Canadian ice hockey player Jacob Virtanen (born August 17, 1996) most recently competed for EHC Visp in the Swiss League (SL). In the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, the Vancouver Canucks selected Virtanen sixth overall.
Jake Virtanen Biography
Virtanen was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, on August 17, 1996. He lived in Langley for his first 12 years before moving to the nearby city of Abbotsford. Virtanen played rugby in grades 7 and 8 while attending Fraser Middle School Hockey Academy.
He contributed to the team’s victories in the Fraser Valley 7s and the Grade 8 15-a-side full-on league. After persuading him to keep playing rugby seriously, his physical education teacher took notice of him and personally taught him the game’s rules.
The Vancouver Canucks selected Virtanen with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. Since Cam Neely in 1983, he was the first player from British Columbia to be drafted by the Canucks in the first round. Virtanen tweeted on July 25, 2014, that he has agreed to an entry-level deal with the Canucks.
In a post announcing his signing, he stated, “Such a privilege to join the Vancouver Canucks! I want to express my gratitude to everyone who has supported me, especially my family!”
He spent his final year of major junior hockey with the Hitmen before being transferred to the Utica Comets, an American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, after they were eliminated from the WHL Playoffs.
Jake Virtanen Weight
Jake Virtanen stands 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) tall.
Jake Virtanen Education
Virtanen attended Yale Hockey Academy in addition to the W.A. Fraser Skills Academy, which was directly connected to his middle school. Billy Wilms, the executive director of the hockey academy, commended Virtanen for his wrist shot while he was a student at Yale Secondary School, which collaborated with them.
Jake Virtanen Family
Finnish-born Rainer is his father. He was born in New Westminster, British Columbia, and raised for the majority of his formative years there until moving to Abbotsford.
Jake Virtanen Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | +/- | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011-12 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| 2012-13 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 62 | 16 | 18 | 34 | 67 | 25 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 27 |
| 2013-14 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 71 | 45 | 26 | 71 | 100 | 23 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 |
| 2014-15 | Calgary Hitmen | WHL | 50 | 21 | 31 | 52 | 82 | 15 | 14 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 28 |
| 2014-15 | Utica Comets | AHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| 2015-16 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 55 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 45 | -7 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2015-16 | Utica Comets | AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016-17 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2016-17 | Utica Comets | AHL | 65 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 48 | -11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2017-18 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 75 | 10 | 10 | 20 | 46 | -11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2018-19 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 70 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 44 | -4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2019-20 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 69 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 41 | -4 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 25 |
| 2020-21 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 38 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 41 | -4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2021-22 | Moscow Spartak | KHL | 36 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 24 | -5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2022-23 | Visp EHC | Swiss-Sw | 21 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 44 | 0 | |||||
| NHL Totals | 317 | 55 | 45 | 100 | 219 | 16 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 25 |
Jake Virtanen Career Earnings
| YEAR | TEAM | AWARDS | SALARY | SIGNING BONUS | INCENTIVE | TOTAL CASH |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-2016 | $832,500 | – | – | $832,500 | ||
| 2016-2017 | $832,500 | – | – | $832,500 | ||
| 2017-2018 | $832,500 | – | – | $832,500 | ||
| 2018-2019 | $800,000 | $200,000 | – | $1,000,000 | ||
| 2019-2020 | $1,400,000 | $100,000 | – | $1,500,000 | ||
| 2020-2021 | $1,700,000 | – | – | $1,700,000 | ||
| 2021-2022 | $500,000 | – | – | $500,000 | ||
| 2022-2023 | $500,000 | – | – | $500,000 | ||
| Est. Earnings (8 seasons) | $7,397,500 | $300,000 | – | $7,697,500 | ||
Jake Virtanen Instagram
Jake Virtanen’s Instagram handle is @jakevirtanen18
