GDT: 2019 IIHF World Championships - Slovakia (Bratislava/Kosice) - May 10th to 26th

[Edge]

Based on talent it should be easy. But the Finns always bring a team that can hang with anyone, it seems like.

For years that was also the knock on a lot of Finnish players: they looked great in a system, but that didn't always produce a lot of individual stars.

I think the last few years have worked to change that perception, but it was prevalent for a long time.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

I laughed when I saw this.

Voi ei! USA kaatoi Leijonat jatkoajalla, Kakko dominoi Hughesia

This picture will be a microcosm of their careers.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

This picture will be a microcosm of their careers.

And then the Devils draft Kakko...

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

And then the Devils draft Kakko...

And then we get Jack Hughes!!! Amazing, isn't it?

 

[offdacrossbar]

kakko is a young jaromir jagr.

that is all

 

[The Crypto Guy]

And then we get Jack Hughes!!! Amazing, isn't it?

Sure, but I want kakko

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Sure, but I want kakko

It's a weird situation.

Personally I want Kakko. I really do. But for the team and organization, getting Hughes will long-term probably be the better pick

 

[Levitate]

It's a weird situation.

Personally I want Kakko. I really do. But for the team and organization, getting Hughes will long-term probably be the better pick

Yeah there's this weird thing going on with people feeling the need to put Hughes down and act like he's a bad player who will bust but in all likelyhood he's going to be an amazing center and franchise player for whoever drafts him. I kind of like Kakko's style better but if the Rangers end up drafting Hughes instead it's a huge win...they'll get a franchise center which really helps their center issues, he can develop behind Zibanejad next season, it's a great situation.

If they draft Kakko, well they'll have their franchise winger who plays a big game that Gorton seems to like and is trying to build. As people have pointed out really in a lot of ways Hughes fits the Devils style very well and Kakko fits the Rangers style very well

 

[eco's bones]

Kakko relentlessly attacks the opposing goal all the time. He's a huge problem for a defense to keep away from their net. I love players like that. If he's doing this against real NHL defenses in this tournament he's ready to do the same next year and he should be pretty damned effective at it too and what he'll be like a few years from now could or even should be something really terrific. Without a doubt the two best players we've ever drafted--the two best homegrown Rangers that I've ever witnessed (which goes back to the early 70's) play for us are Brian Leetch and Henrik Lundqvist and it's a big f***ing drop off after those two. I'm already getting the idea that if the Rangers draft Kakko he'll be in their company.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

It's a weird situation.

Personally I want Kakko. I really do. But for the team and organization, getting Hughes will long-term probably be the better pick

Haha it really is...glad we don't have to make that decision!

 

[ijuka]

Yeah there's this weird thing going on with people feeling the need to put Hughes down and act like he's a bad player who will bust but in all likelyhood he's going to be an amazing center and franchise player for whoever drafts him. I kind of like Kakko's style better but if the Rangers end up drafting Hughes instead it's a huge win...they'll get a franchise center which really helps their center issues, he can develop behind Zibanejad next season, it's a great situation.

If they draft Kakko, well they'll have their franchise winger who plays a big game that Gorton seems to like and is trying to build. As people have pointed out really in a lot of ways Hughes fits the Devils style very well and Kakko fits the Rangers style very well

Thinking he's worse than Kakko isn't putting him down or acting like he's a bad player. ... Calling his play as it is also isn't putting him down. Sheesh.

The baby gloves are ridiculous.

 

[Miamipuck]

Yeah there's this weird thing going on with people feeling the need to put Hughes down and act like he's a bad player who will bust but in all likelyhood he's going to be an amazing center and franchise player for whoever drafts him. I kind of like Kakko's style better but if the Rangers end up drafting Hughes instead it's a huge win...they'll get a franchise center which really helps their center issues, he can develop behind Zibanejad next season, it's a great situation.

If they draft Kakko, well they'll have their franchise winger who plays a big game that Gorton seems to like and is trying to build. As people have pointed out really in a lot of ways Hughes fits the Devils style very well and Kakko fits the Rangers style very well

I won't lie I prefer Kakko for some reason. However, the need to put down Hughes just because is quite ridiculous. He is a dynamic skater and oozes talent and would be a wonderful pick should Jersey go the other way. They're both fantastic talents and I would welcome either at this point. Just a month ago we would have been happy with Turcotte/Zegras or someone more or less equal to that tier of player.

 

[eco's bones]

It's a weird situation.

Personally I want Kakko. I really do. But for the team and organization, getting Hughes will long-term probably be the better pick

That might well be true. The one thing I worry about with Hughes is him getting hurt. He had an upper body injury this year (around the WJC's) and I'm not sure if it wasn't a concussion. He's not that big and there are a bunch of assholes around who would think nothing of ringing his bell. Elias Pettersson (who is somewhere around his size) got banged up at least a couple times this past season. I wouldn't worry that much with Kakko who has a lot more size and strength.

 

[JT Kreider]

Yeah there's this weird thing going on with people feeling the need to put Hughes down and act like he's a bad player who will bust but in all likelyhood he's going to be an amazing center and franchise player for whoever drafts him.

Yep. Everyone is saying their emotionally attached to KK since for the past month it seemed as if he was going to be our guy. I'd say it's more rampant homerism and now everyone has convinced themselves that Kakko is the better prospect.

It can't be based off this 3 game sample size right? Because that would be insane and incredibly short-sighted.

A 3 game sample size where Kakko is one of the top dawgs on one of the most structured and well coached teams on the national stage.

Hughes on the other hand is being coached by two of the worst coaches in the NHL on a much more stacked roster. Not a surprise he has been buried a bit.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Haha it really is...glad we don't have to make that decision!

Gorton and Clark can sleep in, have a late breakfast, go to the spa for a relaxing massage, have some cocktails, show up half-drunk at the draft right after the Devils have picked and walk straight up to the stage: "With the 2nd pick in the 2019 NHL draft, the New York Rangers select whoever the Devils didn't 2 minutes ago" and then light a cigar and walk over to the table

 

[gravey9]

From a team building perspective, it's a really interesting conundrum -- Hughes vs Kakko. If I were drafting Hughes, i would absolutely not bring him to the NHL until end of next season at the very earliest. He's clearly not ready physically. Whereas Kakko is physically ready. I think there's a good chance there's a two year difference between when the two will start impacting the success of their teams. If you draft Hughes, I think you're also drafting top 5 or so next year. If you're drafting Kakko, I actually think there's a legit chance you're picking mid-first round. I get that he's just a kid. And that one player in and of themselves doesn't necessarily impact win or point totals that much. But the timetable for how you build your team would change. If you know Hughes isn't going to be with the big club for at least a year. And maybe not making a big impact for two -- i think you take your time building the team. You maximize draft picks in the next draft as well. If you draft Kakko, you're plugging him into your 2nd line. He's playing on the power play. You can make a better pitch to summer 2019 FAs. Does a Panarin/Zucc/Hayes/Karlsson/Ferland want to come to the Rangers now if they draft hughes, knowing this season and maybe next are lottery seasons? Point is -- I don't know how much Gorton will want to do re: the NHL roster before he knows for sure whose going to be there at 2.

 

[Greg02]

At times like these, I think it's important to remember that no matter who the Devils pick at #1, it was obviously a huge mistake and our guy is going to play with a chip on his shoulder to absolutely show up their pick.

 

[JT Kreider]

At times like these, I think it's important to remember that no matter who the Devils pick at #1, it was obviously a huge mistake and our guy is going to play with a chip on his shoulder to absolutely show up their pick.

I'd say this applies more to Hughes since he's been the consensus #1 pick for 2 years now. They flew him out to Toronto for the draft lottery.

Passing on Hughes has far more blow up in your face potential for the Devils.

 

[Levitate]

Thinking he's worse than Kakko isn't putting him down or acting like he's a bad player. ... Calling his play as it is also isn't putting him down. Sheesh.

The baby gloves are ridiculous.

what's ridiculous is the number of people crashing the rangers boards who don't give a shit about the rangers and just want to hype Kakko up

 

[Levitate]

From a team building perspective, it's a really interesting conundrum -- Hughes vs Kakko. If I were drafting Hughes, i would absolutely not bring him to the NHL until end of next season at the very earliest. He's clearly not ready physically.

Nah, I think with a summer to train and a real NHL training camp and preseason Hughes will be in a NHL lineup on opening night this year. He may not have a huge amazing season, could even take him a little while to settle in, but he's too talented to not be on the roster of whatever team drafts him this year. Kakko might be better next season in the NHL, but IMO it's a tossup after that.

 

[offdacrossbar]

were in the cat bird seat.

hughes is the consensus #1 pick. the devils wont deviate.

kakko is a big time talent but was always #2. thats our pick when the devs take hughes.

however, if the devs take kakko based upon a late surge or whatever the reason, then we take the presumptive #1OA hughes and never look back.

we immediately have our future 1C and a kid with game breaking speed and vision. if we roll out mika and hughes 1 and 2, we are set for now and in to the future

and NO WAY either of these kids dont break camp with us. zero chance. they both play next yr.

there isnt a negative to sitting at #2. none.

 

[Ola]

Yup, and the European teams get to play together a bit during some of the international tournaments, EHT and the like, which can help. It at least gives the guys some exposure to each other. The guys on US and Canada, while generally superior in terms of talent, they don't play together unless they play for the same NHL team. Same concept why Team USA stopped being the "Dream Team" for a while there in basketball--they had a bunch of superstars that wanted to do their own thing, and they're playing other nations where the guys played together during the year and are more interested in the team game than individual highlights and glory.

Yeah, and I definitely didn’t mean for it to be a knock on the US. More at the ‘someone that is good will be good regardless’ notion. Corsi in this game didn’t say much about each player’s ability...

 

[JT Kreider]

were in the cat bird seat.

hughes is the consensus #1 pick. the devils wont deviate.

kakko is a big time talent but was always #2. thats our pick when the devs take hughes.

however, if the devs take kakko based upon a late surge or whatever the reason, then we take the presumptive #1OA hughes and never look back.

we immediately have our future 1C and a kid with game breaking speed and vision. if we roll out mika and hughes 1 and 2, we are set for now and in to the future

and NO WAY either of these kids dont break camp with us. zero chance. they both play next yr.

there isnt a negative to sitting at #2. none.

Bet. One of my longtime buddies is a big Devils fans and we've been in constant contact since the morning of the lotto where we were talking about the top prospect and I (unknowing what would happen later that night) straight up said "I almost like Kakko more than Hughes". He was in full celebratory mode with Hughes performance at the U18s until this past weekend. Now he is in full blown panic mode saying "**** it, I want Kakko".. but full well knowing how bad that could play out if they were to hand Hughes to us and now regrets winning the lotto and would rather be at 2.

 

[Miamipuck]

Nah, I think with a summer to train and a real NHL training camp and preseason Hughes will be in a NHL lineup on opening night this year. He may not have a huge amazing season, could even take him a little while to settle in, but he's too talented to not be on the roster of whatever team drafts him this year. Kakko might be better next season in the NHL, but IMO it's a tossup after that.

I can't recall a #1 pick that didn't open the season on an NHL roster. The fact he's in the WC means he can play with adults, taking into account he's been basically playing with kids his age for the majority of the season. Kakko has a leg up in this short tourney in that respect. If a 3 game sample size is going to change a scouts opinion that has watched them both for 2+ seasons, god bless them.

Regardless, they're 2 fantastic prospects that will benefit the Rangers no matter which is available with the #2.

 

[ijuka]

what's ridiculous is the number of people crashing the rangers boards who don't give a **** about the rangers and just want to hype Kakko up

I care about Rangers, that's why I want Kakko there. Have you not been following? Certainly, I'm not a fan of any team but it is what it is.

But seriously, what's with the baby gloves? You can't say anything to indicate Kakko being better than Hughes, but saying Hughes is better than Kakko is free game.