Report: Virtanen turns down Oilers, but is linked to another Canadian team

Despite reports yesterday that former Vancouver Canucks forward Jake Virtanen was signing a professional tryout (PTO) contract with the Edmonton Oilers, Oilers insider Mark Spector reports that Virtanen has decided not to sign with the Oilers.

Check it out:

What Jesse Puljujarvi has to do with all this is anyone' guess, but guys like Spector seem to do everything possible to throw shade at Puljujarvi, but I digress...

There are further reports that both the Calgary Flames and the Washington Capitals are in the running for Virtanen. Speaking personally as someone who has watched Virtanen a lot since he first joined the Canucks back in 2015, I'm not sure he's worth the effort. Putting aside all the allegations he has faced in the past two years, he's just... well... he's not that great of a player. Virtanen is a perfect example of having all the tools, but no tool belt. He has incredible speed and a blistering shot... but that's about it. He doesn't have good hockey sense and he's not an NHL level passer. To be honest, he's perfectly suited for junior hockey where you can just wheel, snipe and celly. But when you want to play in the NHL, you have to be able to think the game at a higher level and you have to be willing to put in the work to become a professional. I've never seen that from Virtanen... even a little bit.

But, because he's 225 pounds and because he's a former 6th overall pick, I suspect he'll get at least one more shot at the NHL from either the Flames or the Capitals. If you're a fan of either of these teams just don't expect much from Virtanen because he's likely to let you down. 

Having said all of that, if he can truly put the work in and he can transform his game into a more checking and grinding style of play I could see a future for him in the NHL. If he keeps trying to wheel and snipe without getting involved physically though, he'll be back to the KHL before you can say "borscht".