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Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

GoAwayPanarin said:
Probably.

Kakko always needed to play with more "grindy" players though. Cuylle fits the bill.

Chytil was the only guy on the team who excelled on the rush and on the cycle. He would have carried the transition load and would have fit in seamlessly.
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They would have been a good fit and they proved in tough competition in the 2022 playoffs. Glad Cuylle seems to have made up for that a bit even if he is a winger and not a center.
 
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Still sucks seeing this guy on the third line when Blake Wheeler's corpse is on the first line. I wish KK had good chemistry with Mika and CK. I wish that square could be forced through that round hole.
 
SeanAveryTheGreatOne said:
Still sucks seeing this guy on the third line when Blake Wheeler's corpse is on the first line. I wish KK had good chemistry with Mika and CK. I wish that square could be forced through that round hole.
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Bro… timing. I do not recommend watching the wheeler injury vid. At 38 his career is probably over.

Anyway i mostly came to the thread ti read everyone else talk aboit kakko.
 
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SeanAveryTheGreatOne said:
Still sucks seeing this guy on the third line when Blake Wheeler's corpse is on the first line. I wish KK had good chemistry with Mika and CK. I wish that square could be forced through that round hole.
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Chemistry really is crucial. It was evident already in pre-season that Cuylle and Kakko fit together. Same as we knew that the natural fit with Kreider and Zib just isn't there.

Kakko kind of looks like a rookie again in the sense he is re-inventing his game for the better. He needs to fix his forward stride basically (his current blade profile clearly doesn't work for speed) and then he'll be off to the races.
 
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I didn't understand why Kakko and Cuylle weren't attached at the hip after training camp. If you go back and watch the games they played together they were reading each other very well. Both big guys who do different things but they see the game similarly. Own the boards, out-work the opponent, get pucks to the net.

You can tell his confidence is coming around. He's making open ice moves and carrying guys on his back as he circles the offensive zone.

What's oddly wild is that Brodzinski, for all his warts, is actually a good center for him. Chytil was as well. Those guys are unique on this team because they know what to do when they don't have the puck in the offensive zone and how to get open.

Zibanejad has turned himself into mainly a rush player and in the offensive zone he wants to be the distributor. Trochek is a puck hound who is around the net.

What Kakko appears to thrive with is a guy who can read what he is doing in the corner or behind the net, allow the defense to get sucked to Kakko when he has the puck and then find open ice. Look back at Chytil's goals that were assisted by Kakko. Or Lafreniere for that matter. The defenders stare at Kakko who has the puck for 5 seconds and they find a small patch of open ice which Kakko feeds for a glorious chance. That's his game.

It doesn't work when playing with guys who need the puck all the time. See Panarin and Zibanejad. Cuylle doesn't play that way. He's a 'go get it and move it' guy.
 
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NYR Viper said:
I didn't understand why Kakko and Cuylle weren't attached at the hip after training camp. If you go back and watch the games they played together they were reading each other very well. Both big guys who do different things but they see the game similarly. Own the boards, out-work the opponent, get pucks to the net.

You can tell his confidence is coming around. He's making open ice moves and carrying guys on his back as he circles the offensive zone.

What's oddly wild is that Brodzinski, for all his warts, is actually a good center for him. Chytil was as well. Those guys are unique on this team because they know what to do when they don't have the puck in the offensive zone and how to get open.

Zibanejad has turned himself into mainly a rush player and in the offensive zone he wants to be the distributor. Trochek is a puck hound who is around the net.

What Kakko appears to thrive with is a guy who can read what he is doing in the corner or behind the net, allow the defense to get sucked to Kakko when he has the puck and then find open ice. Look back at Chytil's goals that were assisted by Kakko. Or Lafreniere for that matter. The defenders stare at Kakko who has the puck for 5 seconds and they find a small patch of open ice which Kakko feeds for a glorious chance. That's his game.

It doesn't work when playing with guys who need the puck all the time. See Panarin and Zibanejad. Cuylle doesn't play that way. He's a 'go get it and move it' guy.
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Correct. Agree 100%
 
NYR Viper said:
I didn't understand why Kakko and Cuylle weren't attached at the hip after training camp. If you go back and watch the games they played together they were reading each other very well. Both big guys who do different things but they see the game similarly. Own the boards, out-work the opponent, get pucks to the net.

You can tell his confidence is coming around. He's making open ice moves and carrying guys on his back as he circles the offensive zone.

What's oddly wild is that Brodzinski, for all his warts, is actually a good center for him. Chytil was as well. Those guys are unique on this team because they know what to do when they don't have the puck in the offensive zone and how to get open.

Zibanejad has turned himself into mainly a rush player and in the offensive zone he wants to be the distributor. Trochek is a puck hound who is around the net.

What Kakko appears to thrive with is a guy who can read what he is doing in the corner or behind the net, allow the defense to get sucked to Kakko when he has the puck and then find open ice. Look back at Chytil's goals that were assisted by Kakko. Or Lafreniere for that matter. The defenders stare at Kakko who has the puck for 5 seconds and they find a small patch of open ice which Kakko feeds for a glorious chance. That's his game.

It doesn't work when playing with guys who need the puck all the time. See Panarin and Zibanejad. Cuylle doesn't play that way. He's a 'go get it and move it' guy.
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Said similar things a few pages back about Brodz. He’s a skater into space and busts his ass back. That helps create a little space for the other two.

Ideally Chytil would be between them. But maybe the move is finding a similar skating Center to put between Kakko and Cuylle so you can leave that winger combo together.

But until then someone will need to move into Wheelers spot, likely from that 3rd line, right?
 
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HockeyBasedNYC said:
Said similar things a few pages back about Brodz. He’s a skater into space and busts his ass back. That helps create a little space for the other two.

Ideally Chytil would be between them. But maybe the move is finding a similar skating Center to put between Kakko and Cuylle so you can leave that winger combo together.

But until then someone will need to move into Wheelers spot, likely from that 3rd line, right?
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I think it's Vesey. He fits there and he has chemistry with those guys. Then back-fill the 4th line
 
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HockeyBasedNYC said:
If Wheeler is out longterm, gotta think that pretty much prevents the Rangers from moving Kakko no?

Regardless, nice goal and a 3rd assist
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LOL don't shoot the messenger but I just realized you meant a not real "3rd assist" on a goal last night. When I first read your post I thought you meant 3rd assist on the season which he actually got in previous game vs Calgary. :D
 
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NYR Viper said:
I didn't understand why Kakko and Cuylle weren't attached at the hip after training camp. If you go back and watch the games they played together they were reading each other very well. Both big guys who do different things but they see the game similarly. Own the boards, out-work the opponent, get pucks to the net.

You can tell his confidence is coming around. He's making open ice moves and carrying guys on his back as he circles the offensive zone.

What's oddly wild is that Brodzinski, for all his warts, is actually a good center for him. Chytil was as well. Those guys are unique on this team because they know what to do when they don't have the puck in the offensive zone and how to get open.

Zibanejad has turned himself into mainly a rush player and in the offensive zone he wants to be the distributor. Trochek is a puck hound who is around the net.

What Kakko appears to thrive with is a guy who can read what he is doing in the corner or behind the net, allow the defense to get sucked to Kakko when he has the puck and then find open ice. Look back at Chytil's goals that were assisted by Kakko. Or Lafreniere for that matter. The defenders stare at Kakko who has the puck for 5 seconds and they find a small patch of open ice which Kakko feeds for a glorious chance. That's his game.

It doesn't work when playing with guys who need the puck all the time. See Panarin and Zibanejad. Cuylle doesn't play that way. He's a 'go get it and move it' guy.
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Great post 👍
 
NYR Viper said:
Tale of 2 seasons:

First 20 games before injury
3 points in 20 games
All even strength

Next 13 games since returning from injury
6 points in 13 games
All even strength and 5v5
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When you look at the context, it's not hard to understand why Kakko didn't produce earlier.

These are the kinds of situations we should be looking for with other teams. Find the guy who is capable of producing in the right situation, but is currently in the wrong situation, then put him in the right situation. If we are smart, we'll get a much better bang for our buck.
 
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HockeyBasedNYC said:
Quietly on a 3 game point streak and points in 5 out of the last 7

3G, 2A, 5P +4
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He does that, I don't want to say "a lot," but relatively consistently throughout his career. He'll have 6, 8, 10 game hot streaks.

What he needs to do is eliminate the the 5-7 game pointless streaks he goes on (Laf needs to do this too).

Of course that's very hard to do when you aren't on the power play. You don't get those free 30% point boosts, but, if you are going to be a high-end offensive talent you can't go cold for as long as Laf and Kakko do.

Kakko went cold for 20 games to start this season. He has to find a way to drive his line, can't just let it go that cold.

That's how you turn a 40 point no-power play season into a 55 point no-power play season.
 
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mas0764 said:
He does that, I don't want to say "a lot," but relatively consistently throughout his career. He'll have 6, 8, 10 game hot streaks.

What he needs to do is eliminate the the 5-7 game pointless streaks he goes on (Laf needs to do this too).

Of course that's very hard to do when you aren't on the power play. You don't get those free 30% point boosts, but, if you are going to be a high-end offensive talent you can't go cold for as long as Laf and Kakko do.

Kakko went cold for 20 games to start this season. He has to find a way to drive his line, can't just let it go that cold.

That's how you turn a 40 point no-power play season into a 55 point no-power play season.
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Been saying that for months.

Its hard to measure the affect PP1 time has on a forward. It definitely helps not tailspinning into a cold streak and the added production can keep your confidence afloat 5on5. For a young player like Kakko this means a lot.

We see the boost of confidence a goal or even a big assist can give a player. Getting on the scoresheet is important for any forward at any level and if you look at Mika in particular, without the PP we are looking at what was like what, 20 games without an even strength goal? Without PP time he might be feeling the pressure mounting, pressing for something, anything, and yet still over passing.
 
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mas0764 said:
He does that, I don't want to say "a lot," but relatively consistently throughout his career. He'll have 6, 8, 10 game hot streaks.

What he needs to do is eliminate the the 5-7 game pointless streaks he goes on (Laf needs to do this too).

Of course that's very hard to do when you aren't on the power play. You don't get those free 30% point boosts, but, if you are going to be a high-end offensive talent you can't go cold for as long as Laf and Kakko do.

Kakko went cold for 20 games to start this season. He has to find a way to drive his line, can't just let it go that cold.

That's how you turn a 40 point no-power play season into a 55 point no-power play season.
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I feel like if Mika was B- instead of D+ over that stretch, we would think very differently about Kakko's start to the year.
 
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NYR Viper said:
I didn't understand why Kakko and Cuylle weren't attached at the hip after training camp. If you go back and watch the games they played together they were reading each other very well. Both big guys who do different things but they see the game similarly. Own the boards, out-work the opponent, get pucks to the net.

You can tell his confidence is coming around. He's making open ice moves and carrying guys on his back as he circles the offensive zone.

What's oddly wild is that Brodzinski, for all his warts, is actually a good center for him. Chytil was as well. Those guys are unique on this team because they know what to do when they don't have the puck in the offensive zone and how to get open.

Zibanejad has turned himself into mainly a rush player and in the offensive zone he wants to be the distributor. Trochek is a puck hound who is around the net.

What Kakko appears to thrive with is a guy who can read what he is doing in the corner or behind the net, allow the defense to get sucked to Kakko when he has the puck and then find open ice. Look back at Chytil's goals that were assisted by Kakko. Or Lafreniere for that matter. The defenders stare at Kakko who has the puck for 5 seconds and they find a small patch of open ice which Kakko feeds for a glorious chance. That's his game.

It doesn't work when playing with guys who need the puck all the time. See Panarin and Zibanejad. Cuylle doesn't play that way. He's a 'go get it and move it' guy.
Click to expand...

After reading this my first thought was that Kakko would be perfect fit for Laine who is best used in a role where he can find the open space instead of grinding the boards.
 
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