Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[theFiGS]

The fact that Kakko was even in the conversation to be benched 2 years after being the #2 pick is a Kakko problem more than anything else.

Wrong decision, but lets be real as well.

There’s no way and I mean no way he got benched because of effort or skill, something happened.. someone mentioned to me he had a problem with the line he was put on and people didn’t like him getting mad about it

 

[Hire Sather]

There’s no way and I mean no way he got benched because of effort or skill, something happened.. someone mentioned to me he had a problem with the line he was put on and people didn’t like him getting mad about it

So an attitude problem then. That's not much better

 

[theFiGS]

Word is kakko had an issue with the line up change and who he was put with so he was benched for that . Has nothing to do with skill or effort so let’s hope this doesn’t lead to a trade by a disgruntled forward and he grows from his mistake. Not sure if it was just gallant or the captains too who had an issue with him saying he doesn’t like the line up

 

[theFiGS]

So an attitude problem then. That's not much better

Kind of shocking to me that he would have an issue with his line, maybe they wanted to put him on the 4th but I still find that hard to believe but yeah beat writer Vince mercagliano reported it on Twitter right before the game started

 

[huerter]

There’s no way and I mean no way he got benched because of effort or skill, something happened.. someone mentioned to me he had a problem with the line he was put on and people didn’t like him getting mad about it

100%. Everyone knows that when you are being sat for disciplinary reasons you take line rushes and are the contingency plan in case another player who is a gametime decision can't go.

 

[theFiGS]

100%. Everyone knows that when you are being sat for disciplinary reasons you take line rushes and are the contingency plan in case another player who is a gametime decision can't go.

I think they planned on playing kakko and hunt not strome and put strome in over kakko after what went down.. still should of just played reaves if that’s the case, strome was useless. But a coach isn’t gonna change his lineup for a 3rd liner just because he’s unhappy with who he’s with..

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

I think they planned on playing kakko and hunt not strome and put strome in over kakko after what went down.. still should of just played reaves if that’s the case, strome was useless. But a coach isn’t gonna change his lineup for a 3rd liner just because he’s unhappy with who he’s with..

Do you have a source for this rumor of Kakko being sat for disciplinary reasons?

Can't imagine a coach putting a guy with a broken back who wound up not playing 2/3s of the game in over a #2 overall was simply due to unhappiness about line-ups.

 

[17futurecap]

Strome played 8:42, the last time Hunt played was early May, and Kevin Rooney gave away the tying goal in game 5, Kakko could have mooned Gallant before the game and should have played.

 

[huerter]

Strome played 8:42, the last time Hunt played was early May, and Kevin Rooney gave away the tying goal in game 5, Kakko could have mooned Gallant before the game and should have played.

Strome should have played 50 seconds. It was obvious he was hampered on his first shift. And Gallant should have remained calm but after the game should have went nuts on the medical staff.

 

[theFiGS]

Do you have a source for this rumor of Kakko being sat for disciplinary reasons?

Can't imagine a coach putting a guy with a broken back who wound up not playing 2/3s of the game in over a #2 overall was simply due to unhappiness about line-ups.

You know what I apologize one of my friends said Vince mercagliano said it and I just read the quote and he took it out of context he’s shot, I just read it and it’s not discipline

100%. Everyone knows that when you are being sat for disciplinary reasons you take line rushes and are the contingency plan in case another player who is a gametime decision can't go.

Yeah forget what I said about discipline my friend read a quote wrong from Vince mercagliano and I took him at his word without reading it so that’s on me, it’s not discipline.. he’s saying gallant wasn’t happy with the kid line

 

[huerter]

You know what I apologize one of my friends said Vince mercagliano said it and I just read the quote and he took it out of context he’s shot, I just read it and it’s not discipline


Yeah forget what I said about discipline my friend read a quote wrong from Vince mercagliano and I took him at his word without reading it so that’s on me, it’s not discipline.. he’s saying gallant wasn’t happy with the kid line

You don't have to rely on Vincenzo Mercogs. Just use logic.

 

[Tob]

This franchise will never learn to address rumor and gossip magnet storylines in a timely matter and only after 3-bit 4th tier wannabe bloggers make up racist rumors. Gallant should have addressed it with a simple, discipline issue, performance issue, coach's decision or whatever.

 

[theFiGS]

You don't have to rely on Vincenzo Mercogs. Just use logic.

It wasn’t Vince that was the issue it was my friend Giving me bad info, if I read what he read before I posted I wouldn’t have said that. Not sure how he confused the coach and kakko being unhappy

 

[17futurecap]

This franchise will never learn to address rumor and gossip magnet storylines in a timely matter and only after 3-bit 4th tier wannabe bloggers make up racist rumors. Gallant should have addressed it with a simple, discipline issue, performance issue, coach's decision or whatever.

Lots of emotions tonight, I'll give him until locker clean out day on Monday to come up with a better answer.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Word is kakko had an issue with the line up change and who he was put with so he was benched for that . Has nothing to do with skill or effort so let’s hope this doesn’t lead to a trade by a disgruntled forward and he grows from his mistake. Not sure if it was just gallant or the captains too who had an issue with him saying he doesn’t like the line up

Whose word?


Honestly, it's Kakko's own fault he got scratched. He was given entire 10 minutes of TOI every night, that should've been enough for close to PPG production.

 

[Brutananadilewski]

I can never be mad at you, I'm just upset in general. He deserved better. He proved so much. I'm not looking into production #'s for a 21 yr old winger playing ~12 minutes per game, zero PP time, who the coach refuses to bump up for 3 minutes in one game even during losses.

If he can definitely improve his acceleration (And I'm not asking for something like Radek Dvorak), with that frame of his...Jagr-lite, baby!

Someone must be still around when St. Louis played in our training department.

Come September, I want KK with a set of these:

 

[theFiGS]

Whose word?


Honestly, it's Kakko's own fault he got scratched. He was given entire 10 minutes of TOI every night, that should've been enough for close to PPG production.

I made a mistake, I trusted the word of my friend who said Vince mercagliano said it and I didn’t read the post myself he confused kakko and GG being frustrated with the line . That’s on me for posting without doing my own homework. It wasn’t discipline, kakko shouldn’t have been benched for hunt who was invisible the entire game. absolutely inexcusable move by GG

 

[Doctyl]

Maybe Kakko will use tonight as motivation to be a better player next year.

He's looked more like a 2nd rounder than a #2 pick.

Or he can demand a trade because he didn't get his way. Sure, that works too.

No he won’t. This is the end of his time here. Highly drafted players don’t get scratched for literal dogshit players and keep on playing on that team. It’s over for Kakko here.

 

[and 99 others]

Gallant should have addressed it with a simple, discipline issue, performance issue, coach's decision or whatever.

No answer at this point would/should make this decision sit well with anybody. If it truly was a discipline issue for voicing his objection to being demoted to the 4th line, Kakko was playing well enough to have earned a little back-and-forth with the coach. It's still ultimately GG's decision to put him on the 4th, but to sit him in an elimination game of the Eastern Conference Finals is completely unacceptable for anything other than injury.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Did he deserve to be scratched? Not in any universe. But not getting what he deserves seems to be a trend with Kaapo.

 

[17futurecap]

It would be insane to give up on him at this point, he's coming to camp next season still 21 years old.

 

[Doctyl]

View attachment 558209

Did he deserve to be scratched? Not in any universe. But not getting what he deserves seems to be a trend with Kaapo.

He’ll be traded and he will blossom. I’m f***ing sick.

 

[Easternbull]

I can't beleive the qritique a 21 year old is getting for his play in his first nhl playoffs!!

What about Panarin and Kreider in this Tampa series?

Okay you can maybe understand Panarin playing scared perimiter hockey wth his 6'0 175 lbs, but I can't remember once seing Kreider drive the net hard or rely going for it on the forecheck in this series with his 6'3 223 lbs!! But can you blame him, Cernak, Mcdounut, Hedman; Rutta and Hedman are huge and mean as hell.

Gallant has showed plenty of patience with Kaapo but dressing a hobbled Strome instead of Kakko and not giving him a sniff of PP time in the playoffs was a BIG misstake. IMHO Gallant should have kept the kid line together and played Copp at center instead of Strome.

 

[LOFIN]

Very odd for Gallant to avoid the questions about his scratching. Could've just said: "he's a bit banged up" or "I wanted a different look". The latter would absolutely still raise some eyebrows but better that than "I don't want to talk about it".

Really makes you wonder if there was a falling out or something.

 

[failure]

Very odd for Gallant to avoid the questions about his scratching. Could've just said: "he's a bit banged up" or "I wanted a different look". The latter would absolutely still raise some eyebrows but better that than "I don't want to talk about it".

Really makes you wonder if there was a falling out or something.

The hint is in Gallants postgame interview. He said "I don't want to talk about it. Todays not the time right now, for me." He's mad about something that happened and doesn't want to create drama about it. Probably wants to talk to Drury first.