Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[QJL]

Kakko simply needs to play with more tenacity, start making mistakes, and learn his limits. He should be taking the puck to the net with much more frequency. He is playing a perimeter game and it’s stifling his skill set.

 

[007]

Kakko simply needs to play with more tenacity, start making mistakes, and learn his limits. He should be taking the puck to the net with much more frequency. He is playing a perimeter game and it’s stifling his skill set.

This is great advice.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

This is great advice.

Its a well known fact the fastest way to succeed is to start making mistakes. If that doesn't work taking the blades out of your tuuks will definitely work.

 

[The New Russian Five]

Kakko simply needs to play with more tenacity, start making mistakes, and learn his limits. He should be taking the puck to the net with much more frequency. He is playing a perimeter game and it’s stifling his skill set.

You have to wonder if David Quinn's make no mistakes or be benched philosophy has completely neutered the kid and now his instinct to not take risks is just a behavioral norm from that. So frustrating what Quinn did to our young forwards.

 

[CLW]

You have to wonder if David Quinn's make no mistakes or be benched philosophy has completely neutered the kid and now his instinct to not take risks is just a behavioral norm from that. So frustrating what Quinn did to our young forwards.

It doesn't help that he was moved to the match up line. Now he is *only* looking to set up Zib and Kreider. He also refuses to break ranks and try extra curricular creative stuff with the puck, being a good trooper and no doubt "held into account by the vets". He takes up defensive positions very early as are the other guys on his line, but as with the team overall the line's transition game just isn't there as it should be. The line doesn't stink, it held it's own in the Vegas game eg, but it isn't oozing chemistry either.

I'm telling myself that all this is part of "the process", as Kreider always talks about, for a young player to grow into the league. I'd like to see Laf instead of Kreider, for offensive reasons (Laf would be much better for the puck movement on the line) , but that doesn't work on the matchup line as K is more solid defensively.

I would move him back with Panarin and Strome, tell them to start to work hard again like after the previous West coast run (and try Chytil at RW with Kreider and Zib). If he stays on the matchup line I'd like to see him move his edges and feet constantly and take shots or even throw pucks on net just for effect and rebounds now and then. Also anticipate and take a chance occasionally instead of being reactive to what is happening - just to speed his game up. Right now it feels as if he is just playing to instructions and to be safe, when there is so much more to his game, but that makes sense if they are hammering the X and O's into him.

 

[Chaels Arms]

He has shown flashes of being able to do things offensively but then he goes into the kind of rut he's in right now for weeks at a time where it looks like he's trying to emulate Dryden Hunt. It's all mental with him. He has the physical abilities and the talent to be a great player.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I’m preached patience with these kids and I will continue to, but goddamn it.

Has Kakko had any meaningful shots on goal in the last dozen games? Any meaningful anything?

What in the Sam hell is the deal here?

Does he ever get mad?

I saw him take a needless chop to back of legs and zero response. It’s like he’s a zombie out there. What the f***.

There is no fire in his game at all right now.

With TPS and in the worlds he was abrasive, aggressive with the puck, OOZING confidence and basically running through the other team without a care and anyone in his way was just brushed aside.

It looks like he’s been neutered lately. Past few games it appears he just wants to take a nice skate on the canal and not be bothered. His confidence is literally non-existent. He’s been a passenger.

Dammit man. I don’t want to give you shit KK, but you are 10x better than this. Show yourself dude. Show some fire for f***s sake.

Take a bad penalty. Make some good effort mistakes. SHOW A PULSE

 

[Row I Goon]

If KK was in a corporate environment we’d call him an “empty suit”. Just one of the “ghost” execs that floats through meetings, contributing nothing.

He’s invisible lately.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Taking him off the Bread-line just when they started clicking, was bad for him.

 

[mas0764]

What are we supposed to do as fans? Give up hope? KK was the highest draft pick this team has seen, in like forever. Ditto for Laf.

We can either try to look for positives and say he will develop with time and hopefully get there one day - or be inpatient, nitpick his game and settle on the fact that he will never live up to his draft position.

Regardless of either stance, its not like the Rangers had any other realistic choices at #2 in 2019 or #1 in 2020. They were the consensus picks.

They didn’t but it’s still fair to be discouraged.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

They didn’t but it’s still fair to be discouraged.

Absolutely fair to be. Something about last nights game just really disappointed me.

Here's a team that basically has half a lineup due to Covid and a perfect time for KK to step up and dare I say, become one of the leaders on the ice amongst the forwards.

Earlier in the year we saw it coming, he was one of the best forwards on the ice, consistently through a pretty good stretch, even though he wasn't getting points. I can live with that. Its something to hang your hat on.

But lately he has be pedestrian as ever and its, well... disenchanting to say the least.

You dont want to give up hope and I wont - but he is so timid out there lately and its driving me nuts. He is wasting shift after shift

 

[mas0764]

Yeah I just don't know what it's going to take for this guy to get it going.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like Gallant may be the guy to do it.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Yeah I just don't know what it's going to take for this guy to get it going.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like Gallant may be the guy to do it.

Honestly, I dont think it has much to do with the coach.

I've said if before, he may need a veteran to kick him in the ass and im not sure he has that relationship with anyone on the roster.

It appears to me its complete Steve Saxian confidence issue.

He looks scared to make a mistake out there and his inner drive to make a difference in the game is gone. He is just going through the motions.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Too milquetoast to be an impact player.

 

[rangersfansince08]

Honestly, I dont think it has much to do with the coach.

I've said if before, he may need a veteran to kick him in the ass and im not sure he has that relationship with anyone on the roster.

It appears to me its complete Steve Saxian confidence issue.

He looks scared to make a mistake out there and his inner drive to make a difference in the game is gone. He is just going through the motions.

He looks like the person whose parents forced him o read sports when he;d rather be doing ballet or reading.

 

[will1066]

You have to wonder if David Quinn's make no mistakes or be benched philosophy has completely neutered the kid and now his instinct to not take risks is just a behavioral norm from that. So frustrating what Quinn did to our young forwards.

C'mon. So, when Gallant is coaching him, he pictures Quinn? I doubt he's still being affected by Quinn. But if he is, then let's question Kakko's mental toughness.

I am living rent-free in Kaapo's head. It's good because I presently have no income.

 

[will1066]

Taking him off the Bread-line just when they started clicking, was bad for him.

You've gotta wonder what the coaching staff knows that we armchair coaches don't. Because most of us see what you said. The line switch was ill-timed, but Gallant and his staff must be on to something to keep him with the top line.

 

[CupSeeker]

Yeah I just don't know what it's going to take for this guy to get it going.

Unfortunately it doesn't seem like Gallant may be the guy to do it.

Here's what I see; aside from finishing his chances, Kreider is playing poorly (outside of the pk) and not battling nearly as hard as KK and Mika to sustain offensive pressure. This may sound silly but at 5 x 5 Kreider is the weak link and a large part of the reason this line scores almost exclusively off the rush which isn't KK's strength.

 

[will1066]

Here's what I see; aside from finishing his chances, Kreider is playing poorly (outside of the pk) and not battling nearly as hard as KK and Mika to sustain offensive pressure. This may sound silly but at 5 x 5 Kreider is the weak link and a large part of the reason this line scores almost exclusively off the rush which isn't KK's strength.

Kreider has a mode for special teams and another for even strength. He looks utterly confused on even strength. Early in the game, maybe the line's first shift, he does a straight-ahead dump-in, past a defender, and then coasts in towards the puck. Obviously, it was an easy out for SJ. There was seemingly zero purpose behind the dump-in.

 

[mas0764]

Here's what I see; aside from finishing his chances, Kreider is playing poorly (outside of the pk) and not battling nearly as hard as KK and Mika to sustain offensive pressure. This may sound silly but at 5 x 5 Kreider is the weak link and a large part of the reason this line scores almost exclusively off the rush which isn't KK's strength.

I've said many times Kreider needs to go play on the third line and still get all the ST minutes.

 

[Synergy27]

Kaapo Kakko does not skate well enough to do the things we want him to do. He is also far too easily thrown off his confidence. We need to find him a skating coach and a psychiatrist.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Kaapo Kakko does not skate well enough to do the things we want him to do. He is also far too easily thrown off his confidence. We need to find him a skating coach and a psychiatrist.

This isn't a joke either. It would probably help.

 

[romba]

At the beginning of the game yesterday he got the puck along the boards with a small amount of time. Not a high danger area and due to SJ positions in the lanes the play was clearly to quickly pass it downlow to Mika behind the net. He hesitated before making the pass downlow and because of that the SJ D was on Mika as the pass got to him with thw leverage to take the puck away. Other times he passes it too softly slowing everything down. It's small things but they're the difference between a scoring chance or two or a shift needing playing D and line change. For a period of time the game seemed to come to him and he was effortlessly making the right play. It seem he's back to over-thinking once the puck is on his stick.

 

[CupSeeker]

At the beginning of the game yesterday he got the puck along the boards with a small amount of time. Not a high danger area and due to SJ positions in the lanes the play was clearly to quickly pass it downlow to Mika behind the net. He hesitated before making the pass downlow and because of that the SJ D was on Mika as the pass got to him with thw leverage to take the puck away. Other times he passes it too softly slowing everything down. It's small things but they're the difference between a scoring chance or two or a shift needing playing D and line change. For a period of time the game seemed to come to him and he was effortlessly making the right play. It seem he's back to over-thinking once the puck is on his stick.

Maybe the "chemistry" between Zib and Kreids; they almost never pass KK the puck in the O zone, has damaged his confidence. He battles in all zones, chases and forces turnovers but once he has the puck, he just doesn't seem to know where his linemates will be and since he is almost always along the boards isn't quick enough to create his own shots. Even on the PP when Bread was out, he was the odd man out in terms of receiving passes. The move to Zibs' line has not worked except in the sense that the line is rarely on for a goal against largely because of his play, but that's not what you want out of a #2 overall.

 

[will1066]

At the beginning of the game yesterday he got the puck along the boards with a small amount of time. Not a high danger area and due to SJ positions in the lanes the play was clearly to quickly pass it downlow to Mika behind the net. He hesitated before making the pass downlow and because of that the SJ D was on Mika as the pass got to him with thw leverage to take the puck away. Other times he passes it too softly slowing everything down. It's small things but they're the difference between a scoring chance or two or a shift needing playing D and line change. For a period of time the game seemed to come to him and he was effortlessly making the right play. It seem he's back to over-thinking once the puck is on his stick.

This is a team-wide issue also.