Virtanen back with Canucks but not yet ready to get back in the line-up

After a weekend in Utica, Jake Virtanen was back on the ice
with the Vancouver Canucks at the team’s Monday morning practice at Rogers
Arena. It may be a while yet, however, before the big winger returns to the
team’s line-up.

Sent to
the American Hockey League for two games in an attempt to recapture his waning
confidence, Virtanen failed to make any noticeable impact in Friday’s 4-1 loss
to Lehigh Valley. A night later, Virtanen registered a game-high six shots on
goal and while he didn’t figure in the scoring felt he was able to leave his
mark on the contest – a game the Comets won 3-2 in overtime.

“The
first game was a little bit scrambly, but the second game felt really good,”
Virtanen says. “I had a lot of shots on net and I felt like I got my speed
back. Pucks were coming to me. I felt like I was using my speed really well. I
was getting behind their D and retrieving pucks and getting in on the
forecheck. So it was good. I have to bring that confidence back here and be ready
to go.”

Just
when the second-year forward will get that opportunity remains a mystery. With
the Canucks coming off Sunday’s 5-4 comeback victory against Dallas, head coach
Willie Desjardins gave no indication he was prepared to tinker with a winning
line-up. While Desjardins hadn’t spoken to Utica head coach Travis Green about
Virtanen’s weekend on the farm, he got reports from Stan Smyl who in attendance
at both games.

 He said
he was encouraged with what he had heard, but just because the Canucks have recalled
Virtanen from Utica doesn’t mean he’s out of the coach’s doghouse just yet.

“I think he has to earn it,” Desjardins
says. “He has to push and get back to the spot where he had it and kind of let
it slip away a little bit. So he has to earn it. You have to decide what’s
going to make you the best player you can be. I’ve always said Jake has the
talent to be a good player in this league. When I watched him today, I felt
that even more strongly. But there has been a period of time where he hasn’t
got there. What are we going to do to make sure he stays there? We have to find
the answer to that and he has to find the answer to that, too. So it’s going to
be a little bit of a work in progress.”

Virtanen says his primary take
away from his quick trip to the AHL was a reminder of the need to push the
pace. A gifted skater, Virtanen has been unable to use his speed this season to
drive to the opposition net. When he was at his best as a rookie, he generated
speed in the neutral zone and was able to use his speed and size to drag
defensemen with him.

He was reminded of the importance
of doing things at top speed in a video session after Friday’s game in Utica.

“I sat down
with Greener and he was showing me video and he showed me some clips from the first
game and it made it so much easier in the second game when I saw myself moving
my feet,” Virtanen says. “I realized that and it was good.”

Virtanen insists that through his
early season struggles, being parked in the press box and now this demotion to
the AHL that there is no friction between himself and the coach. Virtanen has
spoken openly about his desire to play more and to play with Bo Horvat and Sven
Baertschi. That plea created a firestorm two weeks ago and didn’t go unnoticed
by the coach.

“Willie talked to me after that,”
Virtanen says. “He was okay with that. He said he wanted that from guys that
want to play up. But you have to earn it. That’s one thing that Willie is
really keen on is guys who earn their ice time. I have to be able to do that
show him that I belong here. I have to come every day and learn from the
coaches and the leaders in this room and build on that.”

Further proof that player and
coach can co-exist harmoniously, Desjardins sought out Virtanen upon his return
from the minors on Sunday afternoon.

“He complimented me on my second game,”
Virtanen says. “He said he had heard I played pretty good. It was nice to hear
that from him.”

The time for talking is over now.
When Virtanen gets his opportunity to get back in the Canucks line-up he knows
it’s on him to let his actions speak for themselves. He has to play the same
sound defensive game he has all year (he has yet to be on the ice for a goal
against), but he also has to find a way to make things happen in the offensive
zone.

Whether he’s getting eight
minutes a night or twice that much, he has to find a way to leave his mark on
hockey games.

“It’s
my responsibility,” he says of playing better. “It’s good with this team every
guy is held accountable for their actions. I’m ready to get back in the line-up.
I want to be able to contribute and work hard and play my game. Last year, I
was being physical and you know we do video a lot and I felt like I was out of
position because I was trying to destroy guys. Some people obviously don’t see
that. I make the big hit and it gets the crowd going, but at the same time the
other team is going down three on two. You have to be aware of that. You have
to have a structured game and that’s what makes good players great in this
league.”

Virtanen
has plenty of work to do to be a good player for the Vancouver Canucks and much
more still to develop into the player the organization believes he ultimately can
be. He’s back in the National Hockey League, but in the eyes of his head coach not
yet ready for a return to NHL action. So for now his practice days are his
proving ground to show that the message is sinking in.

And one
of these days, Virtanen will get his shot to show once again he belongs in the
Canucks line-up.

“When I watch him out there, it’s
not that this guy can’t play,” Desjardins says. “He can play. He just has to
make sure he gets consistent. We’re still day to day with him a little bit and
we’re trying to evaluate exactly where he’s at. Our thing still is what’s going
to make him the best. What’s going to push him so that he pushes himself to be
consistent every day? He was good today in practice. If he practices that way
every day he’ll be fine. “