[Rumour] Oilers, and only the Oilers, are the finalist for Virtanen

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

Or the Oilers planting stuff out there so when he signs with them it makes it look like they "won the bidding war".
Wouldn't put it past them.

Or so they can pass around the shame of actually being interested.

[agulati]

Could also be the agent leaking teams that Virtanen is interested in trying to drive up price or contract offer

[Reggie Dunlop]

Originally Posted by keratosis

Lest we forget, this is a Stauffer rumour after all.

In Stauffer's bubble, any player the Oilers supposedly have an inside edge on must mean every other NHL team is also scurrying after too. But especially Calgary... because reasons...

[Hack&Lube]

Originally Posted by Reggie Dunlop

Virtanen has ties to Calgary... that's what concerns me.

His criminal case all stemmed from events at the Calgary Stampede and his victim is possibly still here.

[ComixZone]

So, he was found not guilty. So the off-ice stuff means !@#$ all to me. ######bags and a-holes win Stanley Cups every year.

...it's his on-ice performance that I question significantly. I'd certainly expect the guy to be very motivated, and he does have a good shot...and we do have a need for a RW'er... so it's not the dumbest idea I've seen, but certainly not one I'm cheering for. Darryl Sutter is the sort of coach that would either rip a player like this apart, or help him have his best season yet.

I'd much sooner see us trade a 2nd for Poolparty and let the Coilers sign this guy...but if he ends up here? I trust this organization's ability to look into a person's character and see whether it's a fit or not.

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by Makarov

He was. An acquittal just means "not guilty". It does not mean "innocent".

And in the court of CP the consensus is anyone accused is guilty.

[dustygoon]

This better be an attempt at mind games with coilers otherwise this will undo a lot of goodwill.

[TheScorpion]

The off-ice stuff disqualifies him for me, but also — Virtanen was *awful* with the Canucks. Even purely from a hockey standpoint, I would have no interest.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

And in the court of CP the consensus is anyone accused is guilty.

Correct.

Not guilty does not mean guilty either.

And the thought that the police wouldn't charge anyone unless they were guilty is laughable at best.

Now he might be a scumbag, likely is, but we don't know that.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

The off-ice stuff disqualifies him for me, but also — Virtanen was *awful* with the Canucks. Even purely from a hockey standpoint, I would have no interest.

While I generally agree with your hockey statement, Zadorov and Gudbranson were awful before they came to the Flames also.

I do trust Sutter.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by dustygoon

This better be an attempt at mind games with coilers otherwise this will undo a lot of goodwill.

You have to consider the source. I think this is just an attempt by Stauffer to make the Flames look bad because he knows how this looks on the Oilers.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

While I generally agree with your hockey statement, Zadorov and Gudbranson were awful before they came to the Flames also.

I do trust Sutter.

Sure, but a lot of the depth forwards with spotty track records the Flames have brought in over the last two seasons have remained ineffective under Darryl. Gudbranson is, I think, both the biggest success story and the biggest outlier.

[Redliner]

Hard pass. Don't do it, Tre.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by ComixZone

So, he was found not guilty. So the off-ice stuff means !@#$ all to me. ######bags and a-holes win Stanley Cups every year.

...it's his on-ice performance that I question significantly. I'd certainly expect the guy to be very motivated, and he does have a good shot...and we do have a need for a RW'er... so it's not the dumbest idea I've seen, but certainly not one I'm cheering for. Darryl Sutter is the sort of coach that would either rip a player like this apart, or help him have his best season yet.

I'd much sooner see us trade a 2nd for Poolparty and let the Coilers sign this guy...but if he ends up here? I trust this organization's ability to look into a person's character and see whether it's a fit or not.

There have been people on this site who knew him and said he's a doosh. Bringing dooshes into your room is typically not a good idea.

Bringing a doosh into your room that actually sucks at hockey is just a braindead move.

Tons of bargain bin guys you can pick up instead. What's Lazar up to these days?

[Savvy27]

I'm surprised that he would even be looking to sign in a Canadian market. He'd be better off going somewhere that his signing/PTO would barely make a ripple.

Never liked him since he took selfish penalties as a junior for Team Canada, but I understand seeing him as a buy low candidate after he showed some goal scoring ability in Vancouver. His off-ice allegations might cause a bit of a distraction and some disgust among the fan base, so the team better make sure that he fits the bill on the ice if they are going to go down this road. After being associated with Bill Peters, you'd think the Flames would want to avoid a guy like Virtanen.

[TheScorpion]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

There have been people on this site who knew him and said he's a doosh. Bringing dooshes into your room is typically not a good idea.

Bringing a doosh into your room that actually sucks at hockey is just a braindead move.

Tons of bargain bin guys you can pick up instead. What's Lazar up to these days?

Lazar already signed a three-year deal with the Canucks, but I'd like to see the Flames bring in Tyler Motte.

[blankall]

Personal issues aside, is this really a Sutter guy? Seems totally undisciplined. If the Flames are looking for a project, surely they can give Pelletier, Ruzicka, etc.. time over this guy.

Virtanen also seems to have substance abuse issues, and he has a history in Calgary. Why is he considering moving back to one of his old drinking haunts with everything going on his life?

Awful idea for all involved.

[Moneyhands23]

Originally Posted by Makarov

He was. An acquittal just means "not guilty". It does not mean "innocent".

Ya...just like it doesn't mean guilty.

[undercoverbrother]

It's not Todd Bertuzzi levels but, no thank you

[Hockey_Ninja]

Please no. Please god no