Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[cheech70]

Filip needs a new spot so team him with K2 and Cuylee..a new kids line

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

I do want to see how he looks when Fil is back, but a lot of his struggles have nothing to do with who he‘s linemates with and everything to do with how he plays.

Especially lately. He's done almost nothing to force the play at all. Right now, he's playing like a beer leaguer at open hockey who's been ordered to only set his teammates up (and not shoot) who plays with guys that never go to the net.

The difference is he's not a beer leaguer, Will Cuylle is constantly at or near the front of the net, and Kakko's allowed to shoot the puck.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Bonino is a great defensive, 4th liner, but you arent helping out any of his linemates offensively if you stick him on their line..

He might be one of the worst offensive players we’ve had in ages, even worse than Hunt.

I’m good at this. First i stopped Othmann’s goal-less drought, now Bonino.

 

[RangersFan1994]

He looked fine when Finland won the U18 and WJC on North American surface.

International rules.

 

[LOFIN]

International rules.

Those dont have ANY effect on his game lmao. A trip is a trip, hooking is hooking and interference is interference as much in the NHL as it is in international hockey. That is, some games are called loose and some tight.

 

[LOFIN]

All of this talk about trading him is nonsense. Not getting proper value out of him at this point. Maybe during the summer.

I'd sit him, or demote him to the 4th line. A message needs to be sent. Get one of the assistants or skill coaches working with him specifically. He's totally out of it right now, and it needs to be fixed. We know he's good for 40ish 5v5 points, he did it last year. What we are currently seeing is so out of character for him. Dumb dumb decisions, losing all the battles etc.

 

[McRanger92]

Trade bait

 

[LOFIN]

Trade bait

No, he's not. Unless he's a throw in to make salaries work in a bigger trade.

 

[huerter]

It’s definitely healthy and productive to evaluate him on a game by game basis like the stock market.

 

[McRanger92]

No, he's not. Unless he's a throw in to make salaries work in a bigger trade.

2.1 mil goes a long way on deadline day

 

[duhmetreE]

he's always had speed issues. His burst/first step is bad but it's also his top speed. Blake Wheeler has first step issues but he builds up speed much better. Getting a puck carrier with speed like Chytil or Trocheck will help his game immensely imo.

It's also his uncharacteristic weakness on the puck. I do not know what's going on with him. He gets bumped off the puck very easily this season

Never find him in the slot. He needs to go to scoring areas to score.

 

[LOFIN]

2.1 mil goes a long way on deadline day

You are not moving a 40 point, defensively responsible winger making 2.1 million just to make space. Jesus christ.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Maybe just talk to him. See what he thinks is going on. Let him know that they are in this together and know he can play at a much higher level. Let him know they need to see shots even if he doesn't score. If that doesn't work exagerate any injury to get his mind right without trashing his value. Maybe even send him down for conditioning if he keeps at this pace for the next 20 games. Maybe something is behind this off the ice or he is sick. Just let him know this play can't be carried for 82 games.

You are not moving a 40 point, defensively responsible winger making 2.1 million just to make space. Jesus christ.

The problem is he has been playing at closer to a 14 point pace than a 40 point pace. Coaches need to speak with him and try to get him back to that 40 point pace player.

 

[LOFIN]

The problem is he has been playing at closer to a 14 point pace than a 40 point pace. Coaches need to speak with him and try to get him back to that 40 point pace player.

Obviously, he's playing like an ECHLer right now. But we know what he can be. Not even talking about untapped potential (whether you think there is any), he has proven that he can score 40ish points without special teams in a middle-6 role. That's pretty valuable, need to find a way to return him to that form.

 

[NickyFotiu]

Obviously, he's playing like an ECHLer right now. But we know what he can be. Not even talking about untapped potential (whether you think there is any), he has proven that he can score 40ish points without special teams in a middle-6 role. That's pretty valuable, need to find a way to return him to that form.

I agree.

 

[huerter]

Fedotenko. Cised.

 

[Irishguy42]

Who will have more points by the end of the calendar year: Kakko or Pitlick?

 

[McRanger92]

You are not moving a 40 point, defensively responsible winger making 2.1 million just to make space. Jesus christ.

Make the money work in a package for a better player

 

[NYRangers0723]

I hope Rangers trade him. I wouldn't mind him coming to the Flyers or the Canes. Heck, I would rather see him in the Devils and Avalanche as well.
He needs a franchise that at least can give him something to work with and especially give him a real opportunity to proceed and develop- or fail.
Rangers have been pretty bad regarding that with Kakko.

And chill, this isn't a biased Finnish poster, why do you guys think I would want him in a franchise I support? Thing is i both believe and hope he has something more to unlock, but I don't believe that will happen in Rangers.

I like Kakko but sooner or later the excuses run out. For whatever reason it hasn’t clicked. I look at a player like Cuylle who admittedly is a different player but has shown more

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

All of this talk about trading him is nonsense. Not getting proper value out of him at this point. Maybe during the summer.

I'd sit him, or demote him to the 4th line. A message needs to be sent. Get one of the assistants or skill coaches working with him specifically. He's totally out of it right now, and it needs to be fixed. We know he's good for 40ish 5v5 points, he did it last year. What we are currently seeing is so out of character for him. Dumb dumb decisions, losing all the battles etc.

Kakko when he gets demoted or benched.

 

[Levitate]

I like Kakko but sooner or later the excuses run out. For whatever reason it hasn’t clicked. I look at a player like Cuylle who admittedly is a different player but has shown more

honestly right now Cuylle even kinda sucks...I don't like that line at all. None of the players are working with each other well at all.

but yes Kakko needs to take the puck tot he net or the middle of the ice and take shots. Execute quicker, just get stuff going to the net. He was playing much better to start the season, he was creating and doing things, and has clearly lost his confidence and looks aimless.

It's also on the coaches to help him figure this out. The team is far better with him playing well.

 

[jerseyjinx94]

Maybe just talk to him. See what he thinks is going on. Let him know that they are in this together and know he can play at a much higher level. Let him know they need to see shots even if he doesn't score. If that doesn't work exagerate any injury to get his mind right without trashing his value. Maybe even send him down for conditioning if he keeps at this pace for the next 20 games. Maybe something is behind this off the ice or he is sick. Just let him know this play can't be carried for 82 games.


The problem is he has been playing at closer to a 14 point pace than a 40 point pace. Coaches need to speak with him and try to get him back to that 40 point pace player.

Laviolette seems like that kind of coach. I remember seeing something where he has meeting with the players regularly one on one

 

[bhamill]

Just a few weeks ago, all the bust experts were sharpening their knives and flexing their intellects over Laf. Do I need to post quotes to show how similar the nonsense is over still 22 year old Kakko right now?
This team is absolutely slaying right now, and some of us are still fixated on exaggerating negatives and have learned nothing about being patient with our young players. Ups and downs. All players have them, young players especially. 19 games in and people are ready to sell low on an excellent defensive player who scored 40 points with no pp time in his 21 year old season. I guess hockey fandom is not for the feint of heart.

 

[mas0764]

I do want to see how he looks when Fil is back, but a lot of his struggles have nothing to do with who he‘s linemates with and everything to do with how he plays.

I don’t understand how the new staff got Laf to move his feet and be more aggressive but they somehow made Kakko less effective.

I think with whatever they started asking them to do, worked for Laf, but now Kakko is struggling with it. They may need to tweak some things about his assignments. I seriously doubt he just decided to start playing worse at age 22. I think he’s lost, and I said the same thing about Laf before.

 

[Anthony5967]

When Chytil returns, the recency bias couch coaches on here will zip it and move onto some other guy to pick on while the team continues to win hockey games. We can't have nice things. ECHLer? Jesus Christ you guys. Get a ****** grip.