Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[CupSeeker]

Now Hughes added an assist and is still at a point per game.

If you add what Kaapo Kakko & Alexis Lafreniere are on pace for COMBINED, screw it, take their combined pace and add Kakko's last season point totals to it as well. That number... Hughes is still on pace for 12 more points than that.

Yeah and he plays the full 2 on every PP; every 4 x 4, every OT and a regular shift with their best player Jesper Bratt. Apples to apples? He's better offensively than both of them now and maybe will be in their careers. But he is a nightmare when he's not scoring.

 

[CupSeeker]

I don't really care about Hughes because we didn't have the opportunity to draft him, so whatever he's doing is irrelevant.

Kakko is so mediocre. It's like we drafted Marcel Hossa.

It's not irrelevant. Jack's warts and the fact that he single handedly gave the game to the Kings tonight shows that young players will hurt their teams. KK is not scoring and Jack is doing what i described. He is developing and will be really good. Will we have the patience to wait? I hope so

 

[Scott r]

His shot is the same caliber as your intellect. That's my main concern.

82 years one cup....worst disaster possible. Even the cursed red sox won 4 titles. Tell u what Dale Rolfe beating was epic

 

[Scott r]

 

[duhmetreE]

He's been in the top6 all season, playing with our best offensive talents.

His production and play is way more concerning than Laffy's.

 

[mas0764]

Don't wish for more mistakes. Hughes just handed the Kings the tying goal. The idea is to win not create highlights.

Winning is accomplished by having a young forward who is capable of scoring points in buckets and who also doesn't make mistakes.

The problem is that the scoring is harder to learn at the NHL level. That's the skill. And if you don't learn it early it might never come.

Being defensively responsible is about want-to, not ability, for most of these elite athletes. Kakko should have his scoring ability fostered before we demand that he play a muted, defense-first game.

Once he's a scoring phenom he can be taught to play some defense.

Then you win.

 

[McSauer]

Kakko was invisible during that Coyotes game.

Oh, he didn't play you say? Could've fooled me. Figured was just his typical non-factor performance, even in an offensive onslaught...

 

[IDvsEGO]

Winning is accomplished by having a young forward who is capable of scoring points in buckets and who also doesn't make mistakes.

The problem is that the scoring is harder to learn at the NHL level. That's the skill. And if you don't learn it early it might never come.

Being defensively responsible is about want-to, not ability, for most of these elite athletes. Kakko should have his scoring ability fostered before we demand that he play a muted, defense-first game.

Once he's a scoring phenom he can be taught to play some defense.

Then you win.

For elite talents, scoring isn't as hard as being defensively responsible. However coaches want to win, which requires players to play on defense rather than score goals.
So Quinn and Gallant both preach defense to everyone.

 

[LionsHeart]

Kakko being injured isn’t a surprise. I know he’s had his struggles, but he didn’t look good at all the last few weeks.

I still think he figures it out, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t concerned.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

At least he's injured in a sense that his game was noticeably quiet. Maybe there's the reason.

It is now week to week, so its something he was probably playing through.

My guess is has been a nagging injury that he reaggravated and they are shutting him down until after the break. That will give him almost 3 and half weeks to get shit right.

Hopefully he comes back as a recharged Kakko

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

#NYR already put Kappo Kakko (upper body) on IR, Gallant announced today he's out "week to week". Morgan Barron practiced with the top 12 forwards this AM, so he'll be added to the roster. Tinordi will clear waivers later, will be one open roster spot. Chytil out day to day.

Staple - Athletic (paywall)

Arthur Staple: #NYR already put Kaapo Kakko (upper body) on IR... - The Athletic

 

[CupSeeker]

Winning is accomplished by having a young forward who is capable of scoring points in buckets and who also doesn't make mistakes.

The problem is that the scoring is harder to learn at the NHL level. That's the skill. And if you don't learn it early it might never come.

Being defensively responsible is about want-to, not ability, for most of these elite athletes. Kakko should have his scoring ability fostered before we demand that he play a muted, defense-first game.

Once he's a scoring phenom he can be taught to play some defense.

Then you win.

Not disagreeing on the point that too much emphasis has been put on his 200 ft game and he appears to have been tasked as 3rd man high with Zib and CK. My point is we need to be patient. The talent is there and the team needs to commit to its development over winning every game at this point. He should absolutely be on PP1 and not as a gift. He would be better on that half wall than Strome without a doubt in my mind.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Not disagreeing on the point that too much emphasis has been put on his 200 ft game and he appears to have been tasked as 3rd man high with Zib and CK. My point is we need to be patient. The talent is there and the team needs to commit to its development over winning every game at this point. He should absolutely be on PP1 and not as a gift. He would be better on that half wall than Strome without a doubt in my mind.

The talent is obvious with both kids.
I kinda think Laf might do better in that same spot than Kakko though. Laf is more quick to launch shots which is what that spot should be doing. Kakko prefers to take his time with the puck.

 

[GunkWinger]

I have no problem being more patient with both Kakko and Laffy. They're still so young. As previous poster stated, I think they figure it out but there is concern. I'd let them know we're sorry but I think you'd both benefit from some AHL time to work on your game.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I have no problem being more patient with both Kakko and Laffy. They're still so young. As previous poster stated, I think they figure it out but there is concern. I'd let them know we're sorry but I think you'd both benefit from some AHL time to work on your game.

First - sending kakko to the AHL means losing him on a waivers claim.
Second - I dont think sending either kid to the AHL would benefit them, the AHL doesn't have enough skill to force them to work on the things that make them dynamic. These aren't guys who struggle with the physicality of the NHL. Jack Hughes 100% struggles with that. Kakko and Laf are both not small kids.

 

[Lone Ranger]

I never thought I'd say this so soon, but I'd be okay putting Kakko in a trade package.

 

[CupSeeker]

The talent is obvious with both kids.
I kinda think Laf might do better in that same spot than Kakko though. Laf is more quick to launch shots which is what that spot should be doing. Kakko prefers to take his time with the puck.

Maybe, but they both need more touches with space to develop confidence. And the PP is a good place to start that.

 

[CupSeeker]

First - sending kakko to the AHL means losing him on a waivers claim.
Second - I dont think sending either kid to the AHL would benefit them, the AHL doesn't have enough skill to force them to work on the things that make them dynamic. These aren't guys who struggle with the physicality of the NHL. Jack Hughes 100% struggles with that. Kakko and Laf are both not small kids.

Agree. Unlike Hughes, they struggle with the speed which will dissipate with more experience and touches.

 

[CupSeeker]

I never thought I'd say this so soon, but I'd be okay putting Kakko in a trade package.

Don't do that. Think back to how he was playing with 16 and 10 just a month and a half ago. Turk moved him to get Zib going and that combination did not work for KK from an offensive perspective.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Agree. Unlike Hughes, they struggle with the speed which will dissipate with more experience and touches.

I dont really think Laf struggles with the speed, I think he's trying to both too much at times, and then also he defers too much other times.
He's had shifts where I watch his play, and think holy shit. He has other shifts where he's quietly the passenger.

Kakko, while he struggles with the speed in some cases ( rushing the puck), his offensive game is essentially like a half court set in basketball. Its perfect for the cycle.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Maybe, but they both need more touches with space to develop confidence. And the PP is a good place to start that.

I think they both just need ice time. The problem is were top of the division, pushing for the playoffs, and in laf's case, with 2 wingers ahead of him.
Kakko on the other hand did start to play his way up to the top line, but isn't a great fit there.
But I do think a laf/kk / strome line could work well.

 

[TheGortonConspiracy]

On the plus, his next contract should be cheap, I was thinking around $2mm

 

[CLW]

At least he's injured in a sense that his game was noticeably quiet. Maybe there's the reason.

It is now week to week, so its something he was probably playing through.

My guess is has been a nagging injury that he reaggravated and they are shutting him down until after the break. That will give him almost 3 and half weeks to get shit right.

Hopefully he comes back as a recharged Kakko

This is exactly what I've been thinking too. Kakko got hurt late last season crashing into the boards, then hurt again early this season and now something is nagging again. Now's a good time to fix the issue and have a mini-camp before the final half of the season/post-season.

 

[dshea19]

I dont really think Laf struggles with the speed, I think he's trying to both too much at times, and then also he defers too much other times.
He's had shifts where I watch his play, and think holy shit. He has other shifts where he's quietly the passenger.

Kakko, while he struggles with the speed in some cases ( rushing the puck), his offensive game is essentially like a half court set in basketball. Its perfect for the cycle.

This is what I think has been the biggest problem. He has played in much more structured systems with more cycling and such. The top 6 of the NYR is free wheeling rush hockey. He is learning how to play that. Their game doesn't match his. I don't know how many times I have seen Kakko start a cycle, get pinned, and there is no support on the cycle, so it just ends up being a turnover. He basically cycles by himself while the others just wait for a scoring feed. This is also why they go through bad stretches as 5v5. When the rush doesn't work, they struggle to score because they don't cycle. Mika, Panarin, and Strome are not guys who consistently engage on the boards. They let others do that for them. Also one the main reasons why I think they could be a team in the first round, but their game doesn't translate for a deep playoff run. Oddly constructed team.

 

[IDvsEGO]

This is what I think has been the biggest problem. He has played in much more structured systems with more cycling and such. The top 6 of the NYR is free wheeling rush hockey. He is learning how to play that. Their game doesn't match his. I don't know how many times I have seen Kakko start a cycle, get pinned, and there is no support on the cycle, so it just ends up being a turnover. He basically cycles by himself while the others just wait for a scoring feed. This is also why they go through bad stretches as 5v5. When the rush doesn't work, they struggle to score because they don't cycle. Mika, Panarin, and Strome are not guys who consistently engage on the boards. They let others do that for them. Also one the main reasons why I think they could be a team in the first round, but their game doesn't translate for a deep playoff run. Oddly constructed team.

Ck is a cycle player. Chytil is a cycle player.
But yes. Kakko is designed for a different style.
But the best thing is his game directly translates to the playoffs better than anyone we have.