you appreciate how hard it is for the guys sitting in the real chairs.

Gees! Jake actually bought a condo in Vancouver.
Ouch.

Apparently Jake has not been looking all that good the last stretch of games, still loos completely lost when his line-mates are cycling the puck in the O-zone, still doesn't seem to know where to go or how read it, he's hardly using his size and hitting, only show's his speed sparingly and not showing any tenacity and determination in his play. I really don't get the kid. Can he really be this dense? It's concerning because the coaching staff is apparently working really hard with him on and off the ice.

[SKYO]

Well, I guess at this point, I have to admit to quite likely being wrong about what I thought I saw in Jake Virtanen.
Let's put it this way. He absolutely has to get things going in Utica now. If he can't by the end of this year, I don't know if there is any point trying to forward with him. Different styles of play but Baertschi had problems with the Flames organization that were somewhat similar. Took a while but it's looking like change is working for him.

Apparently Jake has not been looking all that good the last stretch of games, still loos completely lost when his line-mates are cycling the puck in the O-zone, still doesn't seem to know where to go or how read it, he's hardly using his size and hitting, only show's his speed sparingly and not showing any tenacity and determination in his play. I really don't get the kid. Can he really be this dense? It's concerning because the coaching staff is apparently working really hard with him on and off the ice.

Even Jake denies the shoulder injury, I'd say that's bullshit, he's more tentative than when he first started last preseason (a literal bulldozer) he wasn't the same beastmode after he got injured/hurt this preseason. His shoulder has always been a problem since his junior days.

So ultimately it's great he can be in the AHL the entire season, work with Green/King, get humble and know what it takes to be big leaguer, & cross fingers he can build up muscle this offseason, he should work out with Gary Roberts this summer.

Some players take longer to develop like Baertschi did^ and numerous power forwards have, no need to worry about Virtanen at this point, just let the kid learn two-way responsibility and get at him to get ripped this offseason, lose the baby fat.

[Blob Mckenzie]

I don't think he had a problem getting ripped last offseason.

[Mickey107]

I don't think he had a problem getting ripped last offseason.

[SKYO]

Word up, I set that one up eazypeezy