Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[UnSandvich]

Points schmoints. None of those guys are needle movers at the point in their career they became Rangers (Tarasenko was the closest but we screwed that with how we used Kane). Congrats to them on being productive in big roles on the worst teams in the league though.

Gotcha, so you have no actual ground to stand on, cool. Have a good day friend.

 

[Atax]

Did you want Vatrano back at the deadline? I sure as hell didnt. He's the triggerman on the Ducks top powerplay, of course he is putting up points. He sucks 5v5 too.

Had twice as many goals at ES than Mika.

Gotcha, so you have no actual ground to stand on, cool. Have a good day friend.

Its just constant excuses man.

 

[McRanger92]

Gotcha, so you have no actual ground to stand on, cool. Have a good day friend.

If points are so important why dont we care that Mika has been a PPG player since the covid year? I just want to know where the goalposts are today.

 

[JCProdigy]

Im not a GM so i dont know, but several "reclamation project" trades are made every season.

Kakko isnt even in that group. He's 23 years old.

I think several teams would take flyer on a 2.4m deal for a guy with size, plays great defense and has the ability to top 40 points if put with the right linemates.

The issue is the return. To make it worth it for the Rangers it would likely be in a package deal, maybe to move up in the 1st round or something or bring in a top 6 piece to help win a Cup.

But for me personally, for what he provides and at that Cap hit I stick with the kid.

There's a certain franchise that gave up a 2nd and meh prospect for a 24yo former 4th OA pick who had disappointed up to that point in his career. They are about to win a Stanley Cup with him as part of their core. Oh, also did similar with a 25yo former 2nd OA draft pick.

 

[McRanger92]

There's a certain franchise that gave up a 2nd and meh prospect for a 24yo former 4th OA pick who had disappointed up to that point in his career. They are about to win a Stanley Cup with him as part of their core. Oh, also did similar with a 25yo former 2nd OA draft pick.

Fair point here. Change of scenery is sometimes what's needed for guys like that though.

 

[JCProdigy]

Fair point here. Change of scenery is sometimes what's needed for guys like that though.

Not good for the franchises that traded them though that they needed that change of scenery. Points to bigger issues within those franchises. Blueprints of the Flames and Sabres aren't one's I'd want to follow. Oof. (btw this thought is separate from the Kakko discussion as a player)

 

[will1066]

I guess “Do Something, Kakko” isn’t getting renewed

There was a show in development called Who Can Score With Kakko? It was supposed to be a reality show where Kaapo was an eligible but shy bachelor whose busy schedule in hockey prevented him from pursuing romance. He was to pick from 7 eligible women and then it got leaked that he has a girlfriend back in Finland and the show got nixed.

Luckily, episode 8 of Do Something, Kakko focusing on Alexis finally getting the right blender was actually a backdoor pilot to his own spinoff show, Lafreniere!

 

[McRanger92]

Not good for the franchises that traded them though that they needed that change of scenery. Points to bigger issues within those franchises. Blueprints of the Flames and Sabres aren't one's I'd want to follow. Oof. (btw this thought is separate from the Kakko discussion as a player)

Agreed. I know among the perpetual rebuild folks Drury gets a bad rap with how hes handled young player sbut from my vantage point he has done a lot to try to facilitate opportunity for Kakko. They havent added to the top 6 on the wing in years hoping someone would grab it. He fired Gallant because of how he was handling the room, and they held Kakko this deadline when they probably couldve had Guentzel. I dont think the GM wants to trade him, and he definitely doesnt want to trade him for anything less than a major upgrade. Probably a good strategy even if Im not a fan of Kakko.

 

[RangersFan1994]

If he is not dealt at the draft I will be shocked. I bet he is used to move up in the draft to get more quality prospects.

 

[McRanger92]

If he is not dealt at the draft I will be shocked. I bet he is used to move up in the draft to get more quality prospects.

If Drury is looking to make trades for futures now, he'll be looking for new employment next summer.

 

[LOFIN]

If Drury is looking to make trades for futures now, he'll be looking for new employment next summer.

Agreed. If Kakko is moved, it's for immediate help or assets that are used in a trade that's already agreed upon to bring in help. They are perfectly fine with giving Kakko another shot if nothing interesting is out there.

 

[McRanger92]

Agreed. If Kakko is moved, it's for immediate help or assets that are used in a trade that's already agreed upon to bring in help. They are perfectly fine with giving Kakko another shot if nothing interesting is out there.

Yeah I mean people need to understand the stage we are in right now. Laf and Igor are 8 mil on the cap right now. If things go how we expect that will in all likelihood jump to 20mil next year. I know they cap is on the rise but this is a go for it summer.

 

[kovazub94]

Other teams knew how much he would cost, he didn't need to be signed for that. EF was running out of ideas to fill up his 32.

You’re wrong. EF is right. IMO this makes Kakko trade in the offseason even more likely than before.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

You’re wrong. EF is right. IMO this makes Kakko trade in the offseason even more likely than before.

 

[LOFIN]

You’re wrong. EF is right. IMO this makes Kakko trade in the offseason even more likely than before.

Meh. My only takeaway from this signing is that both parties are on the same page. It could mean it in terms of him staying, or him going. Can't say that for certain.

 

[mas0764]

Fair point here. Change of scenery is sometimes what's needed for guys like that though.

Or just patience and a different approach.

 

[Overcast]

Delete, wrong thread

 

[mas0764]

I don’t think Drury wants to trade Kakko fwiw.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Swap trochek and Zibanejad, run Kreider Trochek and Kakko and see if that works. All 3 of Kreider, Zibanejad and Kakko need a new look

 

[LOFIN]

Swap trochek and Zibanejad, run Kreider Trochek and Kakko and see if that works. All 3 of Kreider, Zibanejad and Kakko need a new look

I sure hope this happens, but wonder if Lavi wants to break up Panarin Tro Laf when it worked so well. Breaking up Kreider and Zibanejad is pretty much necessary at this point, unless Drury somehow manages to acquire a real top-6 line driving winger. Those are not available in free agency BTW.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Other teams knew how much he would cost, he didn't need to be signed for that. EF was running out of ideas to fill up his 32.

I don’t think it was a given he would have settled at his QO.

I don’t think it moves the needle that much but it does remove that unknown variable.

 

[RangerBoy]

EF thinks Kakko and the Rangers agreed to a contract for a potential trade. He is more convinced the contract was agreed to make a trade. EF wasn’t so emphatic on the 32T podcast which was released this morning. The Rangers and Kakko would be content for Kakko to be a Ranger next season and they would be content with a trade.

 

[80shockeywasbuns]

Agreed. I know among the perpetual rebuild folks Drury gets a bad rap with how hes handled young player sbut from my vantage point he has done a lot to try to facilitate opportunity for Kakko. They havent added to the top 6 on the wing in years hoping someone would grab it. He fired Gallant because of how he was handling the room, and they held Kakko this deadline when they probably couldve had Guentzel. I dont think the GM wants to trade him, and he definitely doesnt want to trade him for anything less than a major upgrade. Probably a good strategy even if Im not a fan of Kakko.

Hard to facilitate opportunity for players when you build a team that is one injury away from top 9 Nick Bonino.

 

[RangersFan1994]

EF thinks Kakko and the Rangers agreed to a contract for a potential trade. He is more convinced the contract was agreed to make a trade. EF wasn’t so emphatic on the 32T podcast which was released this morning. The Rangers and Kakko would be content for Kakko to be a Ranger next season and they would be content with a trade.

He'll be used as trade bait to move up atbthe draft. He has enough trade value for that to happen and move if 30th overall is included

 

[McRanger92]

Swap trochek and Zibanejad, run Kreider Trochek and Kakko and see if that works. All 3 of Kreider, Zibanejad and Kakko need a new look

Very good idea imo. Mika is also bad 5v5, the simple move might be to put him with our 2 best 5v5 who don’t care so much about the defense end. Mika can cover for them and sleepwalk to a PPG season