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Good power forwards in the NHL are incredibly rare and effective. Virtanen can still be all of this. Heck, the Jets could use a player like that right now. Everyone who follows this game understands the power forward needs time and patience.

But what Virtanen will never be is a player like Ehlers, who has the kind of skill the Canucks will be desperately trying to find when the Sedins retire.

And when you look back on that draft and realize the team still needs a succession plan for the Sedins, what was more important? What kind of player did the Canucks really need?

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A late hit in the NHL is considered anything longer than 0.6 seconds. Timing that Perreault hit on Hansen, it’s probably around 1.2 seconds late, which is a remarkable number and double what is generally allowed in the league.

This, and the fact Hansen’s knee was injured on the hit, it what is likely an MCL sprain, should make for some long conversations at the DPOS.

“Jannik didn’t like it. He felt it was knee on knee. When he came back from the box, he said his knee was getting tight on him.

“He tried it out and he took one or two strides and it buckled.

“I don’t think it’s that bad, sometimes just a sprain can make you buckle like that.”

Henrik wasn’t holding back, sending another verbal message to the NHL.

“I looked at him after he made the play,” Henrik said. “It took at least a couple of seconds before Perreault came. That’s a dirty hit, for sure.

“That’s something we can’t have in this league.