Jake Virtanen was blessed with the physical tools to play a power game in the National Hockey League. 

The Vancouver Canucks rookie is still very much a work in progress when it comes to using his 6’ 1” 208 pound frame effectively though. Even as his confidence grows with each big league outing, the 19-year-old has learned just how difficult it is to get to front of the opposition net — and has discovered that it’s harder still to stay there.

While it’s an element of his game that has blossomed in the second half of the season, it’s one Virtanen knows he must continue to develop to be a force in the offensive zone.

“I like doing that,” he says of using his speed to drive wide on defenders before taking the puck to the net. “It’s kind of been fading out of the game a little bit with guys going to the net like that. It’s a tougher part of the game. Some guys don’t want to go there. But we need that. We need guys to get to the net. And with my size, that’s part of my game being able to get there by fending off checks. And I think I can do that pretty well.”

Whether it’s getting whacked with a stick to the back of his legs courtesy of bruising defenders or being hit by friendly fire, Virtanen knows there is a steep price to pay for his piece of the valuable real estate in front of the other team’s net. But he’s also well aware that the rewards there are worth it. And he’s using every outing these days to measure himself against some of the biggest defencemen in the league. 

So far Virtanen, who scored his fourth goal of the season on Friday in Calgary, has yet to encounter anyone or anything that makes him think he won’t be able to carve out a long career in the toughest part of the ice.

“I’ve had some pretty good battles in front of the net and I think other teams respect the players that go to those dirty areas,” he says. “Lots of guys don’t like going there because they don’t like to get hit, but it’s a part of the game and you need players on your team that are willing to do that. I just think it’s in my blood to get to the front of the net and be that guy in front of the goalies eyes.”

Whether it was motivation stemming from individual and team disappointment at the World Juniors or simply the fact he has more NHL games on his resume, Virtanen has been a different, more confident player for the Canucks over the past two months. The hope is he will continue to develop over the final six weeks of the season. While the team may not have much to play for any longer, young players like Virtanen have to make the most of every opportunity they get in the line-up.

And the Canucks coaching staff wants to continue to help Virtanen develop his game particularly as a net-front presence.           

“There’s money to be made by doing that role,” head coach Willie Desjardins says. “We’ve tried to get Jake watching video of other players who do that well. That’s where you can score from in that area of the rink. And he has it. He’s a big guy who can skate and he’s not afraid of the contact. That doesn’t bother him at all. He’s come back (from the World Juniors) and played well for us and that’s good to see. His last five or six games, he’s been really good for us.”

And with that improved play comes added responsibility for Jake Virtanen. With Brandon Sutter back on the shelf with a broken jaw and likely done for the season, the Canucks have had to re-assemble their power play units. Lacking size up front, they’ve tapped Virtanen and given him a terrific opportunity on the team’s second unit.

It’s a role he’s embracing and one he’s continuing to work hard at trying his best to track pucks while ensuring he’s maintaining his presence in front of the net.

“That all comes with experience,” he says of the awareness needed to be effective in the role. “I’ve been to the net before in junior, too. It’s something that happens over time and you get used to knowing where the puck is. We have some set plays on the power play so you kind of know what’s happening. And when you’re battling with a guy and have your head on a swivel looking to see where the puck is, it comes with timing. But that takes time, it’s not going to happen overnight where you’re just all of a sudden really good at it. It takes a lot of practice to master that. I know that guys have been able to get there in the NHL and I want to get there one day, too.”

And as Virtanen continues to hone his craft, he wants to get to the top of the crease and the top of his game – and find a way to stay in both spots for a long, long time.