Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[duhmetreE]

Asking Kakko to even be on the second line is already a big responsibility. He's a kid.

2C is an issue, but the expectations for Kakko should really be tempered. That's great that he has experience playing in a men's league but the NHL is a completely different animal. This season is going to be a learning process.

Ehhh I disagree. Being a kid is a problem when it comes to being a professional and dealing with adversity. He played in a Mens League but he also dominated against the worlds best in international tournaments.

I dont understand the logic? Kakko has more pressure/responsibility with being the driver/main focus on the 2nd line; Kakko playing with Panarin and Zibs would be putting him in a better situation to succeed in every aspect. IMO Buch also played his best when he was with Lemieux and Lias, where he was 100% engaged.. Hitting, scrapping, fighting and scoring.

Panarin Zibs Kakko
Kreider Strome Chytil/Kravtsov
Lemiuex Lias Buch
Names Howden Fast

That's whatd I like to see eventually.

That's probably the most talented top line the NYR have ever put together; as far as I can remember.

 

[Machinehead]

He's a kid but I'll be a little disappointed if he doesn't hit .5 PPG at least. He's that kind of prospect.

 

[LokiDog]

Ehhh I disagree. Being a kid is a problem when it comes to being a professional and dealing with adversity. He played in a Mens League but he also dominated against the worlds best in international tournaments.

I dont understand the logic? Kakko has more pressure/responsibility with being the driver/main focus on the 2nd line; Kakko playing with Panarin and Zibs would be putting him in a better situation to succeed in every aspect. IMO Buch also played his best when he was with Lemieux and Lias, where he was 100% engaged.. Hitting, scrapping, fighting and scoring.

Panarin Zibs Kakko
Kreider Strome Chytil/Kravtsov
Lemiuex Lias Buch
Names Howden Fast

That's whatd I like to see eventually.

That's probably the most talented top line the NYR have ever put together; as far as I can remember.

I kind of agree. Plenty of 1/2 overall immediately can jump into a top six role and letting Kaako play with talent is much better for him. I don’t see a fit with Strome and Kreider, and frankly don’t expect Strome to be that good this year.

 

[CasusBelli]

Ehhh I disagree. Being a kid is a problem when it comes to being a professional and dealing with adversity. He played in a Mens League but he also dominated against the worlds best in international tournaments.

I dont understand the logic? Kakko has more pressure/responsibility with being the driver/main focus on the 2nd line; Kakko playing with Panarin and Zibs would be putting him in a better situation to succeed in every aspect. IMO Buch also played his best when he was with Lemieux and Lias, where he was 100% engaged.. Hitting, scrapping, fighting and scoring.

Panarin Zibs Kakko
Kreider Strome Chytil/Kravtsov
Lemiuex Lias Buch
Names Howden Fast

That's whatd I like to see eventually.

That's probably the most talented top line the NYR have ever put together; as far as I can remember.

Really like those lines. Good stuff!

 

[CasusBelli]

He's a kid but I'll be a little disappointed if he doesn't hit .5 PPG at least. He's that kind of prospect.

Highly touted 2OA forward with less than 0.5PPG is a heavy disappointment. I was hoping for 60 points but think 50 is more realistic.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Highly touted 2OA forward with less than 0.5PPG is a heavy disappointment. I was hoping for 60 points but think 50 is more realistic.

Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog are the only 2OA’s to score over .5PPG as 18 year olds in the past 10 years. Svechnikov probably could’ve too, but Carolina kept him in a limited role for most of the year

 

[aufheben]

Ehhh I disagree. Being a kid is a problem when it comes to being a professional and dealing with adversity. He played in a Mens League but he also dominated against the worlds best in international tournaments.

I dont understand the logic? Kakko has more pressure/responsibility with being the driver/main focus on the 2nd line; Kakko playing with Panarin and Zibs would be putting him in a better situation to succeed in every aspect. IMO Buch also played his best when he was with Lemieux and Lias, where he was 100% engaged.. Hitting, scrapping, fighting and scoring.

Panarin Zibs Kakko
Kreider Strome Chytil/Kravtsov
Lemiuex Lias Buch
Names Howden Fast

That's whatd I like to see eventually.

That's probably the most talented top line the NYR have ever put together; as far as I can remember.

My points were really about 1) not playing him at center, and 2) keeping expectations low (which there is no harm in). It's not like the less hype there is the less points he'll score lol.

I think the more important matter right now is getting him on the #1 PP unit.

 

[Doctyl]

Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog are the only 2OA’s to score over .5PPG as 18 year olds in the past 10 years. Svechnikov probably could’ve too, but Carolina kept him in a limited role for most of the year

I mean yea...that’s the expectation for him. He should absolutely be compared to those players.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I mean yea...that’s the expectation for him. He should absolutely be compared to those players.

Barkov, who I think was a better prospect, scored like 24 in 50 something games, then like 36 in 71. And Seguin had like 20 something in 70 something games. I expect Kakko to be around 40ish points, and I won’t be disappointed about. If he’s going to put up 50+ like Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog, he’s probably going to need to be put on the first powerplay unit or get a real center on his line

 

[aufheben]

Barkov, who I think was a better prospect, scored like 24 in 50 something games, then like 36 in 71. And Seguin had like 20 something in 70 something games. I expect Kakko to be around 40ish points, and I won’t be disappointed about. If he’s going to put up 50+ like Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog, he’s probably going to need to be put on the first powerplay unit or get a real center on his line

If I could choose between 40-45 points and the mystery box I'm taking the 40-45.

 

[Doctyl]

Barkov, who I think was a better prospect, scored like 24 in 50 something games, then like 36 in 71. And Seguin had like 20 something in 70 something games. I expect Kakko to be around 40ish points, and I won’t be disappointed about. If he’s going to put up 50+ like Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog, he’s probably going to need to be put on the first powerplay unit or get a real center on his line

He out produced Laine in the Finnish league. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable expectation to put on Kakko. .5 ppg over 82 would be in that 40ish range. 50 would be great for him

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

If I could choose between 40-45 points and the mystery box I'm taking the 40-45.

Me too, and that would be a great season for him

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

He out produced Laine in the Finnish league. I don’t think it’s an unreasonable expectation to put on Kakko.

And Laine was on a better NHL team that was in a better position to support him

 

[CasusBelli]

Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog are the only 2OA’s to score over .5PPG as 18 year olds in the past 10 years. Svechnikov probably could’ve too, but Carolina kept him in a limited role for most of the year

Sincere question: does being 18 years old matter that much when the player in question has been successfully competing against men for some time? It’s not like he’s going from juniors to the big leagues overnight.

 

[CasusBelli]

If I could choose between 40-45 points and the mystery box I'm taking the 40-45.

40-45 points is 40-45 points, but a mystery box could be anything! It could even be 40-45 points! You know how badly we’ve wanted a rookie who can score those!

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Sincere question: does being 18 years old matter that much when the player in question has been successfully competing against men for some time? It’s not like he’s going from juniors to the big leagues overnight.

Well, yes because the only one who played against men and scored that much was Laine, who did score less than Kakko in Liiga, but Barkov scored more in Liiga than Kakko and scored 24 points in 54 games in his 18 year old season. And while playing against men in a professional league is all well and good, Liiga isn't the NHL in a lot of ways

E: the larger point I'm trying to make here is you can ask for the world from Kakko if you want, but he's not a lesser player if you don't end up getting what you asked for

 

[Anzi]

Vegas set the line for Kakko at 55.5 points (Hughes was at 65.5 points for comparison). I would be thrilled with that sort of production in his first year. 40-45 points would be satisfactory but its not exactly setting the bar high.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

They should at least give him a better chance to succeed. Playing with Strome is not going to do that in the slightest

 

[Machinehead]

Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog are the only 2OA’s to score over .5PPG as 18 year olds in the past 10 years. Svechnikov probably could’ve too, but Carolina kept him in a limited role for most of the year

I'm expecting Kakko to be as good as all of those guys.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I'm expecting Kakko to be as good as all of those guys.

That’s fine, but there’s nothing to be disappointed over if he doesn’t put up 50+ points this year

 

[bondra]

I would never compare Kakko to Laine. There is huge difference, Kakko can drive his own line in future, Laine will not. And that is the most important thing

I haven't seen a Finnish player like him when speaking about playing style. Barkov comes close but Kakko is stronger and better offensively. I get very strong Forsberg vibes from Kakko.

Without major injuries he will be such a beast in this league.

 

[Ukkosenjumala]

Brace yourself for a long year of Finns opining on a hockey team they mostly know nothing about

It'll be like Zucc's Norwegians but worse

Well you sure proved them wrong with your arguments....oh wait.

 

[Ukkosenjumala]

Barkov, who I think was a better prospect, scored like 24 in 50 something games, then like 36 in 71. And Seguin had like 20 something in 70 something games. I expect Kakko to be around 40ish points, and I won’t be disappointed about. If he’s going to put up 50+ like Eichel, Laine, and Landeskog, he’s probably going to need to be put on the first powerplay unit or get a real center on his line

Barkov was a bit different tho, he's said as much that he focused purely on defense in his first years. Scoring is up tho from those days, even other finnish NHL players predicted Kakko to score around 55-60 points, including Barkov himself. Goes in line with the betting odds I guess, he's gonna need 1st PP time for that to happen tho I agree.

 

[JohnC]

If you disagree with something, take it up with the invidual. We finns have a variety of opinions and takes and I don't like to be lumped in as if we're the ****ing borg.

I don’t care about your feelings.

 

[Ukkosenjumala]

I don’t care about your feelings.

Well aren't you a tough guy It's not about feelings, it's about displaying some kind of rationality, "Hey you're a finn" is not an argument but if that's what you're about then you do you.