Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[BroadwayBlues]

I'm not his biggest fan of his. I think some are just holding on on to the idea of him being great. Just my opinion, but I don't think that is happening. My hunch is the ends up a solid 50 point forward.

The kid I wouldn't trade is Kravstov. I don't how the organization and he feel about one another. If the damage can be repaired, I'd keep him. I've had a good feeling about him for awhile.

 

[bleedblue94]

We technically have similar pieces to Tampa. Just need Panarin to produce like Zibanejad and we can easily be in the ECF every year.

I think you're discounting how hard it is to get the to conference finals. I don't think we will be back for a couple of years, that's not a knock on the team it's just reality. It is very hard to get to this point.

 

[bleedblue94]

I'm not his biggest fan of his. I think some are just holding on on to the idea of him being great. Just my opinion, but I don't think that is happening. My hunch is the ends up a solid 50 point forward.

The kid I wouldn't trade is Kravstov. I don't how the organization and he feel about one another. If the damage can be repaired, I'd keep him. I've had a good feeling about him for awhile.

Agree with all of this. I don't hate kakko, he can be useful player, but I don't see anything that makes me think he fulfills his draft promise and people are always going to measure him against his draft position which will lead to disappointment.

 

[Adrianopolous]

Why was he scratched

 

[PalmCoastRanger]

Why was he scratched

Coach had an itch and he won't say where.

 

[VT]

No there aren’t still enough players. You can’t even name them yourself.

Bjorkstrand, Chinakhov, Texier, if not such good than Bemstrom and Foudy. All they are either RW or can play there like Bemstrom, Texier and Foudy. Texier can play center too. In Bemstrom/Foudy case + somebody/something, of course. I don't know Marchenko yet. Yes, Kakko is a winger too but it's a chance Laine and Larsen could help him. Btw I wouldn't be too happy to trade these players, especially Texier and Kakko is a risk. But he worth it.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Regardless of what we think about Kakko and Laf you have to admit the production isn't there. The Rangers had the #1 and #2 picks in two drafts and that's what they ended up with?
I know they were both no brainer picks but we didn't get a Mcdavid, Mathews, Crosby, Ovechkin or even a Kane. Lafreniere has the best chance to be a solid 1st liner but that wasn't what anyone thought we were getting.

We expected allot more from both of them. I know I did.

Laf is already showing a lot more than KK. Its not even close at this point. Im not writing KK off but so far Laf is doung things. KK is not. My fear is that KK has never been a huge scorer.

 

[Savant]

Bjorkstrand, Chinakhov, Texier, if not such good than Bemstrom and Foudy. All they are either RW or can play there like Bemstrom, Texier and Foudy. Texier can play center too. In Bemstrom/Foudy case + somebody/something, of course. I don't know Marchenko yet. Yes, Kakko is a winger too but it's a chance Laine and Larsen could help him. Btw I wouldn't be too happy to trade these players, especially Texier and Kakko is a risk. But he worth it.

The Rangers don’t need more wingers

 

[VT]

The Rangers don’t need more wingers

Foudy and especially Texier can play centers. The true, Liam didn't play him very long. On the other side it's not out of the question that Johnson won't play winger. If a center, I didn't write center Roslovic among those who are untouchable.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I feel like there are a portion of fans who know what he’s capable of and are willing to remain patient to see it come along. We see flashes of it just like we saw flashes with Chytil. It takes time. Others may not have the patience or don’t have the same belief and that’s ok, but the decision is bigger than Kakko imho

And even Gallant said you need to let the kids get experience and gain confidence. Win or lose this is crushing for him after dealing with Quinn who would f*** with him his entire career up until Gallant.

I just think it’s poor player management regardless of what you think the kid can or cannot give you in a particular game. This team including Kakko has already proven they can rise to the occasion when their backs are against the wall and it’s been a special run given this groups age. If you are serious about keeping him as part of that core going forward what kind of message are you sending to him now? Scratching him for Hunt?

I just think it wasn’t worth it at this stage. They were playing with house money, to me the whole run past Pitt was a bonus and all about giving the young core important playoff experience. You have a 2OA with a great pedigree getting time against a dynasty team. Learning for the future should be on the top of the priority list. This move goes against that completely and taints the rebuild effort and sacrifice the team and fans made to get to this point.

 

[Inferno]

We would be idiots to trade kakko.

All the underlying numbers and eye test point to a player poised to break out.

 

[Dr. Ogrodnick]

Why was he scratched

Stupidity.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

The Rangers have nothing at RW. They traded Buchnevich to give Kakko and Kravstov time. If they trade Kakko they’re f***ing dummies.

Get him signed, and let him play and figure it out.

 

[Dr. Ogrodnick]

The Rangers have nothing at RW. They traded Buchnevich to give Kakko and Kravstov time. If they trade Kakko they’re f***ing dummies.

Get him signed, and let him play and figure it out.

Hopefully Gerard didn't f*** that all up.

 

[Dr. Ogrodnick]

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.

But why was he even in the conversation? He hasn't played poorly, he hasn't been a problem, and he was part of their best possession line at the moment, in a game they desperately needed possession. Also no chance to reunite them when the new lines look terrible. Awful mismanagement by Gallant on several levels. Hopefully it didn't cause any long term damage, beyond throwing the game.

 

[GENESISPuck94]

The people saying Kakko is a bust and wanting him gone are most likely too young to remember guys like Amonte, Weight, Kovalev and how the Rangers in their infinite wisdom got rid of them (and later got rid of Zubov) who all went on to HOF or borderline HOF careers. Or how they completely destroyed Sundstrom. Probably too young to even remember Duclair. I don't care that the Cup was won in 94, they sold their future for one crack at it and it barely worked out. They could have had a core of Messier, Graves, Leetch. Zubov, Amonte, Kovalev, Weight for a decade or more. Instead they won a Cup and then proceeded to enter the dark ages while NJ held on to their core and won 3 Cups. People ignore or try to erase their past mistakes are doomed to repeat them in some form or fashion.

And I'll say this, while not as gifted because there's not alot of people in history at this sport who are, Kakko reminds me a hell of a lot of a young Kovalev. Especially how he controlls the puck on the boards. With so much raw gifted talent and a clear language barrier, he needs time to grow into his own man and own player. Go ahead and trade him to Pittsburgh so he can become a 40 goal scorer with Crosby or Malkin like Kovalev became with Lemieux and Jagr. The situations are eerily similar.

Kakko is 21 years old. He's already our best forward at controlling the puck down low on the cycle. He was part of the best line on the team by a wide margin the entire playoffs.

It's amazing how much instant gratification is needed by people. He was a 2nd overall pick but that doesn't automatically mean that player will reach his prime at 21. Players still need to develop.

And Hunt, Rooney, and injured Strome were NOT better options than Kakko even with how young he is and how much of a work in progress he is.

Remember this post, if the Rangers lose Kakko due to their typical self destructive stupidity, they and the fans will rue that decision for a long time.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Agree with all of this. I don't hate kakko, he can be useful player, but I don't see anything that makes me think he fulfills his draft promise and people are always going to measure him against his draft position which will lead to disappointment.

I mean im sure dallas said the same thing about Nichushkin.
Sometimes kids arent immediately world beaters.
But Ive seen flashes to know that kakko has upside that we're not getting yet.
Any move for kakko that doesn't bring back a clear 1c is a move we're going to absolutely regret.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

GG is not the GM. People need to chill. Drury isnt trading kakko and will likely question GG on that terrible decision.

 

[IronBloodedLion]

GG is not the GM. People need to chill. Drury isnt trading kakko and will likely question GG on that terrible decision.

That might be why he’s not answering it right now. I’m sure Drury is going to question that decision.

 

[Greschner4]

If KK lipped off -- he might have but still not proven -- GG really needed to have the discipline there to just let it go. Road elimination Game 6 needed all hands on deck; instead we got drama and dissension and shitshow. Totally on GG. Unforgivable.

 

[bhamill]

Kakko is 21 years old. He's already our best forward at controlling the puck down low on the cycle. He was part of the best line on the team by a wide margin the entire playoffs.

It's amazing how much instant gratification is needed by people. He was a 2nd overall pick but that doesn't automatically mean that player will reach his prime at 21. Players still need to develop.

Yeah, the instant gratification thing is overwhelming. Lots of players take a while to develop, especially big power forward types. He will still be 21 when next season starts.
Kakko will be a very good NHLer at the least. He’s certainly not untradeable, but if they do they had BETTER get value for him or we will be regretting it for a decade.

 

[LokiDog]

I mean im sure dallas said the same thing about Nichushkin.
Sometimes kids arent immediately world beaters.
But Ive seen flashes to know that kakko has upside that we're not getting yet.
Any move for kakko that doesn't bring back a clear 1c is a move we're going to absolutely regret.

Nichuskin is a decent comparable, but Nichushkin is fast and physical. I could see Kakko having a similar trajectory but he HAS to get quicker - at least his first steps - and he has to become less allergic to contact with that big frame of his. I don’t think he’ll ever be an aggressor, but he does need to throw his weight around a little, and at least drop his shoulder and brace against a hit while maintaining puck possession. He should learn to reverse check; would add a nice element to his game. It also took Nishuskin 7 years to hit this level - until last year he was still a sub-40 point player at his best pace, but also a big positive contributor on the forecheck, cycle and backcheck (sounds familiar). If that’s Kakko’s career trajectory, so be it.

Hopefully he can get to the 50 point threshold earlier than year 7, but even more hopefully, he gets the RIGHT type of coaching and training this summer to improve his first step and overall quickness, as well as some on ice drills that focus on making a cut to the net and shooting. He needs a power move. He needs to be able to do that cycle down low and then stutter step and take a quick stride into the circle and shoot. He needs to come out of the cycle and drop the shoulder and drive along the bottom of the circle. Getting quicker (not so much top end speed - quickness in tight spaces, short bursts) and being coached to have one or two decisive ways to power toward the net after he possesses the puck would transform his game.

 

[Savant]

Didn't notice that. Just assumed it was unexplained stupidity.

Thats what someone claimed last night. Still waiting for evidence.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Also if Kakko was unhappy and talked some shit to Gallant, the type of coach and player Gallant is/was I would expect him to give him a shot to back it up on the ice. Think he would appreciate that fire and give him a chance to prove himself.

But we are speculating here completely and reading between lines. No idea what happened. We did see Gallant demote Kakko several times to the fourth line/limit his minutes.

I will say that Kakko has almost zero checking in his game. I can bitch about players like Panarin who don’t do it so to be fair Kakko leaves a lot to be desired in that regard. Especially for a kid with great size. I just don’t think that’s part of his makeup and maybe that’s what Gallant wants to see. And it isn’t about running guys through the wall. It’s about fundamentals and knocking a team off their lanes and assignments

 

[SA16]

What about looking to trade Kakko for his countryman Anton Lundell? Two young guys who are still trying to figure it out that were both healthy scratches for key playoff games. They might want a change of scenery after that despicable treatment and lack of respect by their head coaches.