Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[kelsier]

Not worried. He'll figure it out no matter the line mates. Of course I wouldn't mind seeing him in the 1st PP unit or getting a kick-start by giving him either Zibs or Panarin for a game or two. But it is what it is for the time being. The Rangers and the Jets seem to have the same dilemma of not having proper 2nd line center. There's some youngster that could earn the spots but there's never any telling how long that might take. Then again outplaying Strome shouldn't be too difficult.

 

[True Blue]

I'm not one to set such expectations, 50-60 points seems reasonable, interview with finnish NHL players and the betting sites seem to be support that.

Interviewing Finnish or Russian players, makes no difference. The odds are GREATLY against him getting 60 points. And even money at best for 50. Take a look at how many 18 year olds have done that in the history of the NHL.

Just saying it's an option if things don't develop on the 2nd line. To me wingers are moveable throughout the lineup, plenty of great wingers play on 2nd lines and some even on 3rd lines. You're not moving Zibanejad anywhere obviously so the only moving pieces to get something going is on the wings unless they feel like bumping a center up which doesn't seem likely either.

Everything can be an option. The odds of Panarin playing on the second line away from ZBad are virtually non-existent.

 

[will1066]

Itches scratch themselves for Kaapo Kakko. Because he is the most interesting rookie in the world.

 

[tellermine]

Will get it going.
40 to 50 points and thats just fine.
It is a learning and develoment process and it will take its time.
He looks just fine as he studies NHL, surely better linemates would make him score more but still kid needs to learn rules of the new legue.

 

[Ukkosenjumala]

Interviewing Finnish or Russian players, makes no difference. The odds are GREATLY against him getting 60 points. And even money at best for 50. Take a look at how many 18 year olds have done that in the history of the NHL.

Everything can be an option. The odds of Panarin playing on the second line away from ZBad are virtually non-existent.

Laine got 64 points in 73 games. Eichel got 56 in 81. I consider Kakko to be on par with Laine and Eichel as a prospect and scoring is up in the NHL. I know it isn't all that common but does that really matter? It's still a reasonable suggestion, Finnish NHL pros and the betting sites are predicting 50-60 points, I just brought that up to show it isn't some out of whack prediction. As for the second point, I agree but I don't see why it has to be like that seeing as Zbad is propably fine without Panarin and producing well.

 

[Miamipuck]

First, Breaking up Panarin and Mika right now is kind of dumb. They are a legit elite tandem which the Rangers haven't had in a long long time. Secondly, to do it strictly for KK's sake is an even worse decision. It's 2 games into his NHL career, big f***ing deal he hasn't scored yet. Let him adjust to the NHL at his own pace and get comfortable with the league, his surroundings, linemates etc. It's quite a bit for anyone to process, let alone an 18 year old kid.

More than likely, there will be some kind of impetus to put KK on the first PP unit and get some time with Panarin and Mika. 82 games is a long long grind for any player. He will improve and adjust, his talent is such that, it's going to happen, sooner rather than later. Also, don't discount the fact the schedule maker did no favors to us as posters when had a stroke as he got to the Rangers. So it's kind of like an addendum to training camp, which I hope will help #24 get more acclimated.

As for 40-50-60+ points, who cares, if he has 25 points going into the last 10 or 15 games but is starting to control the game and impose his will, who gives a crap how he got to that point. Lets see the end result before we fuss over the amount of points in his rookie season. This is a marathon not a sprint and the amount of points he has in his rookie season playing without a legit center doesn't really matter at this point.

 

[Kaapo Bustfreniere]

What an effect can a couple of days without a game have on an online forum. What a wonder to behold...

Half the people writing Kakko off based on a sample of two games, backed up by meaningful rookie scoring leaders statistics, also based on a breathtaking sample of two games.

The other half playing the role of Captain Obvious and assuring it is still early to be worried about anything, which should not have to be emphasized at all in the first place, because it is after all so glaringly obvious.

I think everyone should take a deep breath, relax and wait for Saturday's game. This is insane

 

[Miamipuck]

What an effect can a couple of days without a game have on an online forum. What a wonder to behold...

Half the people writing Kakko off based on a sample of two games, backed up by meaningful rookie scoring leaders statistics, also based on a breathtaking sample of two games.

The other half playing the role of Captain Obvious and assuring it is still early to be worried about anything, which should not have to be emphasized at all in the first place, because it is after all so glaringly obvious.

I think everyone should take a deep breath, relax and wait for Saturday's game. This is insane

Thank the f***ing lord you're here to set us straight!

 

[chosen]

Half the people writing Kakko off based on a sample of two games....

Has anyone here written him off, let alone half the people?

 

[EdJovanovski]

There’s a chance Kakko & Hughes will be battling to see who gets their first NHL goal next Thursday

 

[Kaapo Bustfreniere]

I was obviously joking for the most part. But I really find it funny that some people here are at all unsettled at this point, even posting how many points the other rookies have already.

 

[Miamipuck]

I was obviously joking for the most part. But I really find it funny that some people here are at all unsettled at this point, even posting how many points the other rookies have already.

Well the fact that the highest pick the Rangers have had in 50 years has no points is indeed something to worry about, as is will there be any Gatoraide at the Rangers morning skate or do they have enough towels in the locker room. You know, legit stuff to worry about at this point of the season.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Can we play a game so Kaps can score his first before Hughes please?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Can we play a game so Kaps can score his first before Hughes please?

They both play on Saturday. Kakko at 1:00 PM. Not sure about Hughes.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Kakko will be fine, he is adjusting to the american game, its gonna take some time.

 

[True Blue]

Laine got 64 points in 73 games. Eichel got 56 in 81. I consider Kakko to be on par with Laine and Eichel as a prospect and scoring is up in the NHL. I know it isn't all that common but does that really matter?

Of course it matters. And to say it is not common is a bit of an understatement. There have been 200 18 year olds that tallied points in the NHL at the age of 18. Your comparison just put him into the top 15 of all time. That does not speak volumes of the likelihood that such things occur. Heck, Rick Nash scored 39. Do you think that Kakko is already every bit the player that Nash was? Or Patrice Bergeron?

This is exactly what I am talking about as having completely unrealistic expectations and then deeming the season a "disappointment" when it is not achieved.

It's still a reasonable suggestion, Finnish NHL pros and the betting sites are predicting 50-60 points, I just brought that up to show it isn't some out of whack prediction.

First of all, what do Finnish NHL pros have anything to do with it? Are they better at predicting play than Russian ones or Swedish ones? Second of all, yes, if you look at it from a historical perspective, it is very much out of whack.

As for the second point, I agree but I don't see why it has to be like that seeing as Zbad is propably fine without Panarin and producing well.

1. ZBad was a borderline elite center prior to the season starting.
2. The Rangers just brought in an elite top line wing.
3. There is ZERO chance that said elite top line wing gets demoted to the second line.

 

[True Blue]

Thank the ****ing lord you're here to set us straight!

Yeah, I was worried for a while. Now I feel better about Kakko not being a bust.

 

[SA16]

I think we are overrating this Panarin/Zibanejad combo quite a lot so far. Zibanejad has 8 points. 3 of them were at 5v5. That's obviously good in two games but it's not something ridiculous. It doesn't mean much in two games but together they have a 43 CF%, 16 shots, and are shooting 25%. I absolutely would break them up (never wanted them together) and have a strong first line (Kreider Zibanejad Buch worked fine last year) and then you have Panarin be the key driver on the "2nd" (really 1A) line since that line lacks a center. Having them together is overkill that harms the rest of the roster.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Would I be surprised if Kakko hits 50? No. Should it be the expectation? Not at all

 

[NYRFANMANI]

I'm chillin'. It's obvious this team has no offensive talent on forward whatsoever, except our first line (and Kakko) ofc.

Kreider nor Strom can generate shit for Kaapo. He's gonna be stuck until we have that 2nd playmaking center.

 

[aufheben]

I think we are overrating this Panarin/Zibanejad combo quite a lot so far. Zibanejad has 8 points. 3 of them were at 5v5. That's obviously good in two games but it's not something ridiculous. It doesn't mean much in two games but together they have a 43 CF%, 16 shots, and are shooting 25%. I absolutely would break them up (never wanted them together) and have a strong first line (Kreider Zibanejad Buch worked fine last year) and then you have Panarin be the key driver on the "2nd" (really 1A) line since that line lacks a center. Having them together is overkill that harms the rest of the roster.

I’m still absolutely willing to try this. Idk how willing Quinn is though. Panarin is only playing 18:33, there’s no reason they couldn’t maintain that. The only thing that’d really change for Panarin is slightly easier competition. Kane and Toews for instance have played on separate lines many times. IIRC Kane was playing with Brad Richards during 2014-15. Crosby and Malkin, etc.

 

[offdacrossbar]

was waiting to see how long it took for someone to slam strome for kakkos lack of scoring.

its only 2 games so the cares at this point but let this drag out another week or so and the cries for stromes head on a stick will be an absolute.

the fact that hes 18 and playing in the best league in the world in a smaller rink in a different country has less to do with it than strome being terrible.

and kreider hasnt scored either so thats of course stromes fault too. uh huh.

i think the answer to get kakko going is to switch him with buchnevich and/or separate panarin and mika.

you put kakko with mika and he gets going. same for CK.

you put panarin with strome and panarin keeps going.

ck/mika/kakko
panarin/strome/buch

makes for better balance

 

[True Blue]

Kreider nor Strom can generate **** for Kaapo. He's gonna be stuck until we have that 2nd playmaking center.

If he can only produce with a playmaker, then he probably should not have been taken 2nd overall.

 

[True Blue]

ck/mika/kakko
panarin/strome/buch

makes for better balance

I do not think that the first thing that Quinn or Gorton are thinking of is how to spread the scoring around.

Gorton DID NOT sign Panarin to play on the second line or be centered by Strome. ZBad and Panarin played over 20 minutes last tame. Then came Buch at around 17. Then Ryan Strome logged 16 minutes. There is absolutely no chance that Panarin is not playing the same time as ZBad and there is very little chance that ZBad's time gets reduced as he plays in all situations and against the other teams' top lines on many nights.

I could be wrong and am a lot, but I think that Panarin rides shotgun to ZBad for most if not all of the year.

 

[aufheben]

I do not think that the first thing that Quinn or Gorton are thinking of is how to spread the scoring around.

Gorton DID NOT sign Panarin to play on the second line or be centered by Strome. ZBad and Panarin played over 20 minutes last tame. Then came Buch at around 17. Then Ryan Strome logged 16 minutes. There is absolutely no chance that Panarin is not playing the same time as ZBad and there is very little chance that ZBad's time gets reduced as he plays in all situations and against the other teams' top lines on many nights.

I could be wrong and am a lot, but I think that Panarin rides shotgun to ZBad for most if not all of the year.

It’s certainly possible Quinn sees it this way too.

If he can only produce with a playmaker, then he probably should not have been taken 2nd overall.

Well we’re talking about his rookie season, not when he’s a sophomore or veteran. Doesn’t it make you a little curious to see how he’d do right now playing with Panarin?