Around the league (signings, RFAs injuries)

[Island Nucklehead]

I agree that he shouldn't be on the big club this year. Ideally he's in the AHL, the CHL would pit him against boys who he can easily dominate with his physical game and that won't force him to work on the game between his ears.

Hard to say he'd be dominating the junior world when he's done absolutely nothing against teenagers at this tournament. You can probably count on one hand the number of good plays he's made with the puck. That's not good for a 19-year old, top-10 pick coming from the NHL.

He's never really dominated the WHL. I say let him go back there, try to put up that 100+-point pace, play big minutes and be a go-to guy. It appears to have done wonders for Draisaitl.

If you are judging him based on the WJC then that's a waste. The entire team looks terrible. With the exception of 2 or 3 players.

Sure, the whole team has been terrible. But your best players are supposed to be your best players. It's a 19-year olds tournament, and our 19 year olds have been invisible.

[Chef Boi RD]

I've been hard on Virtanen but IMO he is still the right choice at that draft. You can't just ice a top 6 forward group of 5'11" - 170 lb skilled small guys or you end up like the Oilers. It's the NHL for fuck sakes. Ehlers has gone completely ice cold since Sbisa laid him out. He has 5 goals and 7 assists in 37 games but nearly all of those points came prior to Sbisa smoking him and that is the problem with the small guys. Finding big skilled power forwards to play in your top 6 is as tough as finding that no. 1 defenceman. Either way, Jake is big, has the wheels, has the shot, loves to hit, he will be a very serviceable player for us.

Their are only two players picked after Jake that may look to be the better pick right now than Virtanen - Larkin and a big maybe to Nylander. Ritchie ain't doing anything more special than Virtanen. Perlini, Kapanen and Fleury are not better picks.

Everyone needs to lay off Jake, myself included.

[Chef Boi RD]

Blackwood is a sieve. Canada hasn't had stellar goaltending in years at the WJC's. WTF

[Island Nucklehead]

Blackwood is a sieve. Canada hasn't had stellar goaltending in years at the WJC's. WTF

That, and our defence is awful. That first goal was a terribad no-pressure pass from Hickey (?) into the feet of his d-partner (Fleury?). The second one is all on Hickey, who apparently has trouble skating.

There we go, finally a nice play from Jake. Good forecheck, turnover and finding a teammate.

[theman]

Jake has been much more noticeable in today's game. Hopefully he can keep it up.

[Island Nucklehead]

Jake has been much more noticeable in today's game. Hopefully he can keep it up.

Yep. Created the turnover and got an assist on Canada's 3rd goal, then strong net drives that created the current Canadian PP. Easily the best 1/2 game of the tournament for Jake...

AND then goes and take a holding the stick penalty, wiping out a potential 5-on-3. The good, followed by the ugly.

[theman]

that was pretty braindead by him, did he know that Canada was going to get another PP?

[theman]

Well, the wheel's seem to be coming off.

[BigTuna]

I've been hard on Virtanen but IMO he is still the right choice at that draft. You can't just ice a top 6 forward group of 5'11" - 170 lb skilled small guys or you end up like the Oilers. It's the NHL for fuck sakes. Ehlers has gone completely ice cold since Sbisa laid him out. He has 5 goals and 7 assists in 37 games but nearly all of those points came prior to Sbisa smoking him and that is the problem with the small guys. Finding big skilled power forwards to play in your top 6 is as tough as finding that no. 1 defenceman. Either way, Jake is big, has the wheels, has the shot, loves to hit, he will be a very serviceable player for us.

Their are only two players picked after Jake that may look to be the better pick right now than Virtanen - Larkin and a big maybe to Nylander. Ritchie ain't doing anything more special than Virtanen. Perlini, Kapanen and Fleury are not better picks.

Everyone needs to lay off Jake, myself included.

No maybe. Nylander leaves the AHL in scoring at 19. That virtually never happends.

And the Oilers problems have nothing to do with size. They have failed at everything except winning the draft lottery. They can't pick a good player outside the first round if their life depended on it.

[theman]

Crazy 3rd period. 6-5 to Finland now with 5 to go. Virtanen certainly has left his mark on this game.

[Island Nucklehead]

Crazy 3rd period. 6-5 to Finland now with 5 to go. Virtanen certainly has left his mark on this game.

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[okcanuck]

Crazy 3rd period. 6-5 to Finland now with 5 to go. Virtanen certainly has left his mark on this game.

Virtanen was the goat of this game. He seems to be as smart as a bag of hammers.

[Strangelove]

No maybe. Nylander leaves the AHL in scoring at 19. That virtually never happends.

That could have something to do with the fact most top 19-yr-olds aren't allowed to play in the AHL.

Like the aforementioned Virtanen and McCann?

Also, Nylander is to small and frail to play in the NHL.

Last week he sustained the first of likely many concussions.

Not to burst your bubble ole pal, but you've got to face it: the guy is a weenie!

BTW he's 2nd in AHL scoring and dropping...

[Madcombinepilot]

I don't think the team could have done anything else with Virtanen.. Had to keep him up with the big team. It's a fault that teams are not allowed an age exception on their farm teams. If he could have been sent to Utica, he probably would have. But he wouldn't have developed with another year in Calgary.. Jake is nothing more than a victim of the day his parents banged, nothing more.

And Rummy, you need to take a chill pill.. Power forwards traditionally take longer to develop. Neely and Bertuzzi did not develop overnight. Cut the kid some slack.

[Topper]

Not to burst your bubble ole pal, but you've got to face it: the guy is a weenie!

BTW he's 2nd in AHL scoring and dropping...

with the ass of a 12 year old girl