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Time To Move on From Virtanen |
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The best time to have released Jake Virtanen was literally any time before actually signing him to a PTO. The next best time to do so is right now.
The Virtanen PTO never made a ton of sense to me; it was a controversial decision with negative ramifications on how the fanbase would perceive the organization that always looked like they would outweigh any potential positives the player could bring.
I haven't beaten around the bush about my thoughts on pre-season. It is far too long with really no real benefits for any players that should be on or around the main club. The main guys are putting in at best 50% effort and the prospects are just that; prospects.
All that being said, a player like Virtanen should absolutely be trying to play at 100% and either he isn't which doesn't bode well for a player trying to make his NHL return or he is and his best simply is not very good.
Around the league we are seeing teams already releasing guys from PTO's, Galchenyuk and Antoine Roussel as a couple of examples. Virtanen should be released as well; he simply hasn't shown anything that deems him worthy of a spot. He hasn't been involved physically, which one would expect from a bottom six forward, he hasn't scored or really produced anything that resembles offense, and defensively he isn't making good plays.
The options for the Oilers fourth line are limited due to the lack of any cap space the team has to work with. One of Janmark or Ryan is going to have to get waived, likely along with a guy like Devin Shore as well if Holloway makes the roster. The remaining roster player has to be a guy who makes less than $800,000.
There are a couple of options for that spot but right now I would go with Tyler Benson. The once high end prospect for the Oilers has not developed like many had hoped and instead has become an AHL veteran with callup potential. Benson is not a dominant offensive player or an elite shutdown guy in his own zone but he is a tough player to play against and has no issue with mixing it up with the opposition before and after the whistle blows.
The Oilers have a very deep top nine group that is going to take on most of the minutes in a game. A fourth line that likely could feature Janmark, Foegele and Benson would be playing at best 8-10 minutes a game. If Virtanen is being brought in for his perceived toughness; Benson is showing in pre-season that he is actually quite happy to play that kind of game.
Benson is by no means a perfect player; the same goes with another potential option for that spot in Brad Malone, but so far both of these players are showing the coaching staff that they are doing everything they can to try and make the roster. Virtanen has been given three games and has yet to show an inkling of that.
Turf him.
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • 
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