Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[Beer League Sniper]

Again, major knee injury mid-season needs to be factored in here

I'd agree with you if he's ever looked fast. He's the same skater he was when he entered the league. That's pretty inexcusable for a 5th year pro. He's in his physical prime right now. He's not going to magically take a leap in that department, and the city miles he's racking up aren't going to help, either.

 

[Daves a mess]

I posted here that Laf was a " Bust" 8 times over the summer. I'm obviously a dope. So...

Kaapo Kakko-
B
U
S
T

I'm here to help.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Keep that f***ing line together already, i swear if he puts that AHLer on that line again..

 

[McRanger92]

Oddly enough, Luke Hughes, who is a great skater, barely kept up with him on that goal... To my eye, it's not that he is slow, it's CONFIDENCE. Just as it was with Lafreniere. After pre season people wee all still saying Laf was slow, as well as a ton of other negatives. Once he got his confidence he was magically quick. Is KK a speed merchant? No. But is he "slow"? Also no. He looks slow at times because he is not confident. I think he's starting to get some and that bodes well for our playoff run.

Hughes was at the end of a long shift. Im also not one of these people who think "bad" skaters cant make it in the league. I can see definite progress with Kakko. Moreso even than last year

 

[cheech70]

Crazy thing about skating is it can be improved...Last year Laf looked slow and this year he looks like a Rabbit vs a Turtle. Its confidence, fitness and a mindset.. I would like to see KK go crazy after a goal instead of an embarrassed sheepish response. After his winning score last night the bench was going nuts and KK was like oh well

 

[duhmetreE]

He's the worst skater on the roster along with Goodrow. That's not good company to be in. He has little-to-no motor either.

His stride doesn't look terrible to my eye, but he has no explosiveness and a below-average top-end speed. Agility and "bend" look ok. He needed to be focusing on this years ago, but now it's just frustrating to watch him try to move around the ice.

I'm rooting for the kid. I really am. But he needs to work on his lower-body explosiveness in a big way. I do like that he's gotten a bit nastier with his physical play, though. Instead of just letting defenders mercilessly beat up on him and just absorbing it, it looks like he's fighting back quite a bit to my eye.

 

[redwhiteandblue]

Remember that church of Kakko guy? That was creepy.

 

[duhmetreE]

Someone posted a chart Zib is performing at Brodz level this season, so that's roughly 2x Brodz, Bonino and Wennberg.

Kakko never got to play this season with Tro or Chytil as his C.

yeah that was me.

I've said it as well... He needs to play with Tro or Chytil. Someone that can carry the puck and has some speed. Wennberg is decent at it but not at Tro or Chytil level offensively

 

[bhamill]

Hughes was at the end of a long shift. Im also not one of these people who think "bad" skaters cant make it in the league. I can see definite progress with Kakko. Moreso even than last year

I honestly cant say I know how long either of them were on the ice at that point, but I CAN say Hughes couldn't get out ahead of Kakko and he is an elite skater.

 

[NYR Viper]

Wennberg's possession numbers went from:

-4.6 CF rel @ 5v5 to 0.0 CF rel @ 5v5 with the Rangers. He is playing on a better team but he's also playing with a possession monster in Kakko.

 

[Anthony5967]

Crazy thing about skating is it can be improved...Last year Laf looked slow and this year he looks like a Rabbit vs a Turtle. Its confidence, fitness and a mindset.. I would like to see KK go crazy after a goal instead of an embarrassed sheepish response. After his winning score last night the bench was going nuts and KK was like oh well

Dube, Laf's personal trainer, said they measured his lower body strength this summer before he left for camp and he was 30% stronger, hence why he is so fast and mobile below the waist. I hope Kakko does something similar. Skating is so important, and Dube said they knew his first step had to be worked on. That extra second or two is key in becoming a star versus a decent player.

 

[redwhiteandblue]

Dube, Laf's personal trainer, said they measured his lower body strength this summer before he left for camp and he was 30% stronger, hence why he is so fast and mobile below the waist. I hope Kakko does something similar. Skating is so important, and Dube said they knew his first step had to be worked on. That extra second or two is key in becoming a star versus a decent player.

Send him to the same exact guy if you ask me.

I know Kakko has been a committed offseason athlete. He was working with the trainer that Barkov and Rantanen did. I'm sure there was some good conditioning, and injuries have played a factor here, but get him with this trainer.

It worked with Laf, lets go back to the well. Maybe we can put an effort in to helping him improve his life Stateside too while he's here in the offseason. Crazy thought.

 

[Anthony5967]

Send him to the same exact guy if you ask me.

I know Kakko has been a committed offseason athlete. He was working with the trainer that Barkov and Rantanen did. I'm sure there was some good conditioning, and injuries have played a factor here, but get him with this trainer.

It worked with Laf, lets go back to the well. Maybe we can put an effort in to helping him improve his life Stateside too while he's here in the offseason. Crazy thought.

I know, and I would love for that. Or go work with Chytil and Jagr in the Czech lol.

 

[mas0764]

6 assists in 55 games. Looking like Brandon Pirri with better defensive play.

Come on man.

 

[mas0764]

I still think hes a little to hard on himself. Scores a huge game tying goal last night and barely cracked a smile because he wasnt happy with his breakaway speed haha.

Agreed.

Kakko needs a mental health professional more than anything else.

Speed skating instructor second.

...

The people shitting on him haven't learned a damn thing from Lafreniere, who looked even worse last year than Kakko did in stretches this year.

Since coming back Kakko is back to averaging nearly half a point a game like last year, all with way less deployment. Since he got his legs back when returning from injury (starting 10 days after his return from injury) he's at 0.52 ppg, all even strength.

On top of that, he's doing this all down 2 minutes per game of ice time and instead of playing with Chytil, like last year (a player who could score) he's playing with Brodzinski and Wennberg, two players who cannot score.

No shit his assists are down.

The guy is our fourth best goal scorer at 5v5 per 60. Right now. Even with his early season struggles.

Brandon Pirri with better defense. Clown take. Poster has a ridiculous agenda.

 

[mas0764]

He has been very effective but he’s still not playing at the level he was at last year

Right now? Yes he is.

Better, even.

And with less ice time and talent around him.

He is slow as molasses and a couple leg injuries' isnt going to help things. But he has found the scoring touch which is good. As he moves into his mid-20s hes going to need to be in the blue paint more because he is never going to be a speed guy.

Kreider turned into a guy that doesn't use his speed. Possible for Kakko.

 

[redwhiteandblue]

Agreed.

Kakko needs a mental health professional more than anything else.

Speed skating instructor second.

...

The people shitting on him haven't learned a damn thing from Lafreniere, who looked even worse last year than Kakko did in stretches this year.

Since coming back Kakko is back to averaging nearly half a point a game like last year, all with way less deployment. Since he got his legs back when returning from injury (starting 10 days after his return from injury) he's at 0.52 ppg, all even strength.

He's down 2 minutes per game of ice time and instead of playing with Chytil, like last year (a player who could score) he's playing with Brodzinski and Wennberg, two players who cannot score.

No shit his assists are down.

The guy is our fourth best goal scorer at 5v5 per 60. Right now. Even with his early season struggles.

Brandon Pirri with better defense. Clown take.

This is one thing I'm trying to very much appreciate. We (rightfully) pat Laf on the back for all his production being done at 5v5 but hey, he's playing with Art. I think Laf can be a line driver, perhaps almost there now, but Kakko doing what he is with less.

It's another reason I'm pulling for him to finish streaking and keeping consistent. This kid knows how much he's playing, and dealing with injury wise, pacing like this to close the year and have a good playoffs going into next year will be huge for him.

Also, would be pretty fitting if full circle in maybe 2 years or so, our legit first line is Laf-Chytil-Kakko. The CK-Mika line could still be around but that would be your 3rd line maybe? Art may even re-up here and maybe that's when he's playing with the likes of Gabe?

I don't know what that clown Lazarus was talking about with our Cup window being this year and that's it.

 

[Kodiak]

Since returning:

35 games played, 16 points.

8 points in his last 15 games.

This is after coming back form a pretty major knee/leg injury.

Playing an average of 13 minutes a game.

With multiple centers and linemates.

With elite possession and defensive numbers.

As a 23 year old.

Points aren't even telling the whole story with Kakko. He's playing with Wennberg and either Cuylle, Brodzinski, or Vesey, so he's not going to get many assists.

11 goals in 35 games since returning is a 25 goal pace.
Since the beginning of March, he's scored 6 goals in 16 games, which is a 30 goal pace, while getting very little PP time and while being the only offensive threat on his line at ES.

 

[mas0764]

This is one thing I'm trying to very much appreciate. We (rightfully) pat Laf on the back for all his production being done at 5v5 but hey, he's playing with Art. I think Laf can be a line driver, perhaps almost there now, but Kakko doing what he is with less.

It's another reason I'm pulling for him to finish streaking and keeping consistent. This kid knows how much he's playing, and dealing with injury wise, pacing like this to close the year and have a good playoffs going into next year will be huge for him.

Also, would be pretty fitting if full circle in maybe 2 years or so, our legit first line is Laf-Chytil-Kakko. The CK-Mika line could still be around but that would be your 3rd line maybe? Art may even re-up here and maybe that's when he's playing with the likes of Gabe?

I don't know what that clown Lazarus was talking about with our Cup window being this year and that's it.

Listen, Kakko has a way to go, but there is zero reason to give up on him and there is every reason to believe he is still gonna have big time improvement. He's still a better player at 22 than Chris Kreider was at that age. Obviously that's not what we wanted, but unless you are trading him for a young 1C, I don't see a reason to dump him. I still see a quality first line player developing here, though not the fortune-changing star we need (hopefully that's Perrault).

 

[bleedblue94]

Laf was a terrible skater too, as recently as this preseason. Somehow, he found another gear. Amazing what confidence can do.

Confidence made him a better skater? ha

Laf has clearly gone up a notch in his conditioning. He is playing more per game and looks less tired than ever. The kid put the work in and you can see it. He has earned his role. He is also a year younger than Kakko. At some point Kakko needs to start bearing some responsibility for Kakko the same way Laffy did for himself. I said at the time of the injury it could become a built in career reset in ways, so far he has taken advantage of it. A piece that can be missed here with conditioning is that during the summers the org cannot require the player to do certain training, they can only provide and plan and suggestions. In season that is different, and the org's stregth and conditioning people can steer the play how they want. We have seen this in the past with certain players either getting specific and direct training as part of rehab (more hidden work behind an injury) or more directly like with Buchnevic. I hope Kakko keeps progressing.

 

[GAGLine]

Confidence made him a better skater? ha

I'm not saying that was the only reason, but it's absolutely a factor.

 

[bleedblue94]

I'm not saying that was the only reason, but it's absolutely a factor.

There is no correlation to confidence improving a player's ability to skate, none.

Conversely, a player improving their skating can and will absolutely give them more confidence in their game.

 

[noncents]

There is no correlation to confidence improving a player's ability to skate, none.

Conversely, a player improving their skating can and will absolutely give them more confidence in their game.

not physical ability, but effort level.

 

[bhamill]

There is no correlation to confidence improving a player's ability to skate, none.

Conversely, a player improving their skating can and will absolutely give them more confidence in their game.

Confidence takes away hesitancy as to where you are going and what you are doing when you get there. Hesitancy slows you down. No, confidence doesn’t make you physically ABLE to skate faster, but it causes you to perform to the BEST of your ability. It’s the same with anything. He’s making better decisions not because he did some sort of training that made him smarter, but because he’s confident. Same logic. You’ll tap more of your potential in every aspect of the game when you are confident and seem slower, dumber and less skilled when you are not.

 

[mas0764]

There is no correlation to confidence improving a player's ability to skate, none.

Untrue.