Carol Schram: Vancouver Canucks without Dorsett, Burrows, Tanev Tuesday; Stecher debuts Troy Stecher will make his NHL debut on the top defensive pairing as the Vancouver Canucks host the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday night at Rogers Arena.

JV has got to stay in the AHL until he shows he belongs in the top six...

Thanks Carol!

Kind of feel for Biega. Signing a 1 way and sitting in the press box is not ideal. Tryamkin migh be a bit put off by the fact that Stecher joins top pairing with Edler while him and Biega sit waiting for injuries to occur.

I am curious to know if Labate would have been first call up had it not been for suspension.

JV has got to stay in the AHL until he shows he belongs in the top six...
- kaptaan

We don't agree all the time, but this is something I agree with completely.

Bummer of a status update re Rodin.
We could use him right about now, to push Skille back down to the 4th line.

Quotes don't work, but I'd say JV is wasting away playing fourth line minutes. He should get as much ice as possible in the AHL and be trained by Green before green's picked up by some other organization...

We don't agree all the time, but this is something I agree with completely.
- Codes1087

I'd b willing to give JV 4-5 more games but it is looking more and more that he is AHL bound. Which isn't a bad thing.

Look for Eriksson get off the Schneid tonight. I sense another OT game.

As per usual well done Carol

I would love to see JV play 20+ minutes a night in Utica. He needs confidence and he needs minutes.

JV is better then what we got now and better then Skille.... but maybe he can light it up more on the fourth playing with Guance and Menja might be able to produce with some energy. Talk of AHL is premature. If the Canucks didn't think he added he would be gone cause they have zero tolerance policy with young guys right now. Vets get the rope and minutes to skate into form.... hello LE

I would love to see JV play 20+ minutes a night in Utica. He needs confidence and he needs minutes.
- Codes1087

I still think he's not 100%.
I'm sure he'd be in Utica if we had the bodies to replace him.
Unfortunately, no one has pushed him down the depth chart yet (Rodin!), yet.

JV is better then what we got now and better then Skille.... but maybe he can light it up more on the fourth playing with Guance and Menja might be able to produce with some energy. Talk of AHL is premature. If the Canucks didn't think he added he would be gone cause they have zero tolerance policy with young guys right now. Vets get the rope and minutes to skate into form.... hello LE
- Nuck4U

What?

Megna is not really an "energy player". I think he is listed at 5"8 or something like that and not exactly physical. I don't think talk of the AHL for Virtanen is premature at all. I think the fans, commenters here, and media are justified in questioning whether or not he is ready, because frankly, he doesn't look it. His speed/physical presence to me is not enough to warrant a former 6th overall pick playing 6 minutes a night and sitting out a period and a half of a game. I am hoping that when Burrows/Dorsett/Rodin return. JV is sent down to fine tune his game and play top lines under TG.

I still think he's not 100%.
I'm sure he'd be in Utica if we had the bodies to replace him.
Unfortunately, no one has pushed him down the depth chart yet (Rodin!), yet.
- dbot

He doesn't seem to be hitting as much so you might be on to something. I think if our roster is full and healthy, he sits or is in Utica. It's too bad we are running into these problems already.

I would love to see JV play 20+ minutes a night in Utica. He needs confidence and he needs minutes.
- Codes1087

All that will do is give him another chance to try to show it at NHL level and he'd be at square one again trying to figure out how to do it at NHL level.... that's where he is now so let's see where it goes ....but WD won't give him the minutes wether he shows it in the AHL or not until he shows it with the few minutes he does get in NHL. Bottom line he's got to figure out he's 100 plus percent effective all the time until WD gives him more.

He doesn't seem to be hitting as much so you might be on to something. I think if our roster is full and healthy, he sits or is in Utica. It's too bad we are running into these problems already.
- Codes1087

LAST game Skille and JV credited with most hits at 3 a piece .... people want the game changing kind so expectations are high...

What?

Megna is not really an "energy player". I think he is listed at 5"8 or something like that and not exactly physical. I don't think talk of the AHL for Virtanen is premature at all. I think the fans, commenters here, and media are justified in questioning whether or not he is ready, because frankly, he doesn't look it. His speed/physical presence to me is not enough to warrant a former 6th overall pick playing 6 minutes a night and sitting out a period and a half of a game. I am hoping that when Burrows/Dorsett/Rodin return. JV is sent down to fine tune his game and play top lines under TG.
- Codes1087

Megna is an AHL scorer, hes around 6"1 200lbs. He isn't a prototypical 4th line player but he will do fine. He skates well and is a smart player.

This team should send JV down if they wanted to develop him but they've been very clear that their goal is to win games and that means they need JV in the lineup as he is likely better still than anyone they would call up except perhaps Zalewski.

All that will do is give him another chance to try to show it at NHL level and he'd be at square one again trying to figure out how to do it at NHL level.... that's where he is now so let's see where it goes ....but WD won't give him the minutes wether he shows it in the AHL or not until he shows it with the few minutes he does get in NHL. Bottom line he's got to figure out he's 100 plus percent effective all the time until WD gives him more.
- Nuck4U

the AHL is not only a reserve for injuries, but it is also a developmental league for NHLer's. Some would argue it isn't, but you CANNOT argue the fact that the jump from Junior hockey to the AHL is substantial. Even bigger jump is obviously the jump from Junior to the NHL. Etem, Shinkaruk, Horvat, Baertschi, Granlund, Virtanen, these are all players who LIT UP junior. Horvat being the anomaly and producing after the jump from junior to pros but look at the rest. All have spent time (apart from Virtanen) in the AHL. Some have made it, some are still struggling. My point is, Virtanen can develop and get used to the jump from Junior to the pros by playing against men in the AHL. How do you grow as a 6th overall pick, making mistakes, taking penalties, not producing, and being benched for half of a game constantly. He clearly is not ready.

I still think he's not 100%.
I'm sure he'd be in Utica if we had the bodies to replace him.
Unfortunately, no one has pushed him down the depth chart yet (Rodin!), yet.
- dbot

There was a quote from someone the other day, I can't remember who that said he was 100% and that there was no health excuses.

What?

Megna is not really an "energy player". I think he is listed at 5"8 or something like that and not exactly physical. I don't think talk of the AHL for Virtanen is premature at all. I think the fans, commenters here, and media are justified in questioning whether or not he is ready, because frankly, he doesn't look it. His speed/physical presence to me is not enough to warrant a former 6th overall pick playing 6 minutes a night and sitting out a period and a half of a game. I am hoping that when Burrows/Dorsett/Rodin return. JV is sent down to fine tune his game and play top lines under TG.
- Codes1087

YOU can't predetermine course of action and expect results it doesn't work that way... JV is needed here and now and has games to show more..... we have no idea who will be healthy or playing at what level 2 weeks from now

LAST game Skille and JV credited with most hits at 3 a piece .... people want the game changing kind so expectations are high...
- Nuck4U

3 hits a piece. Should we promote them to the next line? lol. Not exactly the numbers you are hoping for when you talk about a 6th overall pick.

Show me 3-6 shots, 3 hits, positive position, etc.

What kind of knee injury takes 12 to 14+ months to heal?

YOU can't predetermine course of action and expect results it doesn't work that way... JV is needed here and now and has games to show more..... we have no idea who will be healthy or playing at what level 2 weeks from now
- Nuck4U

you mis-read what I said earlier. or just missed it. I said that because of the injuries to Dorsett and Burrows, I can see very clearly the need and desire to keep Virtanen in the lineup.

Megna is an AHL scorer, hes around 6"1 200lbs. He isn't a prototypical 4th line player but he will do fine. He skates well and is a smart player.

This team should send JV down if they wanted to develop him but they've been very clear that their goal is to win games and that means they need JV in the lineup as he is likely better still than anyone they would call up except perhaps Zalewski.
- belcherbd

I'm in the send him down camp. looking at injuries, I'd even consider calling up Ruutu or other ufa with the news Rodin won't be back soon. worst case for the ufa is they get a contract and end up in Utica.

What kind of knee injury takes 12 to 14+ months to heal?
- stringerbell

He was injured Jan 19 2016 so that would what 10 months since he was cut?

Don't know when he had surgery but there would of been recovery, then rehab and then it sounds like he had a flare up during the preseason.

I'm in the send him down camp. looking at injuries, I'd even consider calling up Ruutu or other ufa with the news Rodin won't be back soon. worst case for the ufa is they get a contract and end up in Utica.
- hillbillydeluxe

I'm not sure where they are at for injuries but I'd personally rather them just keep playing him or call up someone else at this point.

I'm not sure Ruutu or another PTO candidate would help this team win games more than JV. I think they should of sent him down last year even but I understand why they need him in the NHL.

YOU can't predetermine course of action and expect results it doesn't work that way... JV is needed here and now and has games to show more..... we have no idea who will be healthy or playing at what level 2 weeks from now
- Nuck4U

"You can't predetermine a course of action and expect results". please elaborate lol.