Speculation: 2024-25 - Free Agency/Trade Thread

mightyquack

eggplant and jade or bust
Apr 28, 2010
26,878
6,264
Can't believe we missed out on a soon to be 24 year old who averages 15 goals a season despite playing on one of the better NHL teams the last few years (until this season at least).
 
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robbieboy3686

Registered User
Jan 17, 2016
3,561
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They got back a 6’3” rhd, which they needed to address after Trouba. Adding another LHW probably wasn’t ideal w/ giving up assets to attain as well.

Edit : and I was pro trading for him
We could have sent them helleson(we have luneau ready next season to make the jump). Again, it’s possible that Trouba didn’t speak highly of kakko. We just don’t know. Or maybe they didn’t want helleson .
 

TheDarkWingThatDucks

Registered User
Oct 30, 2024
83
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We could have sent them helleson(we have luneau ready next season to make the jump). Again, it’s possible that Trouba didn’t speak highly of kakko. We just don’t know. Or maybe they didn’t want helleson .
Yes he very well could have spoke poorly of him, but really RHD is probably our weakest spot organizationally, obviously the RHW a close second. Trading one of our few prospects for a LHW (who plays RW) isn’t probably the best asset management. And like I said I was definitely pro trading for him.
 
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mightyquack

eggplant and jade or bust
Apr 28, 2010
26,878
6,264
I just don’t get the infatuation with Kakko. He’s a borderline bust in my eyes at this point.
I don't think there's anything borderline about it, he's 100% a bust at this point.

Former 2nd overall pick, about to turn 24 years old and has had one season looking like a competent NHL forward (out of 5.5 seasons so far) despite playing on a very good NHL team for all but one of those seasons.

If he wasn't a former 2nd overall pick, he would pass through waivers.
 

HanSolo

DJ Crazy Times
Apr 7, 2008
99,421
35,818
Las Vegas
I just don’t get the infatuation with Kakko. He’s a borderline bust in my eyes at this point.
Yeah I have no irritation that we didn't beat that deal whatsoever. If he was this mediocre on the Rangers, I can't see how he would possibly turn it around under this coach. But I knew the gripes were coming.
 
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JabbaJabba

Registered User
Dec 22, 2010
7,706
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Finland
I don't think there's anything borderline about it, he's 100% a bust at this point.

Former 2nd overall pick, about to turn 24 years old and has had one season looking like a competent NHL forward (out of 5.5 seasons so far) despite playing on a very good NHL team for all but one of those seasons.

If he wasn't a former 2nd overall pick, he would pass through waivers.

Kakko has been a solid defensive forward for seasons and he has been producing well on ES while not getting any significant PP time (the 2nd unit on Rangers doesn't get any real time). Seems like you are just stat watching.

Was he worth the 2nd pick? No. Is he a bust? No.
 
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mightyquack

eggplant and jade or bust
Apr 28, 2010
26,878
6,264
Kakko has been a solid defensive forward for seasons and he has been producing well on ES while not getting any significant PP time (the 2nd unit on Rangers doesn't get any real time). Seems like you are just stat watching.
I don't watch that many Rangers games, but I've seen enough to see he's a mediocre NHL forward and have never come away impressed watching him and the stats back that up over the years. Given there isn't enough time in the day to watch every single game Kakko plays along with having a functioning life, there is an element of stat watching in regard to every player that isn't playing on your team.

And for a guy who supposedly produces well at even strength....the ESP/60 isn't exactly stellar.

Kakko's ESP/60 since his career started:

19/20: 0.756 (414th)
20/21: 1.341 (313th)
21/22: 1.622 (263rd)
22/23: 1.937 (166th)
23/24: 1.458 (285th)
24/25: 1.952 (135th)

And for being a 'solid defensive forward' he's somehow lodged just 57 minutes of SH time since his career begun in 2019 (averaging 10 seconds per game).

Kakko is a dime a dozen player at the NHL level at this point. Nothing special. Maybe he turns it around out of nowhere in Seattle, guess we'll have to see.

2nd overall pick producing at that level is a bust for me.
 

WhatTheDuck

9 - 20 - 8
May 17, 2007
24,607
18,751
Worst Case, Ontario
He's definitely a bust relative to a 2nd overall picks expectations. I kind of still find him an interesting player, and can still see him finding a bit of a breakout in a different situation. I wouldn't have been bothered if we beat that offer, but it's not one to get all worked up over either. If management only wants more established vets to play with the abundance of youth we already have, I get it.
 
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Koffein

Registered User
Mar 20, 2009
506
21
Oslo
The Ducks did it with Marchant. It isn't unusual.
In the case of Marchant, he didn't refuse to waive because he didn't want to go to Anaheim. Columbus just refused to tell him what team they had made a deal with if I recall correctly.
 

FiveTacos

Registered User
Oct 2, 2017
1,167
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The Twilight Zone
Kakko has been a solid defensive forward for seasons and he has been producing well on ES while not getting any significant PP time (the 2nd unit on Rangers doesn't get any real time). Seems like you are just stat watching.

Was he worth the 2nd pick? No. Is he a bust? No.

I think the problem is, there's young guys who don't put up big numbers but flash high end skills, and maybe have stretches of great play. McT would be an example. You figure he's "unlockable."

But Kakko is just vanilla all the time, no flashes, it doesn't look like there's anything to unlock. Sure he's pretty good defensively, but offensively he's just not dynamic in any way. I think the price reflects that a lot of GMs looked at his tape and have concluded he's likely a good 3rd liner at best, with a significant QO coming up as well as arbitration. You could end up with a very expensive bottom 6er.
 
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Rybread86

To the DOME
Mar 24, 2022
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OC
Kakko has been a solid defensive forward for seasons and he has been producing well on ES while not getting any significant PP time (the 2nd unit on Rangers doesn't get any real time). Seems like you are just stat watching.

Was he worth the 2nd pick? No. Is he a bust? No.

If you are spending a 2nd overall for a guy and he performs like a 3rd or 4th round pick, hes a bust. He can still have a long career and be a good player but the draft position matters when determining if a guy was a bust or not.
 

JAHV

Registered User
Sponsor
Oct 3, 2023
1,443
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Anaheim, CA
If you are spending a 2nd overall for a guy and he performs like a 3rd or 4th round pick, hes a bust. He can still have a long career and be a good player but the draft position matters when determining if a guy was a bust or not.
I agree with the idea that, as a 2nd overall pick, Kakko is a bust, but he's in no way performing like a 3rd or 4th round pick. Those guys don't make the NHL unless they're outliers. Kakko is performing more like 20th OA than 2nd OA.

He seems like a litmus test for your forward depth. If he's on your second line or the best player on your third line, you're probably in trouble. If he's a contributor on the third line, you're probably ok, and it just depends on how elite your top-6 is. If he's contributing decent minutes on your 4th line and your PK, that's fantastic depth.
 

Zegs2sendhelp

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Jul 25, 2012
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Holiday roster freeze goes into effect tonight though the 28th




Could see rangers and Buffalo making moves before ….

I’d still love to add cozens I just don’t know that the pieces to make it work fit for us. But I think he’s be a nice compliment
 

DavidBL

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Could see rangers and Buffalo making moves before ….

I’d still love to add cozens I just don’t know that the pieces to make it work fit for us. But I think he’s be a nice compliment
Imo we don't need more young potential we need guys who can do it now and help show the young guys how.
 

Zegs2sendhelp

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Jul 25, 2012
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Imo we don't need more young potential we need guys who can do it now and help show the young guys how.
I think cozens stylistically is a solid fit

Unfortunately the bringing in guys that can help/show isn’t really working out either
 

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