Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[GAGLine]

Not prohibited by HIPPA. Many teams report accurate information. It’s old school hockey thinking., nothing more.

All medical information is technically protected by HIPPA laws. I know it never stopped teams in the past from releasing basic information but maybe it has changed. Players may feel like they won't get as good a contract later in their career if potential teams have a laundry list of each of that players injuries. Just a completely wild guess on my part though.

This is what the CBA says:

Disclosure of Medical Information

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(i) Clubs, the League, and the NHLPA may use, disclose and redisclose a Player's Medical Information for the purposes set forth in this Section 34.3, the SPC, and the Authorizations as reasonably required for professional sports operations and related to the Player's employment as an NHL hockey Player (or, as appropriate, Players' employment as NHL hockey Players).​

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(ii) Except with respect to uses, disclosures and redisclosures of Medical Information that are permitted under the CBA, the SPC, and the Authorizations, the Clubs, the NHLPA and the League shall not use, disclose or redisclose any Medical Information relating to a Player (unless stripped of all individual Player-identifying information) without the express, prior, written consent of the Player or as required by law.​

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(iii) For public relations purposes a Club, the League, and/or the NHLPA may disclose the following information: (A) for injuries sustained during the course of a Player's employment as a hockey Player with the Club, including, but not limited to, travel with his team or on business requested by the Club: (I) the nature of a Player's injury, (II) the prognosis and the anticipated length of recovery from the injury, and (III) the treatment and surgical procedures undertaken or anticipated in regard to the injury​

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"The nature of the player's injury" is pretty vague, but I would imagine it could include the details of which body part is actually injured, and teams simply choose not to reveal that information.

I didn't see anything in the MOU that would change the above. So unless there is some unwritten rule about how to define "nature of the injury," they should be able to disclose that info.

 

[Synergy27]

I’m honestly surprised at how fervently some people are defending this franchise’s lack of transparency.

The Rangers suck at fan engagement in every aspect of the phrase and the ambiguity regarding injuries is just another notch in that belt.

 

[lilphildub]

I’m honestly surprised at how fervently some people are defending this franchise’s lack of transparency.

The Rangers suck at fan engagement in every aspect of the phrase and the ambiguity regarding injuries is just another notch in that belt.

I’m sorry you don’t get the specifics on player injuries for your minutes of entertainment. If only the organization cared more about the fans rather than the players privacy

 

[frozenrubber]

Especially since COVID, people throw around HIPAA like it's an invincibility shield.

HIPAA laws are only bound to covered entities: doctors, medical staff, and hospitals. The covered entities list is so short, that even life insurers and worker compensation carriers are free to disclose if so inclined.

Employers, commentators, and the like are not covered entities under HIPAA. The Rangers medical staff cannot comment on Kakko (even though there is some legal grey area between being an employee of MSG, but I defer to their medical board certification), but Laviollette is free to say whatever he wants (or that Dolan and MSG internally allow).

 

[Synergy27]

I’m sorry you don’t get the specifics on player injuries for your minutes of entertainment. If only the organization cared more about the fans rather than the players privacy

This is what I mean. What’s with the vitriol like this? I don’t get it.

And yeah, is it crazy to expect a sports org to care about its fans?

Am I losing my mind?

 

[Profet]

This is what I mean. What’s with the vitriol like this? I don’t get it.

And yeah, is it crazy to expect a sports org to care about its fans?

Am I losing my mind?

I just think you're relating two unrelated things.

More inside the locker room type stuff? More behind the scenes on draft day (aired after the draft) type stuff... I'm 100% with you.

Detailing player injuries? Not so much.

If my choice was the org releasing injury details or winning... I choose winning.

Remember that disclosing injuries allows other teams to key on those injuries. If they only release info on minor injuries, then speculation grows based on what they say/don't say.
If they just never release info, then there is actually less speculation.

That's how I see it anyway.

 

[mrmovies779]

This injury might be a blessing in disguise for the kid.Hopefully the time away will help unlock a hunger/fire inside the kid.

 

[Rongomania]

This injury might be a blessing in disguise for the kid.Hopefully the time away will help unlock a hunger/fire inside the kid.

The unluckiest 22 year old NHL player. Cue the 'Kakko has injury concerns' trade posts.

I agree though, not a set back, time for him to think, gather himself, heal and analyze how he can take the next step. The team he comes back to hopefully has sexy daddy Mika running shit and Chytil back and strong. Giving him two centers who can score will be big for his confidence getting back.

I also agree with whomever posted a few pages back about giving him the AHL conditioning stint to get that confidence cookin' and back into game play. He's 22, he's never been there and that'd be ok.

 

[LionsHeart]

I thought his absence was noticeable yesterday. Even with his struggles he made the third line better.

 

[McRanger92]

I thought his absence was noticeable yesterday. Even with his struggles he made the third line better.

Kakko is better than Brodzinski confirmed

 

[mrmovies779]

I think sending him to the AHL when he's ready on a conditioning stint(or whatever its called)is only going to help him in the long run.If he can go down there,get plenty of top 6 time and 1st unit special teams time,dominate and gain confidence,its a great thing.Work on the skating too and come back ready to take the next step and help this team and himself.

 

[Rongomania]

I thought his absence was noticeable yesterday. Even with his struggles he made the third line better.

Yes, he is the best defensive forward of his draft class. Which is why many of us know, the offense is there still. He's an impressive young player while being underwhelming points-wise.

 

[mas0764]

I’d pay good money to have a closed door sit down with Muse and Peca and ask them what the f*** is up with this kid and what is their plan to unlock him.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

3rd line was definitely missing something - but he still wasnt himself recently.

Hopefully the real Kakko will return in a couple of months

 

[McRanger92]

I’d pay good money to have a closed door sit down with Muse and Peca and ask them what the f*** is up with this kid and what is their plan to unlock him.

At what point is it on the player? Its year 5 for Kakko and his 3rd coaching staff. Chytil and Laf are lightyears ahead of him.

 

[mas0764]

At what point is it on the player? Its year 5 for Kakko and his 3rd coaching staff. Chytil and Laf are lightyears ahead of him.

Again, rewind like 6 weeks and everyone was saying how much better Kakko looked and he was the one ready for a breakout. How "even if Laf is a bust, at least Kakko has established himself as a quality contributor."

It's like we all forgot that he was at least making a positive impact.

There will be a point when it's on the player but that point will be when it isn't obvious that something is wrong. You don't go from being a 40 point 2-way beast at age 21 to completely lost when the coaching staff changes because you are a bust. There is an answer to this riddle that isn't "he just sucks," even if the answer to that riddle is that you have a quality middle 6 player on your hands who is worth keeping.

You have no patience... you were trading him two offseasons ago, then you were all over Lafreniere, now you are back on Kakko's case again.

This post isn't to "blame it on the staff" - it's to credit the staff for having figured out how to get Lafreniere going and then to ask them what the plan is to do similar for Kakko, because it's there. We've seen more than this from him. They just have to figure it out WITH him.

 

[McRanger92]

Again, rewind like 6 weeks and everyone was saying how much better Kakko looked and he was the one ready for a breakout. How "even if Laf is a bust, at least Kakko has established himself as a quality contributor."

It's like we all forgot that he was at least making a positive impact.

There will be a point when it's on the player but that point will be when it isn't obvious that something is wrong. You don't go from being a 40 point 2-way beast at age 21 to completely lost when the coaching staff changes because you are a bust. There is an answer to this riddle that isn't "he just sucks," even if the answer to that riddle is that you have a quality middle 6 player on your hands who is worth keeping.

You have no patience... you were trading him two offseasons ago, then you were all over Lafreniere, now you are back on Kakko's case again.

Ill be thrilled if Kakko figures his shit out in a timely fashion but the clock is ticking away. With him, and Lindgren, its a contract status and replaceability issue, more than it is a problem with the player. I like both guys. And I've never been pushing any young player off the team, just willing to discuss the possibility of trades because no one without an NMC is untouchable.

Call me impatient all you want but you've been trying to start another rebuild for years against all logic. The fact of the matter is this team needs to win before 2026 because the retool you are pining for is coming then.

 

[mas0764]

Ill be thrilled if Kakko figures his shit out in a timely fashion but the clock is ticking away. With him, and Lindgren, its a contract status and replaceability issue, more than it is a problem with the player. I like both guys.

Call me impatient all you want but you've been trying to start another rebuild for years against all logic.

I've been trying to finish this rebuild and so far the results show I was right.

Still zero Cups.

Copp, Tarasenko, Kane... all wasted assets.

 

[McRanger92]

I've been trying to finish this rebuild and so far the results show I was right.

Still zero Cups.

Copp, Tarasenko, Kane... all wasted assets.

No you just want the Rangers to be the Sabres or Red Wings. A decade of talent accumulation and zero playoff appearances. Sounds like a blast.

 

[mas0764]

No you just want the Rangers to be the Sabres or Red Wings. A decade of talent accumulation and zero playoff appearances. Sounds like a blast.

No, I want the Rangers to win Cups, and you don't do that by expensive rentals.

0/2 in attempts.

How many more tries until we learn our lesson?

We won't. Tough to dispel these ingrained myths.

Rentals. Don't. Work.

Get more cheap young assets and develop them. That's how you win.

 

[bogans]

Especially since COVID, people throw around HIPAA like it's an invincibility shield.

HIPAA laws are only bound to covered entities: doctors, medical staff, and hospitals. The covered entities list is so short, that even life insurers and worker compensation carriers are free to disclose if so inclined.

Employers, commentators, and the like are not covered entities under HIPAA. The Rangers medical staff cannot comment on Kakko (even though there is some legal grey area between being an employee of MSG, but I defer to their medical board certification), but Laviollette is free to say whatever he wants (or that Dolan and MSG internally allow).

This is incredibly incorrect, and yes, I work in this space. Employers and really just about anybody who obtains PHI (personal health information) is governed by HIPAA. This is true for all individuals who represent an employer, of which a coach like Laviolette would be a part of. I still want to know what's awry with one of my favorite players, but it is their right to keep it to themselves if that's what Kaako's camp prefers.

 

[LORDE]

Viewers are literally bombarded with gambling ads every game, every commercial break, amongst every arena and ad-space they can squeeze it into, utilizing high-profile HOF players including Gretzky and Lundqvist as willing spokesmen. Gambling issues can and will ruin peoples lives and the entire partnership is grossly out of touch.

Regardless, if you are OK with willingly pushing this addiction onto your fanbase to improve your bottom line, then there absolutely needs to be some transparency regarding injuries and oversight of it all. You can't have it both ways.

And as we know, the NHL recently levied a huge suspension for gambling, while the player and team ironically sported a Bet99 ad on their helmets.

I don't really get this... I mean ads are ads...

Alcohol, tobacco at one point... If they had Tide, Lexus, Vagasil or Pepsi on their helmets would it matter one way or the other? Are the players forced to use those brands / products only?

Gambling for players has always been against the rules... and for a damn good reason... the player can impact the game.

Who the team or league sell ads to is immaterial and agree or disagree... more & more things that could potentially "ruin peoples' lives" are getting legalized.

Wait until they have a cannabis leaf or "Magic Mushrooms" on their uni

 

[LionsHeart]

At what point is it on the player? Its year 5 for Kakko and his 3rd coaching staff. Chytil and Laf are lightyears ahead of him.

Yeah, he’s taken a noticeable step back this year. Even when he struggled to produce last year he was still creating chances, and had a respectable amount of points while playing a good 2 way game.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I didnt agree with Rosen when he said his game "falls apart" if he doesnt have confidence.

Offensively, that rings true, 100% - but the game is more than that - a lot more.

His defensive awareness and making the smart play without the puck has always been there since year 2. Thats locked in, and its almost in part the reason why he has trouble gaining confidence offensively IMO. Its also a function of where was is in the lineup with Bonino as his center in more of a checking role.

When he returns (hopefully after a conditioning stint with the Pack) he needs to be told he can make mistakes with the puck and not be afraid to gold onto it and try to make plays like he did last year. Hopefully Chytil will be with him and his mindset will be more geared towards scoring as opposed to defense.

 

[Rangerfan4life90]

No, I want the Rangers to win Cups, and you don't do that by expensive rentals.

0/2 in attempts.

How many more tries until we learn our lesson?

We won't. Tough to dispel these ingrained myths.

Rentals. Don't. Work.

Get more cheap young assets and develop them. That's how you win.

In some cases, rentals make sense. The Kane and Tank moves were fine and correct; I blame Gallant more.