To a certain degree I'm with you on that, he needs to play better, that said, why is everyone else gifted icetime? There's opportunity for him there but they refuse to give it to him....why?

Why don't they live with his defensive mistakes and see if they can grow his offensive game? Did you see Hitchcock's interview about his plans with Yakupov....now there's an experienced coach who knows what he's doing.

https://www.nhl.com/news/...-nail-yakupov/c-282493998
- LeftCoaster

Sure he needs to show but has he been given a real opportunity ...? WD gave Baer lots of games to develop and he finally came through last season when most thought he was a bust. Baer is being given the same opoorintiy this season and not producing. WD tried to bury Horvat as well but the whole hockey world just booed hat and he changed gears. Canucks need a young face for them broadcasts too.

JV has shown flashes just hasn't been dominant out there and that may take time with the right line. But hey if it's better we play Skille and Megna ahead of him cause they do so much more and are the future core of the club then fine let it be so.
- Nuck4U

Huh?

He played 17 minutes his first game. He wasn't trying to bury him, more like trying to add balance to the lineup.

I think it absolutely is relevant, the following year he was asked to play more of a complete game, so he did, it cut down on his numbers but he did what was asked of him.

The way WD is treating him is wrong IMO.
- LeftCoaster

Agreed, WD is alienating not only a top 6 pick, but Bennings first ever pick as a GM. Not a smart move for a coach that is on his way out. So far I see nothing to show that he is learning at the NHL level. Rolling lines 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 etc, and rarely deviating from this plan. They way he puts together lines. JV may not have earned it, but Skille has earned even less. JV should be with Bo and Baer because the the other 2 top lines are pretty much set, and neither gaunce, megna, skille are good enough to be effective with them. Rodin will be the only other player that could go on that line, and we need to wait for him to come back. Dorsett and Burrows would be a massive waste with them as well. The fact that WD doesn't seem to understand this, as well as doesnt understand how to shorten a bench in the final 5-10 mins of a game to keep the best change to tie the game proves he is not learning.
Look at last year when we were beating the Caps 2-0 going into the 3rd. Trozt stopped playing his 4th line until the game was tied 2-2, we then lost the game 3-2 in regulation. You see this a lot in games with good coaches when the game is close.

We should all pool our money together.
- golfingsince

Didn't we spend it all on all those years they were going for the CUP...

Plus what would we do with a non-elite team that is average to bust if injuries pile up .... move them to the Tacoma dome and place them in the AHL while promoting Comets to NHL and go for lotto picks for the next decade

Good...it's about time him or his agent stood up and said something!!

So here's a kid that was deemed good enough to draft 6th overall because he was top 5 in all of the CHL for goal scoring during draft year, the team desperately needs scoring, but there's ole idiot-stick Willie D feeding him 9 minutes of ice a night.

I wish someone would buy this club and clean house
- LeftCoaster

Nothing would make we happier than seeing Ron Delorme getting his walking papers.

Lol, guess I wasn't the only one thinking of that.

If the Nucks are trying to win right now they probably can't afford to be giving Jake too much ice time to make defensive mistakes and grow his offensive game. That's why the AHL is for development. Why not send him there to see if he can translate his junior offense while trying to limit his defensive mistakes? Then if he proves he can be productive at that level, he can be given a longer look for consistent offensive deployment on the Nucks.
- RonPielep

There should be enough people ahead of him in the lineup to increase his minutes, if there isn't Benning is doing a piss poor job, to the level it won't have a negative affect on the team.

You know, it's just embarrassing this organization can't develop any players without some sort of controversy hanging all over them. Pisses me off!

Agreed, WD is alienating not only a top 6 pick, but Bennings first ever pick as a GM. Not a smart move for a coach that is on his way out. So far I see nothing to show that he is learning at the NHL level. Rolling lines 1-2-3-4-1-2-3-4 etc, and rarely deviating from this plan. They way he puts together lines. JV may not have earned it, but Skille has earned even less. JV should be with Bo and Baer because the the other 2 top lines are pretty much set, and neither gaunce, megna, skille are good enough to be effective with them. Rodin will be the only other player that could go on that line, and we need to wait for him to come back. Dorsett and Burrows would be a massive waste with them as well. The fact that WD doesn't seem to understand this, as well as doesnt understand how to shorten a bench in the final 5-10 mins of a game to keep the best change to tie the game proves he is not learning.
Look at last year when we were beating the Caps 2-0 going into the 3rd. Trozt stopped playing his 4th line until the game was tied 2-2, we then lost the game 3-2 in regulation. You see this a lot in games with good coaches when the game is close.
- Retinalz

Pretty fair analysis.... but you forget that WD's version of shortening the bench is parking JV and playing plugs ahead of the top players on face offs and after tv time outs :

Didn't we spend it all on all those years they were going for the CUP...

Plus what would we do with a non-elite team that is average to bust if injuries pile up .... move them to the Tacoma dome and place them in the AHL while promoting Comets to NHL and go for lotto picks for the next decade
- Nuck4U

It's really hard not to laugh at this.

Huh?

He played 17 minutes his first game. He wasn't trying to bury him, more like trying to add balance to the lineup.
- golfingsince

I believe he's talking about last year....at least I think he is?

Huh?

He played 17 minutes his first game. He wasn't trying to bury him, more like trying to add balance to the lineup.
- golfingsince

Yeah sure.... playing with Burr and DD was the right deployment .... good balance... go with that but not sure who thought this was a good thing

I believe he's talking about last year....at least I think he is?
- LeftCoaster

He averaged 5 mins more a game than his rookie year.

There should be enough people ahead of him in the lineup to increase his minutes, if there isn't Benning is doing a piss poor job, to the level it won't have a negative affect on the team.

You know, it's just embarrassing this organization can't develop any players without some sort of controversy hanging all over them. Pisses me off!
- LeftCoaster

Not trying to be difficult but not sure I quite follow what you're getting at with the bold.

Also, I think you are being a little cynical in that last statement. The Nucks are better at player development than you are giving them credit for.

Some people should take a deep breath and look at who the Isles took ahead of JV in the draft and what that player is up to today.

"This is a top team in the League, and to be there and to win games, I think it's going to be good," Yakupov said Friday. "I don't know what winning is, and I'd like to feel that, and I think this is a team where I can feel it."

What a massive burn to EDM.

I haven't seen Virtanen do anything this year to get his ice time up. He's pretty unremarkable out there most shifts. Throw the body, make a pass or a play and you'll get rewarded. It's up to him to become invaluable not WD.
- micah555

He is not alone.

Not trying to be difficult but not sure I quite follow what you're getting at with the bold.

Also, I think you are being a little cynical in that last statement. The Nucks are better at player development than you are giving them credit for.
- RonPielep

I'm saying increasing his minutes at the expense of megna or skille or burrows wouldn't negatively affect the team

If I had to hazard a guess I'd say the Canucks have developed way less players than almost every other team in the west over the past ten years.

Pretty fair analysis.... but you forget that WD's version of shortening the bench is parking JV and playing plugs ahead of the top players on face offs and after tv time outs

- Nuck4U

I can't wait for him to get fired. I was happy we had him when we got him. After that first season, Less so.

He averaged 5 mins more a game than his rookie year.
- A_SteamingLombardi

You realize that's a huge amount? That's like 8 shifts a game.

I'm saying increasing his minutes at the expense of megna or skille or burrows wouldn't negatively affect the team

If I had to hazard a guess I'd say the Canucks have developed way less players than almost every other team in the west over the past ten years.
- LeftCoaster

Likely true as we have had very little picks over the last 10 years thanks to GMMG. and when he did pick he usually messed them up.

I'm saying increasing his minutes at the expense of megna or skille or burrows wouldn't negatively affect the team

If I had to hazard a guess I'd say the Canucks have developed way less players than almost every other team in the west over the past ten years.
- LeftCoaster

This only goes to 2015 but it would suggest that you are correct:
http://www.torontosun.com...performances-at-nhl-draft

Likely true as we have had very little picks over the last 10 years thanks to GMMG. and when he did pick he usually messed them up.
- Retinalz

That's completely untrue as well, Gillis picked from 08 to 2013, seven picks per year per team is 42 picks....he picked 37 times. Including six first round picks.

I'm saying increasing his minutes at the expense of megna or skille or burrows wouldn't negatively affect the team

If I had to hazard a guess I'd say the Canucks have developed way less players than almost every other team in the west over the past ten years.
- LeftCoaster

Good point in bold

Second part other then Bo who's still developing and Hutton plus new crop under way last we had was what Kessler, Hanson, Bieksa and Burr.... I believe ... anything else..?

Could we add Granlund and Baer to the development...?

I'm saying increasing his minutes at the expense of megna or skille or burrows wouldn't negatively affect the team

If I had to hazard a guess I'd say the Canucks have developed way less players than almost every other team in the west over the past ten years.
- LeftCoaster

I think he needs to steal Skille's spot on Horvat's line. That shouldn't be hard for him to do, but he needs to prove it beyond a doubt that those minutes are better spent on him than Skille. If he can't prove it easily then he should go to the AHL to play top line minutes and return when he is ready to show that he deserves that spot.

In terms of development I was referring to development efficiency/success as opposed to total number of players developed.

He is not alone.
- VANTEL

Yup.... plus he is the youngest and ELC waiver exempt so an easy target to say go down and pay your dues get a better attitude and learn to be a pro .... those are the views for sending him so he can play big minutes. Will he develop what he is missing in his game now in the A.... is the big question ...

I think he needs to steal Skille's spot on Horvat's line. That shouldn't be hard for him to do, but he needs to prove it beyond a doubt that those minutes are better spent on him than Skille. If he can't prove it easily then he should go to the AHL to play top line minutes and return when he is ready to show that he deserves that spot.

In terms of development I was referring to development efficiency/success as opposed to total number of players developed.
- RonPielep

What does he have to show to do that...? Steal his spot ...? What is Skille bringing to have earned that spot ...?

Good point in bold

Second part other then Bo who's still developing and Hutton plus new crop under way last we had was what Kessler, Hanson, Bieksa and Burr.... I believe ... anything else..?

Could we add Granlund and Baer to the development...?
- Nuck4U

Edler, Tanev, raymond , Schneider, Lack, Hodgson, Connauton.