Canucks Re-assign Jake Virtanen to the Utica Comets

Jake Virtanen is on the move once again. This morning, the Vancouver Canucks announced that the 20-year-old forward is heading back down to the AHL to get some ice-time with the Utica Comets. 

An impatient fan may roll their eyes at this kind of move, but it’s the one that had to be made. Virtanen was recently sent to Utica to play two games and while registering 6 shots in the team’s OT win over Hartford, he still probably could have used some more time down there. But despite that, Virtanen was recalled only to warm a seat in the press box. 

What’s even weirder is the apparent reason that he returned so suddenly.

“I don’t think he had any of his stuff so I think he needed to come back to get his stuff for us to make a decision on where we’re going to go with him.” Desjardins told the Vancouver Province. ” When you’re on the road, you don’t have anything. If you’re going to go down there for a while you need to come back and get it.”

That’s quite the odd reasoning but nevertheless, Virtanen should continue to spend some time with Utica. The team’s first-round selection at the 2014 draft has had his fair share of conditioning stints with Utica over the last two seasons. You could make the argument he should have started out his jump to the pros with Utica, rather than joining the Canucks right out of junior.

The Canucks need to stop rushing Virtanen into the NHL game. It’s not like playing a fourth line/healthy scratch role with a struggling team is going to do anything for him. The future should be a priority. And as much as Virtanen has struggled, he’s young and still a part of the team’s future. 

In an effort to slowly build back his confidence, Virtanen should spend at least the next 20 games with the Utica Comets, if not the whole season. It’ll also serve Virtanen well to get out of head coach Willie Desjardins dog house for the time being.