will1066
If you score four, you better f'n win the game
- Oct 12, 2008
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Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko
- Thread starter Brooklyn Rangers Fan
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offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
this might be blasphemy, but tell me again why kakko cant play the 2C ?
would that not look delicious ?
panarin mika kravtsov
kreider kakko buchnevich
like very much this top 6
would that not look delicious ?
panarin mika kravtsov
kreider kakko buchnevich
like very much this top 6
Amazing Kreiderman
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2011
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Why waste his talent at center? That makes no sense at all. Why don't we play Trouba at center? Why don't we use Kreider at center? And before we start this whole debate again: Kakko played 4(!) games at center last year out of necessity and he was okay in Liiga. Not anything special. Can we please play him where he is most effective?
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
well now there you go being overreactive.
see, this guy jacob trouba is a defenseman and Christopher Kreider has never played center and doesnt come off as anything close to an NHL center with his skill set.
kappo kakko however..... see he might well be our 2C and wouldn't that make things most excellent.
hes got size, speed, hands, brains and there doesnt seem to me to be any reason why he cant play center. i mean he could and that then slots other guys appropriately.
this is just an hypothetical for discussion. "why waste his talent at center" ?? really....
examining things without knee jerk over reacting is a learned behavior.
Amazing Kreiderman
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2011
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Chris Kreider has played as many meaningful minutes at center as Kakko. That's basically it.
This whole "Kakko at center" has been discussed at length over the summer.
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
i get that
my point is simple.
can KK play the 2C ??
discussion is fun
i think you kick the tires and see if that can happen. would fill a huge gap.
Amazing Kreiderman
Registered User
- Apr 11, 2011
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Well, technically everyone can play center. Some are just better at it than others. I just don't see a reason to put Kakko in that spot. Draft your best prospect ever and then play him out of position? Sounds like something Ottawa would do honestly
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
hes a talent. hes a very high end skill player.
there are many examples of playing both center and wing. it isnt unheard of and it doesnt have to mean the players development or career is highjacked.
its simply putting a high end talent in a high end talent position with a need and seeing if theres a fit. we have a huge hole there and he may well be a player that can prosper in that spot.
it isnt as crazy a thought as you are making it sound but i do agree it would be quite a 180.
MMANumminen
Registered User
Even though Selänne scored ton of goal in Liiga, no one thought he would score 76G on his rookie campaign. I'd say to earn the hype in Finland you have to have success in national team. That's why Barkov was not that much hyped at time even everyone knew he's gonna be elite. I think Saku Koivu was the most hyped finnish player of all time, but to put more recent players in order:
1 Granlund
2 Laine
3 Puljujärvi
4 Kakko
5 Aho
6 Barkov
7 Heiskanen
8 Kontiola
9 Vatanen
10 Teräväinen
Btw I did't forget Rantanen, I dunno why no one cared about him even he was the captain of that winning u-20 team. Aho and co. stole the show completely.
Mildan
Registered User
- Jan 7, 2019
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selänne played with 13 his rookie season before changing to 8. it was decent rookie season so im ok with 13..
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
Kaapo Kakko | FinnProspects.com
2018-12-12 at TPS - Jukurit, Liiga by Miika Arponen
Kakko played his first Liiga game as center, when he was pivoting TPS’ top line. He didn’t look at all out of place in the position. On the contrary he seemed to be involved in the game even more than he normally is on the wing. Kakko recorded one assist on the power play, but could’ve had a couple more with the chances he created for his linemates.
Kakko has progressed nicely during the fall, and is very poised with the puck. His skating is clearly above-average in Liiga level, and he almost never gets outmuscled near the boards or in front of the net.
There is a possibility that Kakko gets a chance to play center in the upcoming World Juniors, which would be very interesting showcase for him before the draft.
I don't see any point in shoehorning him into the center spot if he's better on the wing. Kravtsov also played some center and while he wasn't bad, he obviously wasn't as comfortable with it either and it limited his effectiveness IMO.
If Kakko played center more I'd be for giving it a shot but I also think that trying to force him to play a position he's not really familiar with while he's also trying to acclimate to the NHL is foolish, even if he is a high end talent.
At the very least, I'd start with him on the wing and let any of the other centers they've drafted try to nail down the job, and if it later seems worth a shot then let him try after he has some NHL experience.
We're all ready to declare Chytil/Andersson not NHL centers while we're ready to declare Kakko a NHL center before he's even stepped on the ice...
If Kakko played center more I'd be for giving it a shot but I also think that trying to force him to play a position he's not really familiar with while he's also trying to acclimate to the NHL is foolish, even if he is a high end talent.
At the very least, I'd start with him on the wing and let any of the other centers they've drafted try to nail down the job, and if it later seems worth a shot then let him try after he has some NHL experience.
We're all ready to declare Chytil/Andersson not NHL centers while we're ready to declare Kakko a NHL center before he's even stepped on the ice...
offdacrossbar
misfit fanboy
were really not doing that at all
im sorry LA is not near the talent and filip, although more talented, isnt either really.
what im saying is can he play center not that he must play center
big difference
theres a need.
theres a high end talent who has played that position albeit not alot
when i was a kid, all the best players played C.
kicking the tires seems reasonable
Thirty One
Safe is safe.
- Dec 28, 2003
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From what I saw at the World Championships, I want to see Kakko get a lot better defensively as a wing before they think about adding the defensive responsibilities of a center.
I think this is something you visit down the road...you don't start off playing them out of position (we aren't the mets). let them play where they are most comfortable as NHLers and if a 2C doesn't emerge than you can explore the option. but if they started Chytil who was drafted as a center as a winger, I really don't see them moving wingers to center as rookies.
And I think people also overrate the importance of centers vs wings...you need elite forwards. people focus on centers because more elite forwards are centers than wings. but if we end up with elite wingers and a lesser center that can still work. it worked fine for chicago.
NYRFANMANI
Department of Rempe Safety Management
I'd rather have Chytil or Byfield at C.
Anyhow, a MAJOR reason to not even try Kaapo at C is his ridiculously strong board-play. You can't take that away from him, it's one of his staples. Seems to me at C he'd to a whole lot of stuff and will seldomly be seen around the boards, if so he's out of position.
There is no reason really not to try, but Kaapo's play is just suited indefinitely more better at W than C.
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He said he wants to be the best player in the world and he's not. Therefore he has been a small disappointment?
Kucherov outscored McDavid last season. McDavid was a small disappointment last season?
You said he already has had a great career and he's a small disappointment? I think that's odd analysis.
Just because some thought he would be the best player in the world by the age of 20 and he isn't means that some people erred. That doesn't make Laine any kind of disappointment.
Gluten Free Breadman
Registered User
BobMarleyNYR
Rangers future on D
Irishguy42
Mr. Preachy
The "Kakko can/cannot only play wing" argument is the dumbest argument ever. Dude hasn't played a single NHL game yet. You don't know how he's going at wing or center in the NHL.
Stop it.
His career will not drastically turn sour just because of experimenting at center or wing in his first NHL season.
Stop it.
His career will not drastically turn sour just because of experimenting at center or wing in his first NHL season.
eco's bones
Registered User
Scott was a tough guy. He had a bad run in with Eric Cairns and was forced to retire at 25 because of concussions.
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