Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Virtanen bụ onye a họọrọ 6th n'ozuzu na 2014 NHL Entry Draft site na Vancouver Canucks. Ọ bụ onye egwuregwu mbụ a mụrụ na British Columbia nke ndị Canucks họpụtara na agba nke mbụ kemgbe Cam Neely na
Afọ 1983. Na July 25, 2014, Virtanen kwupụtara na ya bịanyere aka na nkwekọrịta ntinye na Canucks site na Twitter. Mgbe ọ na-ede banyere nkwekọrịta ya, o kwuru, sị, "ụdị nsọpụrụ ịbanye na Vancouver Canucks! Ọ ga-amasị m ikele ndị niile nyeere m aka iru ebe a ọkachasị ezinụlọ m!!" Ọ laghachiri na Hitmen maka afọ ikpeazụ ya nke nnukwu hockey obere oge tupu e kenyeghachi ya na ngalaba Canucks 'American Hockey League (AHL), Utica Comets, na-esote mkpochapụ WHL Playoff ha. Virtanen sonyeere ndị Comets na 2015 Calder Cup playoffs lineup na May 18, ebe o mere egwuregwu mbụ ya n'oge Egwuregwu 6 nke Western Conference Semifinals. Mgbe ọ nwesịrị mmeri 2 na 1 na Oklahoma City Barons, o kwuru na ọ bụ "nnukwu ahụmịhe na oge na-akpali akpali na otu nnukwu ụmụ okorobịa. Ụmụ okorobịa nọ n'elu ebe a buru ibu karị, egwuregwu ahụ dịkwa ngwa. Egwuregwu ahụ bụ ihe na-akpali akpali na ndị na-akwado ya dị ịtụnanya n'ebe a. Ọnọdụ e nwere n'ebe ahụ a na-agba ọsọ bụ nnọọ ihe ịtụnanya". Ọ gara n'ihu na-egwu egwu na Comets n'oge ha na-agbapụ, na-emecha dekọọ enyemaka ọkachamara mbụ ya na ihe mgbaru ọsọ Sven Bärtschi na Egwuregwu 3 nke Western Conference Finals megide Grand Rapids Griffins.