There are no territorial exemptions in major-league pro sports, meaning a B.C. player such as 2014 first round, sixth-overall draft pick Jake Virtanen of Abbotsford comes to the Vancouver Canucks mainly by happenstance.
It doesn’t occur too often. It didn’t for the Benns of Central Saanich, Niedermayers of Cranbrook or Kariyas of North Vancouver. But it did for the Courtnalls of Victoria. And the travelling career road show that is Willie Mitchell of Port McNeill came through Vancouver for four seasons. Robin Bawa of Duncan and Matt Pettinger of Victoria had their cups of latte. Cliff Ronning of Burnaby considerably more. But Cam Neely did his best work in Boston and while Doug Bodger of Chemainus retired as a Canuck, most of his 1,071 NHL games were played elsewhere.
So that is the spotty narrative that winger Virtanen has inherited. Yet it comes with its own unique pressure.
“It’s unbelievable because [Vancouver] is pretty much the hometown for me,” said Virtanen, during the Canucks development camp, which is taking place at Shawnigan Lake School’s new $8-million sprung-structure rink.
Virtanen, who doesn’t turn 19 until next month, looks to be a home-province keeper. He’s already got his first taste of the pros. Once his Calgary Hitmen were eliminated from the Western Hockey League playoffs in junior, he was called up this spring for 10 American Hockey League playoff games with the Canucks farm-team Utica Comets, garnering an assist and six penalty minutes.
“The first couple of shifts, I was nervous,” Virtanen admitted.
“But then the Utica coaches told me just to play my game.”
Which he does well, using his six-foot-one, 212-pound frame to optimal advantage.
“[Virtanen] can play the skill game and the physical game,” said Stan Smyl, the Canucks director of player personnel and senior adviser to GM Jim Benning. “He can go through people. He can hit people, and he doesn’t care who he hits. Jake and [fellow 2014 first-round draft pick] Jared McCann both have dangerous releases and can score on the rush. We need those types of players.”
And they will be coming in the not too distant future, with Virtanen and McCann, from the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League, both expected to make an impact with the Canucks down the road.
“I want to be a big part of this team,” Virtanen said.
He believes that road leads to the Vancouver dressing room sooner rather than later.
Virtanen’s mission in Shawnigan Lake, and beyond, is to the point. He is here on business.
“My goal is to make the team [this season],” he said.
Virtanen isn’t shy about putting his body on the line in pursuit of that timetable. Monday’s session was cut short for him when he was caught under the chin and sported a bruise. He didn’t skate Tuesday at Shawnigan with the other 28 Canucks prospects. His status for today is not known. Bumps are part of the process when you play the way he does.
“I have to be physical and put pucks in the net,” said Virtanen, who had 21 goals and 52 points in 50 games for the WHL’s Hitmen despite injuries last season and 45 goals and 71 points in 71 games in 2013-14.
“And I have to be a defensive guy that’s good. A 200-foot game is what I have to work on.”
As a 19-year-old, Virtanen can only play pro in the NHL next season and not as a regular in the AHL. The rule is to protect junior hockey. If he is sent back to the WHL, fans of the Victoria Royals can see him at Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre when the Hitmen visit Feb. 3. Nothing against the Royals or the WHL, but Virtanen isn’t planning on being there.
The Canucks prospects camp concludes with an on-ice session at Shawnigan Lake School from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m today.
Players from the development camp who warrant it — Virtanen and McCann certainly do on draft pedigree alone — will be invited to the Canucks main training camp Sept. 17-20 to be held for the first time in Prince George.
The Canucks will then fly down to the Island to open the pre-season in the nationally-televised Kraft Hockeyville game Sept. 21 against the San Jose Sharks at the Q Centre in Colwood.
