Kakko is certainly better than Rantanen was at the age of 18, but if Kakko is as good four years from now as Rantanen was last season, Rangers fans should be really happy.
Prospect Info: Kaapo Kakko, RW, 1st round, 2nd overall, 2019
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Kakko is certainly better than Rantanen was at the age of 18, but if Kakko is as good four years from now as Rantanen was last season, Rangers fans should be really happy.
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We should be happy. We were happy as soon as we won the lottery. We will continue to be happy.
He's proven he can do it against men and elite competition... by himself.
Devils rivalry will be back. Subban to the Devils. The return to Nashville is nothing significant but goes to show us how valuable cap space is.
Greg02
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teravaineSAROS
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That's why I don't get the narrative of Kakko being closer to his prime just because he's bigger.
J'Accuse is already the same size as his dad and big brother Quinn where as Kakko is skinny and a lot smaller than his dad + he's the one who's been developing his game more and closing the gap month by month throughout the year.
Sure Jack could be better due to hockey IQ and skating but I don't buy into the physical prime narrative.
You also have to acknowledge Luostarinen for setting some really nice picks.
I wouldn't say he single-handedly carried Finland in May. Give Marko Anttila, Sakari Manninen, Kevin Lankinen and Mikko Lehtonen some credit. When the going got tough, Mörkö got going.
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BB88
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Kakko is a potential ppg/ppg+ powerforward, Hubs is not.
Kakko straight up bullies grown men, and who's the last prospect with better puck protection than Kakko?
I can't think of any from recent years.
Tawnos
A guy with a bass
Ok, clearly you don’t understand what “looks like” means. I didn’t say Huberdeau was as good. Just that they play similarly with the puck. What they translate it to is different, but I can understand the comparison. It’s totally stylistic though, not potential.
But I find it funny that you say Huberdeau isn’t a PPG player when he literally just scored over a PPG.
BB88
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Due to Barkov Ive watched a ton of Hubs, like him a lot but Kakko is not him.
Hubs doesn't have the strenght of Kakko, or a shot of Kakko or the determination to go through players like Kakko.
He's a playmaker 1st with nice puck protection.
If we're talking about 18-year-olds, I have no answer. But Rantanen's puck protection in 2018-19 looked almost Jagresque. Kakko still has some way to go to reach that level.
Did u not realize that huberdeau put up 92 points this past season? If kakko consistently does that with his style of play wed be over the moon
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Frankly, while highlights can be deceptive (especially if in different contexts), I think Kakko is the more impressive player. I wouldn’t mind Hughes, obviously, but I think Kakko better suits the culture we target.
There is one clear similarity. Puck protection is by far the greatest strength of both Kakko and Rantanen. Kakko's amazing puck protection is based more on his shiftiness, while Rantanen relies more on his size, strength and reach.
Ukkosenjumala
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Wasn't the only time either, Suter had major problems with Kakko that whole game if I recall.
BB88
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Of course I did, but I was commenting on the comparison.
Kakko could be a 92 point powerforward in his prime, Hubs hit 92 and isn't a powerforward.
Great player, but different from Kakko and if they both hit the same number they aren't at the same level as players, because of Kakkos versatility.
Hubs is an elite complimentary player, Kakko hopefully elite driver, a franchise talent.
Well of course as prospects, because we haven't seen Kakko close to his prime.
But I believe if all goes well Kakko beats Rants in puck protection in his prine.
I don't mind at all Kakko ending up in New York.
It's time for New York to see what Finns can develop these days.
Yeah, from not giving Kakko almost any air to not even knowing which league he was playing in to the Huberdeau comparable, it felt like they were doing their best to downplay him. Oh well, he'll let his play do the talking.
Kakko's dad is a freaking giant. Towers over Kakko. I've never bought that Kakko's close to his physical peak.
e: oops looks I managed to triple post.
So what´s next for KK? Training camps etc. When do they start and are you streaming anything of the off season?
Panarin-Zibanejad-Kakko
This is freaking cool!
Lmao
Btw how many sticks will Kakko break on bench next season? Kid is so freaking competiteve and first season in NHL won't be smooth sailing and he is bound to make mistakes etc.
Cant wait to see him play! So pumped
Ukkosenjumala
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With every Rantanen comparison you need to decide whether you compare to what he was when he was drafted or what he is now because his trajectory is so unusual. It might be a bit of lazy comparison but it has truth to it, like modern Rantanen he has excellent puck protection skills and forecheck, although I would say Kakko is perhaps more aggressive in his style compared to Rantanen who despite his bigger body relies more on his stick to do the work for him. Both are similiar skaters in that their strengths lie more in tight spaces with good edgework, balance and fast spurts. Both have great shots, Kakko has a Matthews like wrister and he can tee off a one timer well, just like Rantanen.
Obviously Kakko isn't gonna be as good as Rantanen right away but the fact that we can realisticly compare them when the other one is 18 shows what kind of promise we're talking about here.
Obviously Kakko isn't gonna be as good as Rantanen right away but the fact that we can realisticly compare them when the other one is 18 shows what kind of promise we're talking about here.
I know they're both seriously talented with strenght. I'm willing to be optimistic, for further delevopment since train in the same trainining camp. Also coming from same place, they do have great grasp for how to utilize the strenght. And as I've understood, their summer training will be with the same group. I'm just saying words, but I do think it's great that Koivu's, Ristolainen, Laine, Rantanen and now Kakko will attend the group. I mean have have attended (since Koivus have gone). To be even more physical, and still have something behind the scenes. The trainers sure have made great players, small or big, but as those dudes that are gifter being big, sure will hard to move at the NHL level when they prime.
Even if it's not a "NHL" mold, the training camp has had success. And organizations haven't put an end to it, given approval. Can't wait how raw Kakko's talent is and when he get Rantanen's mans strenght since they both had that early on, Laine is still raw too. Kakko may be so much physical at the end.
Well that's shit ton of empty words. Still, I'm thrilled that Kakko went to the Rangers.
So now I will just stop, before you'll have to read my post as a book. And I hate myself for the several writing mistakes. There are too many. So I will compensate it with... go Rangers!
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There are some similarities in their games, but Rantanen's a lot more "vanilla". Kakko's more flashy, has more of an edge and IMO is clearly more skilled in terms of stickhandling. Better than Laine as a comparable, but still feels a bit forced.
I think Huberdeau was a good comparison stylistically. Kakko looks like he'll be a much better goal scorer, but it's not a bad comp as @Tawnos said as far as how they move and handle in traffic.
Also, Rantanen is great, but Kakko looks like he could score as much without flanking MacKinnon and Landeskog
Also, Rantanen is great, but Kakko looks like he could score as much without flanking MacKinnon and Landeskog
JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK
Twenty f*ckin years
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