Is Kaapo Kakko Kooked or Kan he still live up to what he was billed as?

[Maurice of Orange]

Kaapo Kakko Kaapeli
content on the continent,
constant compliments give him confidence
or a cross of common sense and incompetence
I'm cognizant that conflicts are consequence
Of accomplishments accomplished through competition
If Kon coulda conked him into unconsciousness
Though conscious, I conjure this King Kong and just
Call him Kamikaze, I'm concoctin this.
Thanks Em.

 

[NVious]

He's too kripped up, he needs to change his name and his #Swagger to Baapo Bakko.

#BsUpCsDown

 

[pi314]

He’s no Kaapo Kahkonen.

 

[njdevils1982]

Kaapo Kakko Kaapeli
content on the continent,
constant compliments give him confidence
or a cross of common sense and incompetence
I'm cognizant that conflicts are consequence
Of accomplishments accomplished through competition
If Kon coulda conked him into unconsciousness
Though conscious, I conjure this King Kong and just
Call him Kamikaze, I'm concoctin this.
Thanks Em.

is this a translation of a Kraftwerk song?

 

[Profet]

Someone needs to force him to use a longer stick.


Plenty of NHL players don't have the "necessary" first step.

Sure... But if you don't have it, you can't play the game that Kakko tries to play.

 

[rahad]

As a Rangers fan, I think Kakko becoming anywhere near what he was expected to be is the biggest key to us eventually getting over the last few hurdles and winning the Stanley Cup.

We could use another legit top six winger so bad. Lafreniere last year started to show what he was capable of. He might never become a true superstar, but he’s well on his way to becoming a good first line winger.

Is Kakko capable of that? What does everyone think? I am worried he doesn’t have it in him, but I might be biased against him at this point because he’s frustrated me since we drafted him in 2019.

Rangers biggest problem is Panarin under performing in the playoff. He barely finished one pts above Lafreniere.

2023-24

New York Rangers

NHL

82

49

71

120

24

18

16

5

10

15

Going from almost scoring 50 goals in the regular season to only 5 goals in playoff.... He also played poorly last year.

 

[ICanMotteBelieveIt]

Is he finnish though? No sisu detected.

 

[biturbo19]

He doesn't stand out at all when I watch his team. Seems like a very quiet sort of player. Players like that can be useful, but I really can't see the traits that made him drafted so high.

At least he's better than Andersson and Kravtsov...

Yeah. He seems like a very competent, but passive player. Deferring to others, rather than actually attacking the game the way it looked like he was going to be capable of pre-draft.


Useful, since they tend to stay cheap and always have that little bit of potential extra "headroom" that could come out at a big moment or when depth is called upon to step up. But the assertiveness as a player just doesn't seem to be there...and it's seemingly been continuing to track even worse from there lately.

 

[ijuka]

Sure... But if you don't have it, you can't play the game that Kakko tries to play.

Well yeah, though I think having a stick that reached past his balls would help.

 

[Nemesis Prime]

crappo caca

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Rangers really hit the jackpot with Kakko and Laf

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

He will be an useful player for many years, but it doesn't look like he has the genetics to improve the explosiveness of his first few steps enough to break out as a top 6 player in NHL.

Rangers should just start focusing on developing him into a defensive 3rd line player. Forget the pp and put hin on pk

 

[Fataldogg]

Kaapo Kakko Kaapeli
content on the continent,
constant compliments give him confidence
or a cross of common sense and incompetence
I'm cognizant that conflicts are consequence
Of accomplishments accomplished through competition
If Kon coulda conked him into unconsciousness
Though conscious, I conjure this King Kong and just
Call him Kamikaze, I'm concoctin this.
Thanks Em.

Em went crazy on Fuel.

 

[HockeyWooot]

Why do I get the feeling NYR inevitably drop him, and Florida pick him up as a buy low candidate that thrives over there?

 

[Funkygroove]

NYR should have traded him a long time ago. He will never work out in the rangers but the problem is that if he panned out elsewhere, it would be a bad look for the gm who now "sold low" on him. Intricate situation which seems to be more about protecting a gm's rep than trying to get max value out of him

 

[Reality Czech]

This!
It drives me mad seeing him with his effing tooth pick.
Just look at Zuccarello. His stick is twice his size and he is doing fine.

You spelled Zukkarello wrong

 

[Mulletman]

Kakko has diabetes. You can't be a top guy in the NHL if you have diabetes...

 

[Rodgerwilco]

Kakko has diabetes. You can't be a top guy in the NHL if you have diabetes...

Bobby Clarke must not have gotten the memo.

Never thought I'd see this ableism from you MM.

 

[mccabe2424]

Kakko has diabetes. You can't be a top guy in the NHL if you have diabetes...

I have diabetes I'm scott malkinson

 

[DitchMarner]

Rangers really hit the jackpot with Kakko and Laf

Their rebuild led to the President's Trophy but not in a typical way.

 

[TheDawnOfANewTage]

Koncerned that might be it for his kareer.

Will probably be in the Continental Hockey League within a few years.

Kaapo Kakko Kaapeli
content on the continent,
constant compliments give him confidence
or a cross of common sense and incompetence
I'm cognizant that conflicts are consequence
Of accomplishments accomplished through competition
If Kon coulda conked him into unconsciousness
Though conscious, I conjure this King Kong and just
Call him Kamikaze, I'm concoctin this.
Thanks Em.

A+, the both of ya.

 

[SmoggyTwinkles]

 

[Mobiandi]

Europe-bound within 3 years

 

[Machinehead]

Points no.

Winning player with decent cap Yes.

He had 7th highest +/- last year and played some winning hockey. Players appreciate that even if stat lovers dont.


View attachment 899176

The problem is, not only does Kakko not put up points, his linemates can't either when he's out there.

He has a good influence on a number of underlying numbers, but he's a terrible influence on goals-for over a pretty large sample.

 

[JackSlater]

He won't live up to what he was billed as but I do think he could be a quality top six winger, probably only if he gets traded and the fit is right though.