Jake Virtanen

Lore & Background

Virtanen grew up in Langley, British Columbia, before settling in Abbotsford. He attended Fraser Middle School Hockey Academy and Yale Hockey Academy, where his wrist shot was noted as exceptional by the executive director. His father immigrated from Finland, and Virtanen holds Finnish citizenship through jus sanguinis. He played junior hockey with the Calgary Hitmen of the WHL, where he was selected first overall in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft. In his second full junior season, he scored 45 goals and 71 points. He was ranked sixth among North American skaters by NHL Central Scouting at the year-end ranking for the 2014 draft. Virtanen represented Canada in five international competitions, including the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2015 and 2016 IIHF World U20 Championships. During the 2016 World Junior Championships, he recorded one point in five games and took three penalties in the quarterfinal against Finland.

Reader's Guide

Virtanen's tenure with the Canucks was marked by flashes of offensive potential and inconsistency. After being drafted sixth overall, he made the team out of training camp in 2015 and scored his first NHL goal in November. His rookie season yielded 13 points in 55 games. He arrived overweight for the 2016–17 training camp, weighing 231 pounds against a target of 213, and spent most of that season in the AHL with the Utica Comets. He rebounded to play all 75 games in 2017–18, recording 20 points, and signed a two-year, $1.25 million contract in July 2018. The 2018–19 season saw a career-high 22 points through 58 games before a fractured rib sidelined him for a month. In 2019–20, despite being relegated to the third skating group at training camp, he set a career high with 36 points in 69 games. His time in Vancouver ended after the 2020–21 season, and he later joined HK Dukla Michalovce of the Slovak Extraliga.

Did You Know?

• Virtanen has a tattoo of the Finnish coat of arms on his right forearm.
• In grade 9, his wrist shot was measured at 81 mph during skill testing.
• He played rugby through grades 7 and 8 and helped his team win the Fraser Valley 7s.