Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[NYR Viper]

This. 5 years/4m. While we can still get him cheaply

I'd go long term if he'd take it. 7 years @ $4.25-$4.5m

 

[IDvsEGO]

I'd go long term if he'd take it. 7 years @ $4.25-$4.5m

So I say this over the summer. And absolutely get laughed at , we’re less than 10 games in. And now everyone is saying it.

 

[NYR Viper]

So I say this over the summer. And absolutely get laughed at , we’re less than 10 games in. And now everyone is saying it.

I didn’t disagree with it, although waiting until 30-40 games into the year made sense. He was coming off a bad season and I’m sure any contract offering would have been undervalued in his eyes. I still have faith that he is a good player.

 

[SeanAveryTheGreatOne]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1851413253177389385

f***ing SICK assist by Kakko last night. He was one of our few bright spots in that loss.

If I'm Pete, I'm starting the Kakko line every game's opening draw! They've earned it!

 

[will1066]

Kid is trending to be a playmaker rather than a goal scorer. It's a hot take.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Been playing strong. That line is a threat every time they are out there.

Mika's line is the new 2b/3a, but they are still considered the 1st line by some and its hilarious.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Kid is trending to be a playmaker rather than a goal scorer. It's a hot take.

Hes got the strength to score goals, Either they’ll be in close, or he works on his release.
He needs to get his shot off a lot faster than he does, but he’s a very talented player.

This is the Kakko I’ve seen for years, that everyone forgets about.
Big guy, not the fastest but fantastic edges which work down low.

Give him a legit center who can open space and he’s exactly what you want in the playoffs

 

[LOFIN]

Kid is trending to be a playmaker rather than a goal scorer. It's a hot take.

TBH before his draft year, he was known more as a playmayker. He became a goalscorer during his draft year, when nobody else on the TPS team could put it on the net.

 

[NYR Viper]

His game has been to pull guys to him and dish the puck off. It's why he has excelled with linemates who are okay with him having the puck. It's why he flat out doesn't work with Panarin.

 

[IDvsEGO]

His game has been to pull guys to him and dish the puck off. It's why he has excelled with linemates who are okay with him having the puck. It's why he flat out doesn't work with Panarin.

It’s why I wanted us to make a play for laine.
Finnish, and absolutely would love to just get open and rifle one timers.

 

[B17 Apricots]

So I say this over the summer. And absolutely get laughed at , we’re less than 10 games in. And now everyone is saying it.

I had to pull up a quote from last year Can't see a way to post it. I replied back to QJL in January last season when KK was "down and out".. had to agree with him, I said I would've gave KK the deal that Kotkaniemi got in Carolina.

When the salary cap rises and we get past 90 million and then 95 million, good 3rd liners could be making +4Mil per. So at bare minimum Kakko is already there, but there was plenty of untapped talent still remaining.

 

[B17 Apricots]

Kakko has made beautiful little plays since he's been here. A lot of times they didn't result in points. He's been the king of almost. We saw a nice little break out for these guys when they had the kid line together a couple years ago. They each brought their own thing, that line worked together well. Then last year he spent a ton of time with CK and Mika, that line didn't really gel. We've started to see that maybe he wasn't just a weak link there but that the bromance has gone completely sour.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

He matched his assist total from last year with that assist yesterday

6 assists in 9 games, last year he had 6 assists in 61 games.

 

[IDvsEGO]

He matched his assist total from last year with that assist yesterday

6 assists in 9 games, last year he had 6 assists in 61 games.

I mean playing with these following centers last year

Bonino
Brodzinski
Wennberg

That’s really it.
Not that surprising

 

[RangersFan1994]

His game has been to pull guys to him and dish the puck off. It's why he has excelled with linemates who are okay with him having the puck. It's why he flat out doesn't work with Panarin.

I sometimes wonder if that is why Kakko has not worked with Mika and Kreider when he got that chance.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Kakko has made beautiful little plays since he's been here. A lot of times they didn't result in points. He's been the king of almost. We saw a nice little break out for these guys when they had the kid line together a couple years ago. They each brought their own thing, that line worked together well. Then last year he spent a ton of time with CK and Mika, that line didn't really gel. We've started to see that maybe he wasn't just a weak link there but that the bromance has gone completely sour.

Yup. And those little plays are actually important for a winning team.
It’s those things that you want to see guys do.
It’s why I defended him for so long. He may not score at the same rate as say Laf, but he has enough talent to easily be a 70 pt guy with the right line and pp time, while also providing mark stone level defense.

I sometimes wonder if that is why Kakko has not worked with Mika and Kreider when he got that chance.

Having watched the games, there were a bunch of beautiful opportunities that he created that they couldn’t take advantage of.

It wasn’t till late last year that I realized it was that Mika was just getting bad though.

 

[NYR Viper]

I sometimes wonder if that is why Kakko has not worked with Mika and Kreider when he got that chance.

Yes it is, and it was evident last year. The only offense that line generated was from Kakko winning a board battle and springing those two for an odd-man chance. It just so happened that at that time, those guys couldn't finish it. But in the offensive zone, it's like Kreider and Zibanejad just don't know how to cycle or find space to create chances consistently.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Yes it is, and it was evident last year. The only offense that line generated was from Kakko winning a board battle and springing those two for an odd-man chance. It just so happened that at that time, those guys couldn't finish it. But in the offensive zone, it's like Kreider and Zibanejad just don't know how to cycle or find space to create chances consistently.

Yup. The best example was when Kakko literally stripped a defender at the offensive blue line, gave a gorgeous back pass to Mika, who had a 2-0 with the goalie, and he tried passing to Ck and the pass didn’t connect.

 

[UnSandvich]

Zibanejad & Kreider (especially Zibanejad) don't play in the offensive zone unless it's a PP or a rush chance. Kakko is built to be a cycle engine. It was just never gonna work

 

[DanielBrassard]

Good on Kakko, he’s been more involved and certainly having Chytil back has been a big benefit. Hes always looked his best when they are linemates.

 

[007]

His game has been to pull guys to him and dish the puck off. It's why he has excelled with linemates who are okay with him having the puck. It's why he flat out doesn't work with Panarin.

I'll add to that: he also isn't that great at gaining the zone (though I think he's a lot better than when he arrived in that sense). Chytil is, however, so with Chytil gaining the zone, Kakko having the puck down low, Cuylle able to finish from the dots on in and Chytil ready to finish anywhere in the zone, they're an interesting group.

Kakko is the King of Almost in part because he really waits until the last second before popping a pass right out in front of the net. He draws defenders to him along the boards or behind the net, and waits until they're fully committed before passing. I'm not sure which is more common, but sometimes the play is gone by the time he passes, and sometimes the receiving player doesn't realize the puck is still going to come to him. He catches everyone off guard, but I wonder if they're getting more points in the last few games because Cuylle in particular is starting to get his timing.

 

[Peltz]

Zibanejad & Kreider (especially Zibanejad) don't play in the offensive zone unless it's a PP or a rush chance. Kakko is built to be a cycle engine. It was just never gonna work

Chytil scored on the rush last game off a pass from Kakko.

Kreider and Zib don't even do that anymore at 5v5,

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Coolie - Heetul - Cocko new 1st line baby lets goooooooo