Can Kakko be our second line center

[Filthy Dangles]

Oh I wouldn't move him to center. I've already shown my work on this you get more surplus value out of wings than centers due to the higher quantity and weaker depth of them.

Hard to know how difficult or easy it would be if you don't try. Most teams don't even try so how can you know?

Depends on the player. Trying someone like Phil Kessel or Pat Kane at center would be like sticking David Ortiz or Nelson Cruz in your middle-infield.

Even someone like Mark Stone, who's a really good defensive winger, would struggle playing center. He lacks the skating.

Even guys who have the skating, their offense might drop off having to line up in the dots and tie up with opposing centers and starting low in the defensive zone constantly. Teams won't just throw any good winger at center because it's risky. I'm sure they get looks at them at center at practice or in training camp.

As for Kakko, he has skating and size. Would he be as effective offensively and be reliable enough away from the puck, I don't know. No one knows.

 

[romba]

HF Wingers:

HF Centers:

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I dont see Kakko or Kravtsov moving to center this year but I do think it's possible Kravtsov eventually ends up there. He looked really good there in the world juniors

 

[Edge]

Breaking News from Rangers Training Camp: Oprah Invited as Guest Coach

"You're a center, and you're a center, and you're a center, and you're a center. You're ALL centers!!!"

 

[will1066]

Breaking News from Rangers Training Camp: Oprah Invited as Guest Coach

"You're a center, and you're a center, and you're a center, and you're a center. You're ALL centers!!!"

This shows that you're not immune to August-type posts. I like.

 

[Edge]

This shows that you're not immune to August-type posts. I like.

Oh, I can hang with the best of them.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I'd prefer if he started out at the wing. I mean the guy hasn't played any games yet. Let's not heap a ton of responsibility on him just yet.

He asked about the future not right now.

Hes played it in the finn league so sure he COULD possibly end up being able to do it.

Most likely hes been a wing for a reason, cant really do center and remains a wing

 

[haveandare]

Could he? Maybe. Should he? Probably not.

I think Chytil at center has a logic to it. Kakko's game is more suited to the wing imo.

 

[Ola]

Short answer: No
Long answer: Nope

Enough with this BS obsession of moving players to center. It didn't work for Chytil, it will not work for Kakko, Kravtsov or any other winger we draft

I agree with you on Kravy, he is a bad fit at center.

Chytil is from my POV a player who has upsides and downsides at both center and winger.

Ziba is a player who also played wing for stretches when he was younger, and wasn’t a super fit at center early and maybe didn’t quite get it before he got here.

I’d take a center over a wing, but not any center. It should be someone that is an expert at getting the puck up i.e. like a Datayuk over a Gaborik if you get what I mean. I am not sure if Kakko would become that type of center.

 

[CasusBelli]

I would be more inclined to say second line RW.

 

[TheGortonConspiracy]

Someone really has to explain to me why Chytil is decidedly not a center but it’s still up in the air if Lias can pan out to be a top 6 forward or not.

Double standards whenever it fits your narrative.

 

[cwede]

based on my admittedly limited exposure, (including seeing very few plays of either passing at full speed)
i think it more likely Krav gets time at C before Kakko as rookies -
later in career, could Kakko move to middle, as Mess did, sure

but right now, even with Chytil a ? at C, we got Zib, Lias, Howden, Boo at least, with Strome also a sometimes C

i think both big rooks on wing is prudent way to begin camp. then its up to Quinny

 

[Edge]

I think there's a tendency, when seeing an all-around offensive player, with playmaking skills, to want to move them over to center.

But playing at center is a bit more nuanced at the NHL level. Consideration also has to be given to a player's style, how/where he creates plays, the role in which he's most dangerous on the ice, defensive responsibilities, etc.

It's why a 6'2, 230 pound Jagr didn't play center despite posting 60-80 assists a season and finishing as the second all-time leader in points.

 

[Anzi]

I wouldn't rule it out completely. Even JD has talked about the possibility of him playing center, comparing him to Pierre-Luc Dubois who was seen as more of a winger than a center but transitioned to center.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

How much of a boost would he give the Rangers build and longterm if he actually turned out to be a #1 C, my God that would be huge

 

[QJL]

My ranking of those best suited for the center position.

Chytil
Andersson
Kravtsov
Kakko

I think he’s the least likely to end up in the middle. Built for RW. Some of the plays I’ve seen him make from that side are crazy.

 

[Edge]

Somewhere between 90-95 percent of the scouts, observers, coaches and commentators who have seen Kakko believe, with confidence, that he's an NHL winger.

I love the kid, but there's something about him that brings out the "outlier" debates around here. Whether it's his rank in the draft, or his position, there's definitely a segment that want him to be our #1 ranked, future franchise center.

 

[Zub]

If the team thinks he has the skills and IQ to play there (which he almost certainly does), I don't see the harm in trying.

Exactly. I think it was the Rangers coach who mentioned that they probably will try him at center and see how it goes.

 

[Zub]

My ranking of those best suited for the center position.

Chytil
Andersson
Kravtsov
Kakko

I think he’s the least likely to end up in the middle. Built for RW. Some of the plays I’ve seen him make from that side are crazy.

For sure. He makes crazy plays anywhere on the ice imo.

 

[AntNYR]

Somewhere between 90-95 percent of the scouts, observers, coaches and commentators who have seen Kakko believe, with confidence, that he's an NHL winger.

I love the kid, but there's something about him that brings out the "outlier" debates around here. Whether it's his rank in the draft, or his position, there's definitely a segment that want him to be our #1 ranked, future franchise center.

I think we all just want someone to take that future franchise center mantle. Chytil and Andersson have failed to take it so far and demand patience many of us fans lack. Kakko has some of the attributes and experience needed, so it's easy to put our hopes on him. And what have to experts ever done for us anyway? aqueducts?

 

[Edge]

I think we all just want someone to take that future franchise center mantle. Chytil and Andersson have failed to take it so far and demand patience many of us fans lack. Kakko has some of the attributes and experience needed, so it's easy to put our hopes on him. And what have to experts ever done for us anyway? aqueducts?

I think there's always a concern that we misplace expectations, or try to force things as a board. Then we spend a great deal of time lamenting that expectations weren't met, rather than appreciating what we do have.

Kakko is arguably the best prospect we've had in at least 30 years. I just hope we can keep perspective on what he is, and not what we want him to be.

 

[True Blue]

Kakko is arguably the best prospect we've had in at least 30 years. I just hope we can keep perspective on what he is, and not what we want him to be.

It also needs to be remembered that the kid will still be 18 years old when February comes around.

 

[LORDE]

Somewhere between 90-95 percent of the scouts, observers, coaches and commentators who have seen Kakko believe, with confidence, that he's an NHL winger.

I love the kid, but there's something about him that brings out the "outlier" debates around here. Whether it's his rank in the draft, or his position, there's definitely a segment that want him to be our #1 ranked, future franchise center.

It reeks of desperation really. Otherwise there's no reason to shoehorn him into that position.

 

[Gardner McKay]

There are a million other places this can be discussed.