NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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The talk window may be closing. Its probably time for show me not tell me. Put the puck in the net and the window opens again.
Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko
- Thread starter Leonardo87
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noncents
Registered User
- Feb 25, 2022
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were you m demanding to trade Laf after last season and preseason this year?
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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My memory is not the best but I do not believe I ever demanded a trade of Laf (or any NYR player). I definitely wanted Laf to play better than he did in 2022-23. I definitely want KK to play better than he has in 2023-24. Were you demanding that Laf not play any better than he did in 2022-23? When Laf upped his game I was very happy to give him props for it. If KK ups his game I will be thrilled as well.
noncents
Registered User
- Feb 25, 2022
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no i was mocking arthur staple for saying "he's on his last chance with the team.. put up or shut up"
similar thing i believe about Kakko. he has not been put in a position to succeed with regards to point scoring.
theres no impetus for them to move him. hes worth more than he's being paid, he is young and has upside, and the team is winning. be patient with the player.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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I did not see or remember the Staple quote.
I am very patient with our players. I root for them all but I'm also also realistic. The NHL is a business. Players are also assets. Draft choices who do not reach expectations are sometimes traded. At some point teams have to decide on that assets future before their trade value is nothing. Sometimes it is the right move. Sometimes it is the wrong move. I personally have not pushed a KK trade. I would like nothing more than to see KK play very well. We all benefit if he does. He seems like a good guy so no reason not to root for him.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
What is Kakko doing well other than controlling the puck along the boards? Dude does nothing out there half the time. Just coasts around.
One of the most disappointing draft picks of all time. His aloofness makes it even more infuriating.
I was hoping he’d have some sort of breakout in the playoffs but it’s pretty obvious he is what he is. Dude was basically a finished product at 18. Just wild to see almost zero development.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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If I was his agent one thing I would stress is to start shooting the puck. The game isnt simple but I think if KK could just start shooting the puck good things could increase. Most games he is around 1 shot. Hard to score more than 1 goal if you only shoot once.
HockeyBasedNYC
Feeling it
Let’s go Kakko
Believe
Believe
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
He also needs to skate better. He has ONE SPEED. That's it. He has no burst. He is like a single speed bike.
He's like a CVT-based car, basically. I've never seen another player so devoid of extra gears.
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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Only way to add speed today is just hustle hard and in a couple of shifts he has so far.
He wasn’t great (although nice stick lift on the gwg), but I can easily name 10 guys who were WAYYYYYYYY worse.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
I don't think that's really the point. Other players are not Kakko. I get what you're saying, but we can evaluate him without having to point to others that are better or worse, ya know?
NickyFotiu
NYR 2024 Cup Champs!
- Sep 29, 2011
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I was okay with KK's game today but if I'm Peca I bring him to the film room on Monday. I say look at your good play with speed behind the net. Instead of going to the point you see how much room you had to drive right to the net? During the game sometimes guys feel closer to you than they are. That was the only major change I would make for KK today.
LionsHeart
Registered User
SeanAveryTheGreatOne
Registered User
- Jul 4, 2021
- 744
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Glad to see him getting his roses in here. I can't understand the r-words who hate on this guy everytime he gets played.
Jauffre
Registered Grandmaster
He does like one or two nice looking things per game and then you don't see anything afterward. I truly believe half of it is confidence issues, the other half being a combo of poor skating, shooting, and lowish hockey smarts.
I bring the following up ad nauseam so I apologize in advance, but he literally uses the shortest stick in the league - hasn't changed it since he was a kid. He needs to up his flex too, this will help with his shot and his board battles immensely. The "it's a preference" thing only goes so far. Players are using longer sticks these days. There's a reason the Bedards of the world use longer sticks. Bedard's world class shot would not have developed with a collarbone height stick. Yeah Kakko's short stick helps him weave around in tight, but it's detrimental to every other part of his game. The hockey smarts are more or less crystalized, approach or mindset may open something up in that area, but it's not super likely. His skating and shooting can and must improve though.
Loved seeing his reaction on the GWG. We all love the kid and want the best for him.
I bring the following up ad nauseam so I apologize in advance, but he literally uses the shortest stick in the league - hasn't changed it since he was a kid. He needs to up his flex too, this will help with his shot and his board battles immensely. The "it's a preference" thing only goes so far. Players are using longer sticks these days. There's a reason the Bedards of the world use longer sticks. Bedard's world class shot would not have developed with a collarbone height stick. Yeah Kakko's short stick helps him weave around in tight, but it's detrimental to every other part of his game. The hockey smarts are more or less crystalized, approach or mindset may open something up in that area, but it's not super likely. His skating and shooting can and must improve though.
Loved seeing his reaction on the GWG. We all love the kid and want the best for him.
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not much except some people were ready to throw in the towel with Laf like they are ready to do with KK. That was my point
Except they're different players. Just because it worked for Laf doesn't mean it'll work for KK.
every player is different thats self evident. patience with talent is a good montra
pld459666
Registered User
I expect the Rangers to use Kakko and our 1st to move up in the draft
Allows Dolan to make the splash he wants at his shpere.
Allows Dolan to make the splash he wants at his shpere.
- Jan 18, 2012
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I wouldn’t move Kakko
He really does need to play with talent though. He’s a compliment winger imo
You look at a guy like Mark Stone, he produces 30-40pts 5v5. Kakko had an off year but he also was playing with bad centers for a large portion of the season. He needs a Tro or Chytil imo.
Hopefully he can work hard this offseason and improve his first few steps which will go a long way
He really does need to play with talent though. He’s a compliment winger imo
You look at a guy like Mark Stone, he produces 30-40pts 5v5. Kakko had an off year but he also was playing with bad centers for a large portion of the season. He needs a Tro or Chytil imo.
Hopefully he can work hard this offseason and improve his first few steps which will go a long way
PuckLuck3043
Stairway To Heaven
Whether to trade Kakko or not is a tough call. He's had a rough season with the injury and just not being productive, also been scratched in the playoffs. He still has size and some skill and he plays RW which is a position of need. He is just an enigma. I'm torn on what they do with the guy. I think the chances are better than 50/50 he is a piece in a hockey trade this summer.
Think he needs a bigger role to ever be a good fit. It is just a different job description between (a) a role where you have to do as much as possible with little to work with and (b) be someone that plays with the puck on his stick on the PP, on a scoring line with more regular ice time, and so forth.
He can definitely take steps on a 3rd or 4th line, but if we are waiting for him to set the world on fire 5 on 5 in a smaller role we are waiting in vain. But that doesn't mean that he couldn't break out -- if he improved as much as he can and also gets a bigger role. Kakko is 23, history is full of examples of players who had done very little at the age of 23, in leagues below the NHL, that then break out later on.
What I think is the most problematic is that while Kakko of course has a lot of natural talent, there is always a risk that if a player like him plays in a smaller role for several years, when they get a shot in a bigger role they are not just prepared to take it on, while another 24 y/o who had played outside of the NHL running a PP every game might be able to do it better.
Hunter Gathers
The Crown
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