Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[Peltz]

I thought we'd sort of agreed that Kakko as a player was optimistically trending towards something more resembling late-career Rick Nash- a great possession two-way player who lacks the shot to be a true first line threat, but can still deke the puck into the net.

This isn't a bad comparison. I was thinking more of a Marion Hossa type player, but without the elite point per game scoring and topping out at 60 or so points per season.

 

[bhamill]

I dunno man. Kind of a big difference on whether a player is lining up with Panarin and Trocheck, or like Goodrow and Chytil....don't ya think? Not just about TOI.

True, good point, but who says that will be the configuration either? And that is often more about fit more than performance.
As long as they both make good progress I’ll be happy.

 

[Chaels Arms]

Kakko has been given more opportunity than Kravtsov.

Maybe being on the continent of North America and not running back to Finland is part of that?

 

[jerseyjinx94]

I think Kakko will be an overall better player than Kravtsov but Vitaly has the potential to be a flashier scorer

 

[Rongomania]

I think Kakko will be an overall better player than Kravtsov but Vitaly has the potential to be a flashier scorer

Either way, this is about to be a f*cking great season.

 

[LORDE]

At this point I'll take a breakout season from ANY of our young forwards, including Kravy and Chytil.

Someone PLEAZZZZ BECOME A FORCE this season

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

If Kravstov does make the team, and does stick, he is likely to start on the third line - but who knows for how long. It would behoove Kakko to have a good start and stay healthy. Because he could quickly be replaced by Kravstov and find himself with 3rd line minutes yet again.

This is a huge season for Kakko and this one and the following may decide his fate in this organization. Something will have to give going into the playoffs and or summer to make some key additions and his name is already being thrown around. I could totally see us revisiting this season, especially the start of it several years down the road when Kakko is wearing another sweater and is the second coming of Jere Lehtinen when he figures it all out.

 

[ElLeetch]

At this point I'll take a breakout season from ANY of our young forwards, including Kravy and Chytil.

Someone PLEAZZZZ BECOME A FORCE this season

Lias, Krav, Kakko, Chytil. If we strike out on all 4 with none of them becoming true 1st liners, the rebuild is dead before it begins.

 

[Slaydagnar]

This isn't a bad comparison. I was thinking more of a Marion Hossa type player, but without the elite point per game scoring and topping out at 60 or so points per season.

These are hilarious comparisons Hossa and Nash just stop it already. These were elite players. Nothing of Kakko is elite.
As much as I’d like to see him succeed Kakko is a bust. Can he be a serviceable third liner and get 35 points a year yes he can. But this push to fantasize about this kid is bizarre.
He is slow and avoids contact. Has he ever laid out a menacing body check ever ?! No he hasn’t.

 

[Miamipuck]

Does this have to become a Kakko or Kravtsov thing, like people are with dogs and cats. Can’t I like both?

No, you have to like one and not the other, they're mutually exclusive.

 

[LOFIN]

These are hilarious comparisons Hossa and Nash just stop it already. These were elite players. Nothing of Kakko is elite.
As much as I’d like to see him succeed Kakko is a bust. Can he be a serviceable third liner and get 35 points a year yes he can. But this push to fantasize about this kid is bizarre.
He is slow and avoids contact. Has he ever laid out a menacing body check ever ?! No he hasn’t.

Not getting into the other stuff but how the f*** is the bolded part in any way relevant to being a successful hockey player? There have been plenty of skilled stars who never threw a hit.

Now I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more bite out of Kakko, but that's not his game and never has been. He will develop some after becoming fully confident in the league, that's what happens with all of these "shy" players.

 

[Slaydagnar]

Not getting into the other stuff but how the f*** is the bolded part in any way relevant to being a successful hockey player? There have been plenty of skilled stars who never threw a hit.

Now I wouldn't mind seeing a bit more bite out of Kakko, but that's not his game and never has been. He will develop some after becoming fully confident in the league, that's what happens with all of these "shy" players.

He is not a star. There is nothing star like about Kakko He is exactly the type of soft player the Rangers should avoid to excel in Playoff hockey where it matters. Character matters, energy matters, being hard to play against matters in the Playoffs.
Stop pretending this kid is the shit he is not.

Rangers old scouting staff did a garbage job of finding character players- a horrific job.
We cornered the market on soft skill players.
And yes Loffen most of these over-hyped players are Europeans.
I want f***ing Stanley Cups
The past strategy is failure

Scouts need to focus on character and finesse. Character is mental and physical toughness. Hard to spot in 18-year old at draft time but we need to be at researching these kids.

 

[NickyFotiu]

When has Kakko been stapled to the top 6 and the PP?

I mean I know you just want to shit on Kakko and pump krav’s tires but to compare the two is laughable. I want kravtsov to succeed just as much as you do. But NEITHER have been given the time to succeed. Don’t be out here pretending like Kakko has been given anything more then your boy

I'm praying KK breaks out but I really do not like the thinking I see in some fans that KK has not been given time. He averaged 15:27 a game last season. Laf only averaged 13:59 yet most people are more optimistic as of today with Laf.
KK can still develop in to a very good player but we cant baby him. If KK makes it it will be his doing. If he does not make it it will also be his doing.

 

[bhamill]

So Kakko isn’t a star/ is a bust because he hasn’t broken out as a 21 year old in the NHL…
If management has the same sort of short sighted impatience as our fan base we’re f***ed. Hahaha.
I think the 2019 -2022 draft classes, but esp 19 and 20, had their development severely impacted by COVID. Look at 2019, only three players have played 150 NHL games. Only three others have broken 100. Who is a “star”? Hughes, Zegras? Both small quick players that tend to develop quicker than big bodied players. Only six players have broken 50 NHL points, one of them being Kakko.
This bust talk is ridiculous. This expectation of stardom at 21 is unrealistic. If we end up trading Kakko for a rental or anything else of “sell low” value we are going to regret it big time.

 

[Rongomania]

So Kakko isn’t a star/ is a bust because he hasn’t broken out as a 21 year old in the NHL…
If management has the same sort of short sighted impatience as our fan base we’re f***ed. Hahaha.
I think the 2019 -2022 draft classes, but esp 19 and 20, had their development severely impacted by COVID. Look at 2019, only three players have played 150 NHL games. Only three others have broken 100. Who is a “star” Hughes, Zegras? Both small quick players that tend to develop quicker than big bodied players. Only six players have broken 50 NHL points, one of them being Kakko.
This bust talk is ridiculous. This expectation of stardom at 21 is unrealistic. If we end up trading Kakko for a rental or anything else of “sell low” value we are going to regret it big time.

This post sums it up so well.

Kakko also scored the same amount of points in the ECF as Laf did. He scored those two points in more games and was scratched for a game. He got way less opportunity and Laf was pushed up the lineup a whole lot more.

Laf also looked his best playing with Kakko.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I think Kakko will be an overall better player than Kravtsov but Vitaly has the potential to be a flashier scorer

My concern is neither of these guys has scored a point per game at any level in the last 4-5 years. I'm concerned they may not have that top scorers mentality. I pray they either have it or develop it soon.

 

[CasusBelli]

This isn't a bad comparison. I was thinking more of a Marion Hossa type player, but without the elite point per game scoring and topping out at 60 or so points per season.

That was my assessment as well. Thing is Hossa always had explosive speed and agility. Guy wasn’t just a bull. He was a rocket. Three steps and he was off on a breakaway after a great backcheck. One of the best two-way players of all time.

 

[Rangers in 7]

He is not a star. There is nothing star like about Kakko He is exactly the type of soft player the Rangers should avoid to excel in Playoff hockey where it matters. Character matters, energy matters, being hard to play against matters in the Playoffs.
Stop pretending this kid is the shit he is not.

Rangers old scouting staff did a garbage job of finding character players- a horrific job.
We cornered the market on soft skill players.
And yes Loffen most of these over-hyped players are Europeans.
I want f***ing Stanley Cups
The past strategy is failure

Scouts need to focus on character and finesse. Character is mental and physical toughness. Hard to spot in 18-year old at draft time but we need to be at researching these kids.

Lol you’re right the avs are all mental and physical toughness

What a crappy comment

Makar was throwing so many hits out there in the finals, same with miko

Open your eyes man

 

[excaliber]

This isn't a bad comparison. I was thinking more of a Marion Hossa type player, but without the elite point per game scoring and topping out at 60 or so points per season.

Kaako will never ever be close to the talent level of a HOF'er like Marion Hossa. Hossa is without a doubt one of the best of his generation. Kaako will never come close to achieving anything close to what Hossa has done.

Kaako is a borderline bust at this point and if he doesn't produce this year it's safe to say he's a major bust.

 

[EdJovanovski]

In Hossa's sophomore season he had 56pts.
In Kakkos D+1, D+2 & D+3 seasons combined he had 58pts.

This comparison is batshit insane.

 

[Rangers in 7]

In Hossa's sophomore season he had 56pts.
In Kakkos D+1, D+2 & D+3 seasons combined he had 58pts.

This comparison is batshit insane.

Well that’s not true hossa didn’t put up 56 points until his third season

He had 1 point as a 19 year old and 30 as a 20 year old

So not exactly true

 

[Rangers in 7]

Kaako will never ever be close to the talent level of a HOF'er like Marion Hossa. Hossa is without a doubt one of the best of his generation. Kaako will never come close to achieving anything close to what Hossa has done.

Kaako is a borderline bust at this point and if he doesn't produce this year it's safe to say he's a major bust.

The fact that we are calling a 20 year old a bust is one of the dumbest comments I’ve been seeing on this site over and over

People bitched that laf was a bust for the entire regular season last year. Now no one is complaining

Kakko will be just fine, people need to calm down and let the kid develop

 

[Lgrsean]

The Rangers are in a good spot in their top 6. The Kreider/Mika and Bread/Trocheck combos are the makings of a team that can make a deep playoff run and there is a ton of upside on the RW with Laf, Kakko, and Kravtsov. It's hard to say that 1 specific player of the group is going to break out next year, but they will be given every opportunity to succeed on the 1st or 2nd line. Chytil will be solid centering the 3rd line with whoever doesn't make the top 6 along with Goodrow or Blais. Our young D core should continue to improve and we've got the best goalie in the NHL.

 

[NickyFotiu]

The fact that we are calling a 20 year old a bust is one of the dumbest comments I’ve been seeing on this site over and over

People bitched that laf was a bust for the entire regular season last year. Now no one is complaining

Kakko will be just fine, people need to calm down and let the kid develop

22 in Feb. Most Rangers fans hope he is a great success soon.

 

[Synergy27]

I’m pretty hard on Kakko, and I’m skeptical of the Hossa comparisons, but Marian is actually an island of hope on a sea of concern when it comes to KK.

Hossa played his D+1 in the WHL.

He scored 30 points in 60 games (0.50ppg) in the NHL in his D+3 playing in a very good Sens team behind Alfredsson and Dackell at RW.

Kakko just put up 18 points in 43 games (0.42ppg) in his D+3 on a very good Rangers team getting similarly limited minutes despite not having a HOFer in front of him at his position.

Hossa is a long shot, stretch goal for Kakko, but it’s not the impossibility some of you are painting it to be.