Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[bhamill]

Ok so can we agree no more excuses for Kakko when he comes back? I want it to work out for the guy but contract 3 is coming. Time to do something and not blame linemates or coaches. It shouldnt be too much to ask.

I think there is a difference between patience and excuses. When he comes back he is STILL going to be a 22 year old who isn't anywhere near done developing.
Contract 3 will have a QO of a whopping 2.4 million, I am not worried about that in the least. If he plays better he'll get a better contract, if not he'll have to settle for a 1 year "prove it contract" close to his QO.

 

[NYR Viper]

It's not an excuse, it's a fact, the kid is coming back from a major leg injury and returning to a team in the middle of a season. If the expectation is for him to hit the ground running and be in stride with the entire team and all of their competition I think that's a bad assumption. It's going to take him a bit to get going. That's normal for any player unless they're McDavid

 

[Peltz]

Define excuses?
Hockey is a team game, if your linemates to start the season are absolutely terrible, you’re not gonna do much unless you do everything yourself.
Kakko was fine before he got hurt, it was very clear everyone understood Kakko being moved down was because they wanted to try and get Mika and Ck going, not because wheeler deserves the spot and not because Kakko hadn’t been a top line player.

This narrative that he was “bad” to start the season is just wrong.
He could’ve easily had 10 pts before he got hurt if Kreider or Mika could bury gimme goals earlier in the year.

Agreed. I liked Kaki's game on the first line. He did sorta fade on the third line this year. But that's normal growing pains for a young player.

Kakko has shown glimpses of the player he can be several times in the past 2-3 years and I hope he gets the opportunities to put it all together on the top line before playoff time.

I hope he gets extended regardless of the rest of his regular season play.

 

[OthmannOut]

Would really like for him to get constant PK time.

 

[Cuckoo4Kakko]

You do realize that in his entire career fast has never put up more than 34 points, which he did at age 30. Kakko put up 40 points at age 21.
I get that people want to hate on kakko because he had a slow start to the season, but lets be clear, if anything Kakko is a bigger, better version of fast.
Kakko isn't soft, he has a game that is designed for the playoffs and isn't afraid to go to the net. These are literally things we cried for the past decade. He doesn't throw body hits often but that doesn't mean he's a soft player...

People saw him get knocked down a few times before he got hurt and said he was soft. He got knocked down a bunch because he was willing to give up his body to try and make a play. Literally the opposite of being soft. I can't think of how many times Kreider lets a puck go by to not take a hit. Kakko isn't soft. He needs to score more. Hopefully he does. At the very least our defense should improve.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

It's not an excuse, it's a fact, the kid is coming back from a major leg injury and returning to a team in the middle of a season. If the expectation is for him to hit the ground running and be in stride with the entire team and all of their competition I think that's a bad assumption. It's going to take him a bit to get going. That's normal for any player unless they're McDavid

Even Fox has had some major ups and downs trying to relocate his game.

And from the looks of it, Kakko's injury was worse

 

[bhamill]

Wat?

 

[Harbour Dog]

1) Kakko returns, team defense stabilizes, and we stop leaking so many high quality chances against.
2) We win more games.
3) In a few weeks that correlation is forgotten/ignored.
4) Vocal minority returns to shitting on Kakko for his point totals.
5) Proposals involving Kakko for one-dimensional offensive rentals start popping up again.

 

[IDvsEGO]

1) Kakko returns, team defense stabilizes, and we stop leaking so many high quality chances against.
2) We win more games.
3) In a few weeks that correlation is forgotten/ignored.
4) Vocal minority returns to shitting on Kakko for his point totals.
5) Proposals involving Kakko for one-dimensional offensive rentals start popping up again.

you got lotto numbers too? Because yeah.

 

[GAGLine]

1) Kakko returns, team defense stabilizes, and we stop leaking so many high quality chances against.
2) We win more games.
3) In a few weeks that correlation is forgotten/ignored.
4) Vocal minority returns to shitting on Kakko for his point totals.
5) Proposals involving Kakko for one-dimensional offensive rentals start popping up again.

 

[will1066]

Yeah. I’ve been here a WHILE, but that one got me. Hahahaha.

You also need to look at today's GDT for more.

 

[bhamill]

You also need to look at today's GDT for more.

Good gravy.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

What a difference with Kakko in the lineup.

Two strong top lines with no Wheeler up top helps solidify the lineup.

Period and a half in and already several instances where Kakkos presence has helped the neutral zone play and stopping breakouts

 

[haohmaru]

Kakko makes a huge difference in the look of this team. Thank god he’s back. Don’t care about the 3 points.

 

[Cuckoo4Kakko]

At some point we realize that even Panarin can’t make Mika and Kreider work. If Kakko here isn’t a fix, Wheeler isn’t the answer. Splitting the BFF’s is.

 

[Whoot Whoot]

That grinding possession shift in the first he had made me feel a little better about myself.

 

[Blasds]

Clearly, he's a talented forward. The forward stepped onto the ice and the defense needs to improve. Funny.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I am sure that everything will be fine without Kakko and the team will play even better than with him.

Just to update the records since this was such a fantastic comment:

With Kakko before injury: 15-3-1
Without Kakko: 11-10-1
Since Kakko's return: 1-0-0

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

I thought he played great for a first game back. I think he's the type of guy who you don't realize you miss until he isn't there. He's not putting up points, but he's helping the team. He deserves lots of 5 on 5 time and I think he should be with Mika and someone else other than Kreider.

 

[TopShelfSnipes]

He played well for the first game back, but hot damn. Some of the takes in here making it seem like he's vintage Bob Gainey or that they're going to rename the Selke after him someday because he apparently singlehandedly turned Igor into a real goalie yesterday.

At some point he's got to start taking the puck to the net and putting up points. Yesterday was a good first step in his return, but I want to see him get a little meaner, make a little more space, improve his upper body strength, and force D to take penalties to contain him. No matter how strong he is on the puck, if he sticks to the perimeter, he's never going to put up meaningful points totals in this league, no matter how good he looks along the wall.

And FFS yeet the bromance into the sun at even strength already.

10-16-13
20-22-24
50-93-26
21-12-17 (for literally 5 minutes a night, and not a second more)

 

[McRanger92]

Thought he looked good. Threw some nice hits. That got him in the game. Good chances(that didn’t go in obviously lol) Still has to move his feet more but I guess that’s hard when you’re playing with the two ballerinas on the top line

 

[will1066]

He played well for the first game back, but hot damn. Some of the takes in here making it seem like he's vintage Bob Gainey or that they're going to rename the Selke after him someday because he apparently singlehandedly turned Igor into a real goalie yesterday.

At some point he's got to start taking the puck to the net and putting up points. Yesterday was a good first step in his return, but I want to see him get a little meaner, make a little more space, improve his upper body strength, and force D to take penalties to contain him. No matter how strong he is on the puck, if he sticks to the perimeter, he's never going to put up meaningful points totals in this league, no matter how good he looks along the wall.

It's true. Laf has earned the trust of Panarin and Trocheck to carry the puck. And he has the confidence to do it. Kakko isn't at that point yet with Zib and Kreider. I watched him, and he's doing the support thing on the walls and standing in front of the net while Kreider and Zib attempt to make things happen.

 

[TheDirtyH]

It's true. Laf has earned the trust of Panarin and Trocheck to carry the puck. And he has the confidence to do it. Kakko isn't at that point yet with Zib and Kreider. I watched him, and he's doing the support thing on the walls and standing in front of the net while Kreider and Zib attempt to make things happen.

He and Zibanejad are perfect foils of each other. Zibanejad is either giving the puck away or scoring, kakko is either stealing the puck or not scoring.

 

[Rongomania]

It takes a minute to get back up to game speed, I thought he played a great game for being out for 21 games. The key is just sticking with him and stopping the constant yo-yo-ing of the kid. I like that Lav threw him back up top right away. It was the right move, now stick with it or hopefully fil comes back then the real lineup can occur:

Cuylle - Zib - Kak
Bread - Chytil - Laf
Kreids - Troch - (hopefully a deadline upgrade)
(The rest of the solid grab bag of options, insert here).

 

[Cuckoo4Kakko]

It takes a minute to get back up to game speed, I thought he played a great game for being out for 21 games. The key is just sticking with him and stopping the constant yo-yo-ing of the kid. I like that Lav threw him back up top right away. It was the right move, now stick with it or hopefully fil comes back then the real lineup can occur:

Cuylle - Zib - Kak
Bread - Chytil - Laf
Kreids - Troch - (hopefully a deadline upgrade)
(The rest of the solid grab bag of options, insert here).

Swap Troch and Chytil. That line has earned staying together.