Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[McRanger92]

His issue is confidence because of the coaching. Both coaches yanked him quickly from great usage despite underlying numbers and process being great.


Gee wonder why.

Imagine you’re Kakko - finally get the great usage you’ve been wanting and are holding the stick a little tight, but still dominating the chances battle and have been unlucky with lines piss poor shot %. Coach pulls you off in favor of a boomer everyone can tell is wayyyyy past his prime and your relegated back to a checking line that’s barely NHL caliber.

No wonder he has no confidence.

“Theory alone can only take you so far”

 

[FlyguyOX]

“Theory alone can only take you so far”

Other teams with top prospects know that it’s worth it to let the player go through early career lulls to ultimately help them reach their potential. Rangers have never had the tolerance for it despite his lines when he’s high up still dominating chances

 

[LOFIN]

It’s widely reported he trains with Rantanen and Lehkonen, no? Which is surprising because he plays nothing like them

He does, but individual training is still individual training. Is he having the right type of skating coaching for an example? And that's on himself and his agent, but I think also somewhat on the team for not pushing the issue.

 

[McRanger92]

Other teams with top prospects know that it’s worth it to let the player go through early career lulls to ultimately help them reach their potential. Rangers have never had the tolerance for it despite his lines when he’s high up still dominating chances

Good thing we’re better than those other teams

 

[FlyguyOX]

JT Miller took off with better usage too.

 

[TheGortonConspiracy]

 

[hardnosed]

Fox returned before Fil. Probably see KK before Fil too.

 

[TheGortonConspiracy]

Real good sign that he's skating, means ACL and MCL are intact.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

It was a leg injury, no?

If he’s already skating that’s extremely good news. It doesn’t means he’s back next week, but we’re probably not month-to-month anymore.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Wow, I wasn't expecting to hear about him skating for like another month. That's great news!

 

[LOFIN]

It was a leg injury, no?

If he’s already skating that’s extremely good news. It doesn’t means he’s back next week, but we’re probably not month-to-month anymore.

I think we still are. Not exactly comparable, but it took Patrick Kane almost exactly two months to sign a contract with the Red Wings after he was first publicly acknowledged to be skating (which means he could've been doing it earlier already). It can still take months to be in playing form, but the good news is that he feels comfortable skating at all.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

come back soon so we can trade you

 

[SA16]

I think we still are. Not exactly comparable, but it took Patrick Kane almost exactly two months to sign a contract with the Red Wings after he was first publicly acknowledged to be skating (which means he could've been doing it earlier already). It can still take months to be in playing form, but the good news is that he feels comfortable skating at all.

Patrick Kane was recovering from surgery. Kaapo Kakko is not.

 

[LOFIN]

Patrick Kane was recovering from surgery. Kaapo Kakko is not.

Sure. But just because you can walk doesn't mean you can run. Same thing with skating, just because you can move on the ice and do some drills doesn't mean you can actually push hard.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Sure. But just because you can walk doesn't mean you can run. Same thing with skating, just because you can move on the ice and do some drills doesn't mean you can actually push hard.

There is a massive difference between coming off of hip resurfacing and recovering from what ever Kakko has going on.

The Kane thing doesn't hold weight. Its like the OP said, him skating doesn't mean that he's a week (or even 2) away, but the reports him of being back post ASB are probably bang on. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's basically ready right before they're off for a week but they give him the extra days just to make sure he's completely healed.

 

[LOFIN]

There is a massive difference between coming off of hip resurfacing and recovering from what ever Kakko has going on.

The Kane thing doesn't hold weight. Its like the OP said, him skating doesn't mean that he's a week (or even 2) away, but the reports him of being back post ASB are probably bang on. I wouldn't be at all surprised if he's basically ready right before they're off for a week but they give him the extra days just to make sure he's completely healed.

I guess we just have a slight misunderstanding here, because I would consider post ASB to be "month-to-month"

 

[TheGortonConspiracy]

Fox returned before Fil. Probably see KK before Fil too.

Hope Fil is improving

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

JT Miller took off with better usage too.

JT Miller took off after two trades in 16 months, which were a wake-up call according to himself. Especially the 2nd trade was a reality check for him. He still played 4th line minutes from time to time because he broke curfew, showed up late to practice and had an overall disinterested stance towards coaching.

He figured it out, but by his own accord, it was his own attitude that was the issue. That's one player where I don't necessarily fault the Rangers despite their overall action (or inaction) caused the shitty track record we had for almost 2 decades.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Great news!!!! Much sooner than I thought.

 

[NYR Viper]

Kakko is skating today at practice in red which I believe is non-contact. Another good step

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Great news.

Maybe hell be back before the all-star break.

Gotta think hes got a good chance. Its 4 weeks away

 

[McRanger92]

Great news.

Maybe hell be back before the all-star break.

Gotta think hes got a good chance. Its 4 weeks away

Lavi said hed been skating on his own for a couple weeks. I wouldnt be shocked to see him back next week. The Rangers standard procedure seems to be that players only start skating with the team when they are close to returning.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Lavi said hed been skating on his own for a couple weeks. I wouldnt be shocked to see him back next week. The Rangers standard procedure seems to be that players only start skating with the team when they are close to returning.

One week red, one week normal.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Lavi said hed been skating on his own for a couple weeks. I wouldnt be shocked to see him back next week. The Rangers standard procedure seems to be that players only start skating with the team when they are close to returning.

Yeah. Similar to Fox. I think he had the red on in practice for less than a week and then he was in.

Maybe the 14th or 16th before the next trip out west.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I would love for them to start transitioning Kakko into a real lock-down defender. I do not think the offense is going to come around; why not try and expand the already solid aspects of his game? Mainly defense and puck control. Have him be a cycling God that you throw out there against the top line.

40-45 points with lock-down defense is at least a valuable player to keep around.