Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[Crease]

Dude had a wide open lane to the net and curled right back to the corner to cycle some more. I hate his offensive game.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Hopefully he will get traded in this offseason. Im done with him.

I’ve never turned in a player more quickly than I have with Kakko.

He should be scratched. His lack of effort these playoffs has been otherworldly pathetic.

Dude had a wide open lane to the net and curled right back to the corner to cycle some more. I hate his offensive game.

He’s the Daniel Jones of the Rangers. Just that he never had a good fluke season and got overpaid for it (thank f*** we didn’t pay this loser).

 

[Black Aces]

I saw him at the WJC and WC’s. I am stunned he sucks this much.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I saw him at the WJC. I am stunned he sucks this much.

You have no clue how badly I wanted the Debbie’s to be dumb enough to take him over Hughes.

That rumor had me ROCK HARD until I was tossed into an ice bath of despair (I, too, had no clue Kakko would be so pathetic as to literally never improve a single aspect of his game from skating on up - I’ve literally never seen a player do that).

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

You have no clue how badly I wanted the Debbie’s to be dumb enough to take him over Hughes.

That rumor had me ROCK HARD until I was tossed into an ice bath of despair (I, too, had no clue Kakko would be so pathetic as to literally never improve a single aspect of his game from skating on up - I’ve literally never seen a player do that).

Hughes would have concussion problems or Barry Beck's shoulder post Patrick Flatley if he were here. He's already on his path to the later with the Devils and may not make it to 2030 in the league.

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

Kaapo is going to get traded to the Blackhawks, learn to skate, and become a 70-point player.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

Hughes would have concussion problems or Barry Beck's shoulder post Patrick Flatley if he were here. He's already on his path to the later with the Devils and may not make it to 2030 in the league.

He's still going to be a right pain in our ass until then.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

He's still going to be a right pain in our ass until then.

He will. I just don't know if they'll get a goalie in the next 3-4 years.

 

[17futurecap]

Kaapo is going to get traded to the Blackhawks, learn to skate, and become a 70-point player.

I think it will be the Sharks, the best thing for Kakko to salvage his career to have a shot as a top 6 player is to go to one of the worst teams in the league with no pressure and get plenty of minutes.

Do I think it’s going to work out? No, but it’s over for him here.

 

[HFsNumber1Heel]

I think it will be the Sharks, the best thing for Kakko to salvage his career to have a shot as a top 6 player is to go to one of the worst teams in the league with no pressure and get plenty of minutes.

Do I think it’s going to work out? No, but it’s over for him here.

I see him as a Diet Barbashev.

 

[Kiekura]

I think it will be the Sharks, the best thing for Kakko to salvage his career to have a shot as a top 6 player is to go to one of the worst teams in the league with no pressure and get plenty of minutes.

Do I think it’s going to work out? No, but it’s over for him here.

Pretty much this. Sharks would be best place for him.

He has been really freaking bad and his time in rangers is over.

 

[NickyFotiu]

He has 9 points in 44 career playoff games.

I understand. That is a bigger sample size than just the 5 Fla games.

 

[Sayba]

He can’t play against the fast team (Carolina), he can’t play against the big team (Florida). He is a tweener, not fast enough to make plays, not strong enough to cycle.

 

[RangersFan1994]

What I don’t understand is why did all the scouts project him to be a good player? Why was he selected 2ed overall? So glad they drafted Marcel Hossa with the 2ed overall pick. Couldn’t they tell that Kakko is not suited for NHL smaller ice. Maybe he needs to be in European rinks and leagues that have more space on the ice which is what he needs to succeed?

 

[NickyFotiu]

What I don’t understand is why did all the scouts project him to be a good player? Why was he selected 2ed overall? So glad they drafted Marcel Hossa with the 2ed overall pick. Couldn’t they tell that Kakko is not suited for NHL smaller ice. Maybe he needs to be in European rinks and leagues that have more space on the ice which is what he needs to succeed?

That 2019 draft was very hit or miss. It could be argued nobody in it was worthy of a #2 oa pick.

 

[will1066]

Dude had a wide open lane to the net and curled right back to the corner to cycle some more. I hate his offensive game.

I just picture Ace Ventura yelling "no one wants to play with me," then substitute Kakko going "no one wants to cycle with me."

 

[will1066]

He can’t play against the fast team (Carolina), he can’t play against the big team (Florida). He is a tweener, not fast enough to make plays, not strong enough to cycle.

There was a stretch of time where he had seemingly changed his game to not carrying the puck as much and looking to be the shooter off the pass. I don't know if he's back to not trusting his shot, but he's back to carrying the puck and looking to make plays, with the occasional wraparound attempt.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

What I don’t understand is why did all the scouts project him to be a good player? Why was he selected 2ed overall? So glad they drafted Marcel Hossa with the 2ed overall pick. Couldn’t they tell that Kakko is not suited for NHL smaller ice. Maybe he needs to be in European rinks and leagues that have more space on the ice which is what he needs to succeed?

Liiga is a moderately overrated European Pro league. Everyone lumps it in with the SHL, but it doesn't have the quality imports nor the depth. Liiga is closer to the Czech league than the SHL in terms of quality.

As a result, many very good Liiga producers (Puljujarvi, Kotkaniemi, Kakko) are believed to be NHL ready and are rushed to the league. All of them should have spent significant time in the A or even played in Liiga for another year.

 

[bleedblue94]

feel bad for him. His skating is sub-NHL level and is the sole reason he can't hack it.

How did no scouts realize this?

His puck skills and decision making on the rush are also massive issues. Some of that can be attributed to skating, speed, coordination but virtually every odd man rush that he is a part of turns to dust when he gets the puck.

Unfortunately this fits with that narrative from years ago that panarin told Quinn and Turk that he didn't want kakko on his line even though many of us looked at it and thought that kakko and his board work could be a good compliment to bread's skill

 

[LeetchisGod]

He has to go. He has no clue how to succeed in the NHL.

 

[JohnC]

I still don’t necessarily see the rush in running Kakko out of town unless he wants out.

He’s very clearly not a guy that can create offense on his own but that’s the position he’s been put in basically all year. First with Kreider and Zib who might as well have not existed this season, then with some combinations of Cuylle/Bonino/Brodzinski/Wennberg/Roslovic.

Like, I don’t think he deserves better usage, but why the f*** am I watching Alex Wennberg on the powerplay for any amount of time?

 

[TheDirtyH]

I still don’t necessarily see the rush in running Kakko out of town unless he wants out.

He’s very clearly not a guy that can create offense on his own but that’s the position he’s been put in basically all year. First with Kreider and Zib who might as well have not existed this season, then with some combinations of Cuylle/Bonino/Brodzinski/Wennberg/Roslovic.

Like, I don’t think he deserves better usage, but why the f*** am I watching Alex Wennberg on the powerplay for any amount of time?

that's my feelings too. I'd take calls on him, but I can't imagine his value is very high right now. depending on what's available for him, I'd move him, but I don't think he'd be as bad next year with Chytil as his center.

 

[SA16]

I still don’t necessarily see the rush in running Kakko out of town unless he wants out.

He’s very clearly not a guy that can create offense on his own but that’s the position he’s been put in basically all year. First with Kreider and Zib who might as well have not existed this season, then with some combinations of Cuylle/Bonino/Brodzinski/Wennberg/Roslovic.

Like, I don’t think he deserves better usage, but why the f*** am I watching Alex Wennberg on the powerplay for any amount of time?

I don't see much point in trading him. They don't have use for mid round picks right now. You're not getting a better player in FA for his salary or less. They don't have a need to open up cap space. They don't have enough cap space to trade him for a significantly better player. I doubt he has that much value. If he asks out that's a different story. I'd keep him on the team, see how the first half goes next year, and consider moving him as part of a deal for a high quality rental at the deadline.

 

[JohnC]

that's my feelings too. I'd take calls on him, but I can't imagine his value is very high right now. depending on what's available for him, I'd move him, but I don't think he'd be as bad next year with Chytil as his center.

It just seems to me like you're going to get net neutral value for him at best right now so what's the point? The team's RW depth blows so might as well keep him and see if he can bounce back from a season where he was still only 23, missed a quarter with a brutal knee injury, and then played with guys that were basically me if I could skate at an NHL level.

Seriously - I'm legit not sure I remember a single minute of Alex Wennberg's Rangers career outside of the OT winner on Sunday and he's averaging ~16 minutes a game over 34 games!

 

[DanielBrassard]

Sometimes it’s just time to move on from a player and I think that is the case with Kakko. Whether or not it makes sense to hold onto him from a value standpoint is not the same as whether both parties need a change of scenery. Kakko has been an utter failure as a Ranger, and it’s not getting any better for him. Use him in a package or to move up at the draft.