He was supposed to be the driving force behind Vancouver. He had high hopes for him in the form of a high draft pick, but fate had a different plan. After a few seasons, allegations of sexual abuse surfaced, landing him in huge trouble that resulted in him leaving for Russia.
But now his name has been cleared. At the end of July, the court found him not guilty. You could say that the door to the NHL is ajar. We deliberately do not write that they are open completely, as a less than ideal reputation or insufficient form definitely plays a role.
In the last year of the KHL, he played only thirty-six games with Spartak Moscow with a record of 9+7, then left at the beginning of March due to the well-known conflict in Ukraine.
There is, however, a certain interest in the league, which is also confirmed by Vancouver journalist Rick Dhaliwal. “I was told something about the Oilers and Viranen, the Oilers are definitely in the group of teams that are thinking about him,” he said on his podcast.
But it wouldn’t be the first time the Oilers would welcome someone with a somewhat tarnished reputation to their team.
We don’t have to go far for an example, just think of Evander Kane. For a time it looked like his days in the NHL were numbered, San Jose didn’t want to see or hear from him. But the Oilers closed their eyes and accepted the forward. The result was his rebirth and stay with the organization.
An interesting example can also be found in history. During the 1985/86 season, the Oilers had a tussle with Craig MacTavish, who was in the headlines for one reason at the time – in early 1984, he got behind the wheel and caused an accident that cost his wife Kim’s life. Boston, where he worked at the time, terminated his contract after serving a one-year sentence, and subsequently the Oilers took him on, with whom he won three Cups.
And Zack Kassian, whom the Oilers got rid of in the summer for a hefty salary, was no saint either. He came to Edmonton from Montreal, where at the time he wore his jersey, he also crashed under the influence. He eventually caught on and played six and a half seasons with the Oilers.
As you can see, the Oilers can turn a blind eye and give a chance to a player who has a bit of a streak in his resume. Virtanen could be next in line. A contract for a year with a minimum wage? A saving chance for Virtanen, zero risk for the Oilers.
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