Photo from Wikipedia. Photo credit: Orlandkurtenbach
Photo from Wikipedia. Photo credit: Orlandkurtenbach

Jake Virtanen of Abbotsford, as you’ve likely heard, is staying with the Vancouver Canucks instead of being sent back to his junior team. But how he found out was pretty funny. Head coach Willie Desjardins was showing the team video of all the mistakes Virtanen and teammate Jared McCann had made…basically scolding them. Jake says he figured for sure he was being sent down.

“The guys kept pretty straight faces, except Hank (Sedin)…he was trying not to laugh the whole time.  He had his shirt over his mouth.  In the end, it was pretty funny.”

After the coach left the room, Bo Horvat, who made the team last year, had the honour of telling Jake and Jared they’re staying in the NHL, at which point the room erupted in applause. Both players were taken in the 2014 draft…Jake 6th overall, and Jared 24th overall.

Jake went to Yale Secondary and was part of the Yale Hockey Academy.