Around the League - 2023/24

[AvsMakar08]

Coyotes look like they’ll be fun.
Cooley looks like he has potential to be the best player that franchise has ever had

Even better then Keller? Did you forget all the hype that Keller got (even on this forum)?

 

[The Merchant]

 

[The Kingslayer]

Nah. They're finished. @The Kingslayer took Tage in fantasy. That was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I swear if that pendejo doesnt get atleast 90 points im going to hate him more then I hate Darcy Kuemper and Ryan Graves.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Keller's been underrated. Maybe this year he won't be.

He got drafted in the 4th round of my draft this year. Last year he went in the 19th round and one year he didnt even get drafted.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Coyotes look like they’ll be fun.
Cooley looks like he has potential to be the best player that franchise has ever had

Keith Tkachuk is the best player they had so far. If Cooley gets to that level he going be very special player.

 

[expatriatedtexan]

Hayton is someone I'll be watching this year

Prior to the draft, I was dreaming of CMac finding a way to convert one of our LDs and a first or two into Hayton and Crouse. I'm still not sold on RyJo, but I've learned enough to give CMac and the Avs pro-scouts the benefit of the doubt by now.

 

[The Kingslayer]

Jack Hughes so good.

 

[BobRossColton]

Prior to the draft, I was dreaming of CMac finding a way to convert one of our LDs and a first or two into Hayton and Crouse. I'm still not sold on RyJo, but I've learned enough to give CMac and the Avs pro-scouts the benefit of the doubt by now.

Yeah I was pushing for Hayton and Luostarinen.

 

[henchman21]

Jack Hughes so good.

Kakko is better. He’s not a small boi.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Chippy start to this Ottawa/Philly game

 

[Murzu]

Kakko is better. He’s not a small boi.

I know we're having fun here, but I legit thought Kakko would be a star in NHL and could challenge Hughes for the best player of his draft title.

The way he played in Liiga was amazing, he seemed to have great vision, made some unbelieveable plays, strong like an ox, wouldn't get knocked off the puck as a teenager agains 30 year old men.. There were some Forsberg/Jagr/Rantanen like moments. Quite a many of those actually.

Honestly I'm very disappointed with his development. Wish he could skate a little better, that would help him a lot. Still trust that he will be a top six player in his prime.

 

[UncleRisto]

These Flyers jerseys are good.

 

[henchman21]

I know we're having fun here, but I legit thought Kakko would be a star in NHL and could challenge Hughes for the best player of his draft title.

The way he played in Liiga was amazing, he seemed to have great vision, made some unbelieveable plays, strong like an ox, wouldn't get knocked off the puck as a teenager agains 30 year old men.. There were some Forsberg/Jagr/Rantanen like moments. Quite a many of those actually.

Honestly I'm very disappointed with his development. Wish he could skate a little better, that would help him a lot. Still trust that he will be a top six player in his prime.

Oh I certainly thought Kakko would be better than he has become (and I think he will still be a top 6 player), but his skating isn't good and his shot is so easy to read for goalies. He's another early man strength kid which further makes the case of bet on talent.

 

[LOFIN]

Kakko was better than Rantanen before and during his draft year. Like not even close. Arguably, Kakko was better than Barkov when he was drafted.

It's beating the old drum, but the Rangers could've handled him so much better. When it was obvious after few games he was not ready for the NHL, should've sent him to the AHL. Instead, they have played him like a middle-6/bottom-6 winger, without any meaningful special teams time. What you get is Kakko is now a very good two way player (he was probably worse than Laine when he was drafted and that's saying something), but who seems to have lost some of that offensive flash and decisiveness. He hasn't been deployed in an offensive role, so no wonder.

Now hopefully, Laviolette will have the patience to stick with having him next to Kreider and Zibanejad. Last year Kakko started with them and that line was dominating possession, but didn't score enough. So Gallant stuck it in the bin. That was the best Kakko has looked in the NHL, he fits that line well.

Oh I certainly thought Kakko would be better than he has become (and I think he will still be a top 6 player), but his skating isn't good and his shot is so easy to read for goalies. He's another early man strength kid which further makes the case of bet on talent.

He has better hands than Rantanen. Better vision as well I think. Rantanen is a better skater, and has a MUCH better shot.

 

[Balthazar]

We'll never know for sure if the Rags are guilty of what happened to Kakko and Laf or they were just unlucky...but both prospects were seen as having a super high floor and clearly that didn't translate.

Personally I think that the fact that the Rags got ready to compete (Panarin, Fox and Shesterkin suddenly happened) straight when the kids got in the NHL may have not helped. They didn't get the quality ice time and opportunities that they needed to develop properly nor the required patience from coaches who just wanted to win.

Similar to Newhook and the Avs, really.

 

[henchman21]

Kakko was better than Rantanen before and during his draft year. Like not even close. Arguably, Kakko was better than Barkov when he was drafted.

It's beating the old drum, but the Rangers could've handled him so much better. When it was obvious after few games he was not ready for the NHL, should've sent him to the AHL. Instead, they have played him like a middle-6/bottom-6 winger, without any meaningful special teams time. What you get is Kakko is now a very good two way player (he was probably worse than Laine when he was drafted and that's saying something), but who seems to have lost some of that offensive flash and decisiveness. He hasn't been deployed in an offensive role, so no wonder.

Now hopefully, Laviolette will have the patience to stick with having him next to Kreider and Zibanejad. Last year Kakko started with them and that line was dominating possession, but didn't score enough. So Gallant stuck it in the bin. That was the best Kakko has looked in the NHL, he fits that line well.


He has better hands than Rantanen. Better vision as well I think. Rantanen is a better skater, and has a MUCH better shot.

I don’t know if he has better hands or vision than Rants. Especially the vision side… Rants has massive creativity and sees lanes (and executes on them) better than almost any NHLer. He’s not Kuch or McDavid there… but the tier below.

Kakko was clearly and early developer and people thought it would continue… instead the gap narrowed. I still think he can be a good player… he just isn’t anywhere near Hughes.

 

[LOFIN]

I don’t know if he has better hands or vision than Rants. Especially the vision side… Rants has massive creativity and sees lanes (and executes on them) better than almost any NHLer. He’s not Kuch or McDavid there… but the tier below.

Kakko was clearly and early developer and people thought it would continue… instead the gap narrowed. I still think he can be a good player… he just isn’t anywhere near Hughes.

Well, Hughes can become a top-5 NHL center as soon as this season so to become such a level would be a tall task.

I think Kakko is at the moment a 2nd line winger. Needs a bit more scoring touch to become a first line winger. He got 37 even strength points last season which is not terrible.

I wasn't trying to negate Rantanen in any way, he's my favourite player and his vision is elite. I guess I shouldn't have said "better than Rantanen", as good as Rantanen would've been fine.

I think Rantanen has just continuously evolved, seems to get better every year which is pretty crazy because he's not a kid anymore. A unique player.

 

[Balthazar]

Chychrun 2G 1A so far in the Sens/Flyers game.

Is it finally the year that he lives up to his potential? Can he stay healthy?

 

[Freudian]

When Ottawa adds Norris and Pinto, they have impressive depth. Probably would want to get a better goalie.

 

[LOFIN]

When Ottawa adds Norris and Pinto, they have impressive depth. Probably would want to get a better goalie.

Well, they need to move someone to do that and no team is helping them out.

 

[Freudian]

Well, they need to move someone to do that and no team is helping them out.

Teams know Sens are in a tight spot and wants to squeeze them. Sens have two first round picks but probably wants to hold on to them if possible as well.

They got a bit greedy signing Kubalik this summer, if all they had over for Pinto was $1M/year.

 

[Pokecheque]

Kakko was better than Rantanen before and during his draft year. Like not even close. Arguably, Kakko was better than Barkov when he was drafted.

It's beating the old drum, but the Rangers could've handled him so much better. When it was obvious after few games he was not ready for the NHL, should've sent him to the AHL. Instead, they have played him like a middle-6/bottom-6 winger, without any meaningful special teams time. What you get is Kakko is now a very good two way player (he was probably worse than Laine when he was drafted and that's saying something), but who seems to have lost some of that offensive flash and decisiveness. He hasn't been deployed in an offensive role, so no wonder.

Now hopefully, Laviolette will have the patience to stick with having him next to Kreider and Zibanejad. Last year Kakko started with them and that line was dominating possession, but didn't score enough. So Gallant stuck it in the bin. That was the best Kakko has looked in the NHL, he fits that line well.


He has better hands than Rantanen. Better vision as well I think. Rantanen is a better skater, and has a MUCH better shot.

While I think it’s absolutely true the Rangers mishandle prospects (Quinn and Gallant could not have mishandled Kaako, Lafreniere, and Andersson any worse) it can also be true that those were just…really bad picks.

KK and Laf will be legit NHLers, but not more than that, and it won’t happen in Manhattan.

Kaako kind of reminds me of Martin Lapointe. An absolute phenom in youth hockey who never came even close to meeting initial expectations but still had a successful NHL career.

 

[LOFIN]

While I think it’s absolutely true the Rangers mishandle prospects (Quinn and Gallant could not have mishandled Kaako, Lafreniere, and Andersson any worse) it can also be true that those were just…really bad picks.

KK and Laf will be legit NHLers, but not more than that, and it won’t happen in Manhattan.

Kaako kind of reminds me of Martin Lapointe. An absolute phenom in youth hockey who never came even close to meeting initial expectations but still had a successful NHL career.

They were slam dunk picks at the time. Like I said, Kakko showed skill and performance unmatched by ANY Finnish prospect before him, bar Barkov. I watched Rantanen and Kakko both live, and Kakko was the better one.

It could be argued that Rangers should've picked Stuezle instead of Lafreniere because they lacked centers. But you know how it is, pick the best player available and Laf was the consensus #1. By picking a position you end up with Kotkaniemi or Juolevi.

 

[BaconNater]

Speaking of #1 and #2 overall picks.. does each 2nd overall picks behind the 4 Oilers #1 overall picks have a Stanley cup? Neat!

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Seems like the NHLs plan to ban pride colored stick tape as a way of trying to deflect from the situation and change the conversation is having the opposite effect. All I see on twitter is more and more talk of players planning to defy the league and use pride tape anyways, challenge the fine and/or pay the fine.


Serves the league right for such a moronic approach to what was happening.