Virtanen hasn't looked disinterested. The opposite actually - it looks like he's trying to do too much and not utilizing his size and his teammates effectively.
How badly are the Canuck fans defending Virtanen on HFBoards?
Spoiler!
They're not:
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I have no idea what our coaching staff did to him but we are not developing him right.
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Normally we'd be psyched that the coach loves one of our prospects as much as he seems to, but we don't.
That's very telling how bad he has been.
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Blunder after blunder after blunder. Scouting and development has been bad forever now. Benning's shown some good drafting but made a very, very questionable pick in Virtanen. The 6th overall was one of the most important draft picks for this franchise going forward and so far, it looks bad. I want Virtanen to succeed and it hasn't been long since his draft, but he just looks like he has no idea where to go and that detracts from every other player. His shot, skating and net driving have all got worse somehow. Combo that with his already questionable IQ and Virtanen is a huge project.
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Canada hasn't been bad solely because of Virtanen, but it's absolutely ridiculous to make excuses for a 19 year old in his second world juniors who's been gift wrapped minutes, 0 points in 4 games in inexcusable for a player of his supposed ilk.
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Virtanen is like a bigger Grabner.
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Oh damn that's pretty accurate. And sad. The pain of that year was supposed to be eased with a high skill 6th overall pick.
Last edited by GranteedEV; 12-31-2015 at 02:57 PM.
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The Canucks only saving grace in that draft is it looks like they got far and away the best goalie in the draft.
True, but he will eventually be caught up in a goaltender contraversy and tug of war for a new gm and will be let go and they will be right back where they started.
The Canucks only saving grace in that draft is it looks like they got far and away the best goalie in the draft.
Except that kind of isn't the case. If Thatcher Demko is all that and a bag of Dorritos where is his playing history of success at elite level events? He's been a backup at that level, and hasn't earned a start in any game that has mattered. The fact of the matter is, on Demko, that he plays from one college hockey's perennial powerhouses and doesn't see a lot of quality shots. He puts up some really impressive numbers, but he should for the school and team in front of him. I wouldn't be awarding him anything at this point. I think both McDonald and Gillies are better goaltenders than Demko, and by a good margin. I see more Jason Kasdorf in Demko than I do, say, Connor Hellebuyck.
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Except that kind of isn't the case. If Thatcher Demko is all that and a bag of Dorritos where is his playing history of success at elite level events? He's been a backup at that level, and hasn't earned a start in any game that has mattered. The fact of the matter is, on Demko, that he plays from one college hockey's perennial powerhouses and doesn't see a lot of quality shots. He puts up some really impressive numbers, but he should for the school and team in front of him. I wouldn't be awarding him anything at this point. I think both McDonald and Gillies are better goaltenders than Demko, and by a good margin. I see more Jason Kasdorf in Demko than I do, say, Connor Hellebuyck.
Well Mason MacDonald has far inferior stats to a 16 year old on his team this year and has never put up good numbers. I think you would have to have some serious Flames coloured glasses to think he is better than Demko. BC was anything but a powerhouse last year btw.
Well Mason MacDonald has far inferior stats to a 16 year old on his team this year and has never put up good numbers. I think you would have to have some serious Flames coloured glasses to think he is better than Demko. BC was anything but a powerhouse last year btw.
USCHO had BC ranked #4 going into the season. They were as high as #3 in the nation after week four, then worked their away through the season to ending up around #9. USA Today had BC ranked ahead of ultimate National Champion Providence heading into the Frozen Four. BC was expected to be top team in the nation and they never achieved those numbers. Demko was a part of that failure. He's the Taylor Hall of goaltenders. Posts the numbers when the games don't matter and folds when they do.
Oh, and #### the stats. Stats don't mean a hill of beans. I think that has been proven time-and-time again. Focus on watching the freaking games and judging the players on their abilities.
Last edited by Lanny_McDonald; 12-31-2015 at 05:43 PM.
Except that kind of isn't the case. If Thatcher Demko is all that and a bag of Dorritos where is his playing history of success at elite level events? He's been a backup at that level, and hasn't earned a start in any game that has mattered. The fact of the matter is, on Demko, that he plays from one college hockey's perennial powerhouses and doesn't see a lot of quality shots. He puts up some really impressive numbers, but he should for the school and team in front of him. I wouldn't be awarding him anything at this point. I think both McDonald and Gillies are better goaltenders than Demko, and by a good margin. I see more Jason Kasdorf in Demko than I do, say, Connor Hellebuyck.
what specifically do you see in McDonald and Gillies that you don't in Demko?
based on play at the World Juniors (Demko last year) he hasn't shown anything but great play, the hip problem he had surgery on is one most goalie people say ends up being beneficial in the long run anyway
what specifically do you see in McDonald and Gillies that you don't in Demko?
I think both are fundamentally better goaltenders. I also think they are both mentally stronger. I've seen Demko have a bad goal go in and he just lets it eat him up. He appears to be a guy that strives for perfection rather than focusing on getting the win. The ones that are already in you are not getting back. Focus on the next shots coming at you and get back into the grove. That is Demko's biggest weakness and why I said he is more Jason Kasdorf than Connor Hellebuyck.
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based on play at the World Juniors (Demko last year) he hasn't shown anything but great play, the hip problem he had surgery on is one most goalie people say ends up being beneficial in the long run anyway
Except when the games mattered. Demko is a great goaltender behind a fantastic team who keeps the shots out of the danger zone. Once those shots become a higher quality, Demko's play drops off quickly. Having watched a boatload of BC games, Demko just doesn't show like one of the top guys in college, able to carry his team to the championship. He may yet, but he doesn't look like he has that capability to this point in his career. I don't see a "big game" hunter in Demko and stand by that.
I think the most disappointing thing for me is that I really like Dave Lowry but I think hes making some terrible coaching decisions.
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Originally Posted by dammage79
Outside of Virtanen. I don't really have a quip about the players. I'm more critical of Lowry and his coaching staffs deployment strategies and line combinations. Just a mess.
The U-18 kids had incredible chemistry and he simply hasn't even bothered to attept to put them together (Barzal-Stephens-Konecny)
It is mind blowing to me. Lowry took a #### Whl team and over the years made them good. He has done more with less talent then he has now but now with Canadas "best" he has gone the way of the Oil....
It is mind blowing to me. Lowry took a #### Whl team and over the years made them good. He has done more with less talent then he has now but now with Canadas "best" he has gone the way of the Oil....
Well, with a less talent, the players will rely on their teammates, and play more a team game. With more talents, the players all want to do it all by himself, and not play a team game. And, this so call Canada's best, may be these aren't Canada's best.
Of all the games I watched, there were a lot of individual effort, and no team effort.
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