Canucks Young Guns

[Mickey107]

I know it's junior goals, but man Virtanen was a beast.



I think if healthy and away from willie next season , gets away from the hot shot/bieber partier style of living, PLUS having confidence we could see a viable top 9/top 6 Virtanen in time, he'll probably have like 5-6 years of dominance IF he can reach his full potential, which will be when he's like around 22-27 years of age the prime time for a power forward.

JV will be turning 21 this August, lets hope we see a new energized and a more mature Virtanen at camp this September.

Are you saying Jake caught the "Eugenie Bouchard" syndrome?

[SKYO]

Rick Dhaliwal‏ of NEWS 1130 tweeted out:

Utica GM Conacher says in the last 5 games, he can see why the Canucks drafted Virtanen so high, "He's big guy who can skate & has great shot."

"Over the last 10 games his conditioning got better and he became a better player."

Conacher says Virtanen is still young, the points will come and patience is required by everyone, "he's still maturing."


Conacher on Jordan Subban : "His play without the puck is a work in progress but he skates great and competes so hard."

Demko playing better the more he plays.

[Mickey107]

No matter what level, goalies gotta play.
Too much time off, when healthy, and their routines, (rituals if you want). get all messed up.

[Tciso]

right!?!

But really, if JV/Boeser make the team,


bart/bo/grans
sedins/eriksson
goldy/sutter/boeser
chaput/dorsett/JV/ rodin?or-nah
crama/shore/gaunce whoever survives the deadleh offseason (contracts/expansion draft etc) 4th liners.

I can't see where Boucher would fit, he sucks defensively, but his offensive upside is pretty good, it's a shame, but I think with the right team where he can be afforded a lot of slack and time he can be a good sniper.

Injuries, Skyo, Injuries. Boucher might be the 14th forward, but he'll still likely get 50 games due to injuries. We can use him as a depth forward.

[Blob Mckenzie]

I don't think I've ever seen a team with soooo much youth !!!

Even without the sarcasm, have you ever seen the Canucks with this much youth? Sure, not every player in the pool is going to pan out - but there's enough potential there to make even you feel a little hopeful, isn't there?

My memory may be failing me, but has this franchise EVER has this many good players not in the lineup?

I have said on several occasions how much I like Horvat, Tryamkin and Stecher. Granlund has improved but still needs to bulk up and play a stronger defensive game. I don't mind Baertschi. The rest are pretty meh. Boeser is not an NHL skater right now and should apprentice in the minors which is where Virtanen should be. Sure there's lots of youth but there isn't lots of high end youth as Skyo and and the guzzlers seem to think. They need a lot more blue chippers in the pipeline for this team to return to the playoffs.

[Cornuck]

They need a lot more blue chippers in the pipeline for this team to return to the playoffs.

I have to agree with you - to a point - I'm not sure about "a lot more" - but one or two bonafide first line talents would set this rebuild up nicely.

We have some great 'potential' in goal - and our D is young and will develop. We should have a number of solid 2nd liners, but we'll be lacking the WCE, Sedin type first line we've grown accustomed to.

[SKYO]

They need a lot more blue chippers in the pipeline for this team to return to the playoffs.

I have to agree with you - to a point - I'm not sure about "a lot more" - but one or two bonafide first line talents would set this rebuild up nicely.

We have some great 'potential' in goal - and our D is young and will develop. We should have a number of solid 2nd liners, but we'll be lacking the WCE, Sedin type first line we've grown accustomed to.

At the draft acquiring a quality center would be great to add to all the winger youth we all of sudden have.

If that can't happen then hope a Kerfoot can become available.

Otherwise patience is a virtue for someone like Gaudette who seems like a great #2 center down the road, and he won't be available till the Sedins retire so that's good timing.

A lot of options to continue adding blue chippers.

[Blob Mckenzie]

I have no problem with Kerfoot but at what point does the parade of 170-180 pound forwards stop?

The team is full of soft dinky little guys who wouldn't break a dozen eggs in the corners fighting for a puck.

Enough already ! Where's the beef Elmer !!????

[SKYO]

Speaking of beef, leaves writers/fans getting cocky with Nylander lately while kicking sand on Virtanen, ultimate jinxing if there ever was one.

[Island Nucklehead]

Speaking of beef, leaves writers/fans getting cocky with Nylander lately while kicking sand on Virtanen, ultimate jinxing if there ever was one.

They're not wrong. Nylander is clearly the better player.

[Blob Mckenzie]

Speaking of beef, leaves writers/fans getting cocky with Nylander lately while kicking sand on Virtanen, ultimate jinxing if there ever was one.

It isn't cocky.
They got a stud
We got a scrub


Blobcat out

[Strangelove]

Nylander has had at least two concussions so far, we'll see.

Wobbly Blob complains "Where's the beef?"... and then complains about young Virtanen.

Everyone knows power forwards take longer to develop and that y'gotta have patience in a rebuild...

[Lancer]

Little after the fact, but would mention this - was at a 67's game last Sunday with Hamilton in town (for whom prospect Cole Candella plays). Candella, despite being an over-ager, didn't see appreciably more ice time than anybody else on the blueline but the coach was spreading the ice time around relatively evenly.

Candella was steady, made no glaring plays either way, until his one-timer pulled Hamilton ahead. It was a beauty. Pretty much bar-down in an instant and he got it off in a hurry. Kid definitely has a shot from the point. We'll see if he can get it through at the next level.

Not much of a scouting report, I know, but I liked what I saw in the kid. We'll see how he goes.

[Hockey Widow]

A breakdown of the kids starting in the CHL playoff drive to the Memorial Cup.

https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/canuck ... -288024012

[Mickey107]

A breakdown of the kids starting in the CHL playoff drive to the Memorial Cup.

https://www.nhl.com/canucks/news/canuck ... -288024012

Yeah, Juolevi on Sportsnet 360 at 4:30 this afternoon...