Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko: Part V

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Also could care less about his shoulders, work those legs & ass baby.

“I like what I see. Great size. Looks thick, solid, tight.”

We'll have a Kakko fanfic thread before xmas at this pace. "As Coach Gerard was about to blow his whistle to end the drill, he saw Kaapo's solid shapes and thicc cheeks. He thought: 'this guy is going to be outstanding...' "

 

[JCProdigy]

As I've posted before.

How some of you view Fat Kakko:

The REALITY of Fat Kakko:

This season, he's going for the head.

 

[will1066]

I have to admit I'm a bit concerned he's a bit too big honestly...

Mods, pls ban.

 

[will1066]

We'll have a Kakko fanfic thread before xmas at this pace. "As Coach Gerard was about to blow his whistle to end the drill, he saw Kaapo's solid shapes and thicc cheeks. He thought: 'this guy is going to be outstanding...' "

David Quinn just happened to be in the NY metropolitan area, wrapping up a photo shoot with a rambunctious litter of calico and black-and-white kittens for his planned America's Cutest Kittens 2022 calendar. The Beantown native, out of work as a hockey coach, had finally decided to act upon his childhood dream of being a world-famous cat photographer. Exhausted and famished by a whole day of wrangling uncooperative kittens, he got in his car and planned to head back to Boston when a text from an unknown caller popped up on his phone. "Urgent. One of your ex-players needs your help right away. Go to training center."

Who could it be, Quinn thought. He was tired, but curiosity got the better of him. If traffic cooperates, he could reach Tarrytown in an hour, he pondered. The drive to Tarrytown was uneventful. Quinn arrived at the MSG Training Center parking lot. It was more dimly lit than usual, he noticed. Walking up to the front door, a surge of anticipation rushed through his body, and with some surprise, he cracked the door open. "Hmmm, this door's usually locked," he thought. The training center inside was pitch black.

Quinn fumbled about and managed to reach rinkside purely by the memory of his almost three years of time spent at the facility. Suddenly, the overhead lights popped on. The instantaneous brightness, coupled with that unmistakable 60-Hz electrical hum, pierced both Quinn's eyes and ears like daggers. Shielding his eyes from the glare, Quinn could see the outline of someone familiar in the short distance. But who would have lured him here afterhours? There didn't seem to be anyone in trouble. "Hi, coach." Quinn immediately recognized the voice, its inflection, the mellow but stern intonation. "Kaapo?" Quinn whimpered. "Yes."

Kakko appeared from the shadows. He was dressed in full Rangers regalia, from his blue Benjamin Moore-emblazoned home-game helmet to his Blueshirt, with "24" gracefully adorned high on the upper parts of the sleeves, all the way down to his skates. Hanging by laces clutched in his left hand were a pair of skates. "Put these on," Kakko commanded. Kakko looked massive. Every inch of his six-foot-five frame pushed his uniform outward to its threaded limits. "He must be 230... 235, easy," Quinn muttered to himself. Even Kakko's voice seemed to ring an octave lower. "What do you want, Kaapo?"

After Quinn put on his skates, Kakko escorted him out onto the ice. "Let's practice." Without pads, without a stick, without even a coach's whistle, the former bench boss suddenly felt very vulnerable. Between trying to race back to the side boards and doing what Kakko barked out, he opted for the latter. There was no way he was going to outrace this thoroughbred to safety.

Kakko instructed Quinn to skate a lap, upon which the ex-coach did. "Too slow. Do it again." Nervous, and severely out of breath after having not even encountered a sheet of ice over the past five months, Quinn went once more. 201 by 86, owing to a long-time idiosyncrasy in the training rink's dimensions. "Again." 201 by 86, once more. "No. Again."

By now, mild nervousness had escalated to terror only to be overtaken by sheer panic. "Why are you doing this to me?" the Bostonian dared to question. "Is it because I limited your minutes? Because I liked Colin more? I was doing what I thought was right."

Kakko was utterly silent. He instead just pointed to the bench, his finger the size of a kielbasa. Quinn skated over. "You want me to climb over the wall and sit on the bench?" Kakko nodded. Then, he pointed his meaty index finger back onto the ice. "You want me to hop back on?" Kakko again just nodded, somewhat displeased. His face contorted. Those blue eyes pierced into and through those equally green, jeweled orbs of Quinn.

Quinn immediately recalled the first Ghostbusters movie, when the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man's bubbly smile turned into a livid frown that seemingly came out of the deepest and darkest depths of Gozer's hell. This Kakko was no longer that laid-back take-his-lumps kid he once knew. It was consumed by this unrecognizable man-monster, full of unbridled rage toward his former coach.

"TOO MANY MEN!" The scream reverberated out, bouncing off the walls and ceiling of the empty training facility like an unrequited banshee. "TOO MANY MEN!" "But it's just me and you, man!" Quinn pleaded. "TOO MANY MEN!" It was the sort of psychological onslaught not seen since Starfleet captain Jean-Luc Picard was broken down by his Cardassian captor into saying that he saw five lights when there were just four. "TOO MANY MEEEEEENNNNNNN!!!!!" "I can't do this, man! Please, let me go!"

Then, Kakko disappeared, just as quickly as he had materialized. Now it was pitch black again. Quinn could feel his pupils dilate. Slowly, the familiar Boston University knick knacks that adorned his living room walls appeared from the ether. Quinn sighed, bathed in his own perspiration. "It was just a dream. A bad dream."

 

[Circus86]

There is an article about Kakko in the Finnish media Helsingin Sanomat:

https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000008294463.html

Basically says what we know that Kakko has worked hard and gained 7 pounds of muscle during off-season.

He also says that he needs to push to the goal more often and create chances in front of the net.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

There is an article about Kakko in the Finnish media Helsingin Sanomat:

https://www.hs.fi/urheilu/art-2000008294463.html

Basically says what we know that Kakko has worked hard and gained 7 pounds of muscle during off-season.

He also says that he needs to push to the goal more often and create chances in front of the net.

That article is basically a translation from this:

Rangers' Kaapo Kakko adds muscle in hopes of breaking out

It's interesting to me that they want Kaapo, who's a pure skill player, to become a goal front grinder. Well, maybe he'll be successful in that role...who knows.

 

[LOFIN]

That article is basically a translation from this:

Rangers' Kaapo Kakko adds muscle in hopes of breaking out

It's interesting to me that they want Kaapo, who's a pure skill player, to become a goal front grinder. Well, maybe he'll be successful in that role...who knows.

This is why I don't like him with Panarin AND Strome... I have a a feeling that Kakko ends up being the third player in that line when in fact it should be Strome (and eventually Chytil). But we'll see how it starts.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

That article is basically a translation from this:

Rangers' Kaapo Kakko adds muscle in hopes of breaking out

It's interesting to me that they want Kaapo, who's a pure skill player, to become a goal front grinder. Well, maybe he'll be successful in that role...who knows.

Doesn't hurt to add that dimension to his game. In Liiga he was basically inseparable from the puck due to his combination of puckhandling, size, balance and edgework, but he needs extra strength to do it against NHL players. Hopefully this doesn't affect his mobility negatively.

 

[Kiekura]

That article is basically a translation from this:

Rangers' Kaapo Kakko adds muscle in hopes of breaking out

It's interesting to me that they want Kaapo, who's a pure skill player, to become a goal front grinder. Well, maybe he'll be successful in that role...who knows.

I dont think they ment that. What they want is Kakko to still hold puck and use his skills to dangle etc, but they also want him to use that massive body and go front of goal. Just one aspect more to his game and to streamline his play.

 

[Kocur Dill]

I dont think they ment that. What they want is Kakko to still hold puck and use his skills to dangle etc, but they also want him to use that massive body and go front of goal. Just one aspect more to his game and to streamline his play.

That goal last season him and Laf connected on where Kakko crashed the net and tick tacked around the fallen goalie was legit fire.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I think Mollie and the media in general is kinda twisting the story with Kakko and his offseason.

Everyone sees that he come into camp bigger and stronger and they immediately think he purposely put on weight in the gym to change the game that got him drafted at #2.

1. You naturally put on weight at his age if you are in the gym, not to mention his genetics (look at his father, who is a big dude). He likely wouldve gained weight without being in the gym, naturally. Even is he spent the whole summer on the rink working on his shot. Hes 20 years old and is growing into his frame as a man.

2. Kakko is still learning the english language and he has trouble articulating his thoughts. In his media availability they were leading him with questions, like 'why did you get bigger?", "why do you think you needed to add weight?". They are coming in with a preconceived notion about Kakko's training methods, when they may not be correct. And Kakko takes it as an opportunity to just go with conversation, to get the interview over with. Again, he's 20 years old.

3. Mollie and others never dug up any of the tidbits we already know - he's worked out with Ratanen, who's also made himself stronger but hasn't necessarily changed his game. It's just something you need to do at a young age. To me, working with Ratanen and having him as a big brother type is the real story surrounding Kakko this offseason.

4. Nothing was mentioned about the steps and conditioning drills he did while he was in Finland. If that was the only thing they knew about his offseason, the questions would be "why do you think you needed to increase your foot speed?"

Yes, there is truth about him wanting to get inside checks and drive to the net more, no doubt. Getting stronger allows you to do a lot of things, including a more explosive first step. That alone will help him separate from defenders coming off the wall where he dominates and get to the middle of the ice quicker, allowing him clearer lanes to shoot.

As it relates to his line - we will see how it works out. The issue to me is who will have the puck? Panarin is a transporter. Hell get the puck in the zone. On rushes Strome or Kakko can be found off passes from him. Once that line is established in the zone, Kakko can possess the puck and do his thing. That may leave Panarin on an island and not use him as effectively.

Thats my worry with this combination. That there isnt enough possession time for both of them. Everyone immediately thinks Kakko has to turn into a Fast to be effective on that line. Kakko needs to be Kakko no matter what line he plays on. He may have the best two-way game on the team as a junior and thats saying something, but he is not Fast.

But im up for giving it a try, if it means he will get top minutes. Kakko deserves that. And if Panarin (and his own development) can get him going on the scoring sheet I think his game will take off. He is a reward=confidence driven player. If he gets hot and strings together a goal scoring streak he will take off and be the player we saw in TPS. I have no doubt about it

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Everyone is focusing on Kakko's weight thinking he's bulking up, he's just becoming more powerful and it will translate into him being harder to knock off the puck, harder to contain, and faster. I'm actually really excited to see him play tonight

 

[EdJovanovski]

Everyone is focusing on Kakko's weight thinking he's bulking up, he's just becoming more powerful and it will translate into him being harder to knock off the puck, harder to contain, and faster. I'm actually really excited to see him play tonight

I don’t know about faster lol
But yea he’s definitely the player I’m most interested to see play

 

[bhamill]

Everyone is focusing on Kakko's weight thinking he's bulking up, he's just becoming more powerful and it will translate into him being harder to knock off the puck, harder to contain, and faster. I'm actually really excited to see him play tonight

Yeah I find it weird that people are obsessing over him getting all the way to 205 as a 6'3" player... It's not like he bulked up to 235... or even 215.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I don’t know about faster lol
But yea he’s definitely the player I’m most interested to see play

I think he will be faster. Not blazing speed of course, but stronger legs and explosive training will yield a quicker first step.

 

[Kiekura]

Everyone is focusing on Kakko's weight thinking he's bulking up, he's just becoming more powerful and it will translate into him being harder to knock off the puck, harder to contain, and faster. I'm actually really excited to see him play tonight

Is that game streamed somewhere? What Time is it.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Is that game streamed somewhere? What Time is it.

I watch it on nhl gamecenter, 8pm atlantic time.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Gallant repeatedly said that he wants every player on the team to play a complete game. I don't think he'll expecting Kakko to park himself in the crease when playing with Panarin.

I don't know what that line will look like, but if I have skepticism about it, it's more to do with Strome than with Panarin-Kakko. Kakko was supremely improved defensively last season. Putting him with players who thrive on the rush and on entries could be great, since the plays he makes at the half wall in our zone or at the near blue line could lead to a very good transition game for the trio.

In the O-zone, Panarin was really lazy last year. Strome too. To my eyes, Kakko's got a really similar skillset to Patrik Kane and Panarin and Kane made magic together. I think as long as Kakko is confident and strong enough to play his game, Panarin won't have trouble reading off him and the three of them could own the puck.

 

[Kiekura]

I watch it on nhl gamecenter, 8pm atlantic time.

Thanks mate

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Is that game streamed somewhere? What Time is it.

2 AM for you.

 

[LOFIN]

I don't know what that line will look like, but if I have skepticism about it, it's more to do with Strome than with Panarin-Kakko.

Oh absolutely. The most sensible thing would be to swap Chytil and Strome IMO. I can't see Strome being here for long term, and if we want to see if Chytil can really elevate his game to the next level, elevate his linemates as well (nothing against Kravtsov and Goodrow here). In the end, one of the biggest issues here is that Panarin and Strome view themselves as the duo in that line. In reality, we have so much skill on the wings that a defensively minded hard working center should be the way to go, and Chytil could be that.

My pessimism about Kakko in that line is the fear that Strome and Panarin (and maybe the coach as well, Quinn for sure) want the right winger in that line to be the defensive minded hard working guy who only wins the puck battles and then passes the pack to Strome and Panarin so they can do their thing. While Kakko sure can and should battle for the puck, he has a great skill set to be a playmaker. Strome should be the guy goes for the rebounds when Kakko and Panarin pass around and shoot the puck.

Then again, if that line scores points every night I don't think anyone cares how they do it.

 

[TheDirtyH]

My pessimism about Kakko in that line is the fear that Strome and Panarin (and maybe the coach as well, Quinn for sure) want the right winger in that line to be the defensive minded hard working guy who only wins the puck battles and then passes the pack to Strome and Panarin so they can do their thing. While Kakko sure can and should battle for the puck, he has a great skill set to be a playmaker. Strome should be the guy goes for the rebounds when Kakko and Panarin pass around and shoot the puck.

Then again, if that line scores points every night I don't think anyone cares how they do it.

I guess I just believe Kakko is way too talented to be pigeon-holed like that. In Finland, Kakko was a bull. He willingly went to the crease and the corners all the time. And I do think he'll continue to do that. But I don't think he'll be forced to do only that; I don't think he can be.

It's like this every offseason, with every team. We imagine that each guy on each line will do their one or two things, and you have to mix and match what those things are. Hockey in reality is always dynamic, unpredictable, and guys will find themselves in different situations every shift.

 

[Levitate]

That article is basically a translation from this:

Rangers' Kaapo Kakko adds muscle in hopes of breaking out

It's interesting to me that they want Kaapo, who's a pure skill player, to become a goal front grinder. Well, maybe he'll be successful in that role...who knows.

I don't think that's really accurate...the thing is the best goal scorers in the NHL still almost all score from right in front of the net. The guys who score by blasting shots from the circles are very few. Being a skill player with great hands is still a huge benefit when trying to score goals in front of the net. Kakko's never going to be a big goal scorer in the NHL if he tries to rely on his shot from the circles or something.

 

[huerter]

Listening to Coach Ron Rivera this morning talking about Chase and it's really a close parallel to KK. Got a little bit cised. They both have had the physical traits to dominate at prior levels but now it's about adding to the toolbox.

 

[New York RKY]

Kaapo probably on his 4th helping of taco Tuesday rn.