Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[Harbour Dog]

Laf got $7+ after a season in which he played higher in the lineup, with a star player, and recorded 0.695 ppg (though he also had a very good playoffs).

Kakko is playing less but recording 0.647 ppg right now. He has more assists less goals projected than Laf did, but.... he could get more than you'd expect.

Plus, Kakko is only on the ice for a goal against every blue moon.

 

[will1066]

Kakko is much more on top of the puck compared to the past, because he was a half step out of sync and trailing the play. He used to go shifts with minimal to zero touches of the puck.

 

[haohmaru]

Kakko is a valuable player to ANY team in the NHL.

The "2OA" thing is like an anchor tied to his skates. The sooner you forget where he was chosen the more you can look at him like you should - a solid, young, NHL player with (still) a good deal of upside.

 

[Gluten Free Breadman]

He looks faster this year. Decision making and skating.

 

[noncents]

He looks faster this year. Decision making and skating.

it's amazing what the human brain is capable of. this is the same player - the same skillset, the same footspeed, the same processor - as the guy who this board absolutely f***ing skewered while on the 93/20 wing last year. the same guy.

then he had a knee injury and didn't look the same the rest of the year. but still guys threw the stats at me: G%, Ppg, yadda yadda. "HE CANT SCORE" they jeered. "TRADE HIM FOR NOTHING" they demanded.


you know what changed? deployment and puck luck. A few bounces here, a linemate who actually wants to forecheck. cycle, and go to the net, and voila. "hE lOoKs CoMpLeTeLy DiFfErEnT!!"

nah. you just refused to see the player instead of the results, in a sport dominated by chaos.

 

[Fitzy]

It's just the 'other' season in his cycle of being good one season and atrocious the next. It's been that way since he got here. We're in an even numbered year- Kakko is doing well.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Kakkos been his usual self. So long as he's not playing with literal dumpster fire linemates--like Bonino, B.Smith(!), or, frankly, since last year, Mika--hes a dependable two way presence with decent, if a bit underwhelming scoring touch.

I don't think I've seen anything great yet this year, but one thing is that Kakko has never really gotten on a roll and left to cook. Pretty much since day one here.

I just want to see that line stay together, get more ice time, and then maybe by years end some might have to recast their projections on this kid.

 

[Draft Guru]

Can't wait for this kid to get a huge confidence boost playing for Finland at the 4 Nations in February.

 

[JimmyG89]

Can't wait for this kid to get a huge confidence boost playing for Finland at the 4 Nations in February.

He has a shot at top 6 minutes on the wing. Best on best experience like that could be immeasurable on what it could do for him.

 

[TominNC]

Trade Mika keep Kakko

You can't trade Mika. Mika as a NMC he signed not that long ago. Why would he move?

 

[eco's bones]

His thing now is to stay healthy. He's on a line with guys he works well with. With Lafreniere moving up with Panarin....Cuylle looks like an even more complimentary player for both Kakko and Chytil. Just that rugged straight ahead physical game and Cuylle can hang with them as a player too.

 

[Draft Guru]

He has a shot at top 6 minutes on the wing. Best on best experience like that could be immeasurable on what it could do for him.

He becomes Superman any time he puts on that Suomi jersey

 

[will1066]

Phone battery at 24%.

Hat trick incoming.

 

[RempireStateBuilding]

You can't trade Mika. Mika as a NMC he signed not that long ago. Why would he move?

Drury's going to ask *really* nicely and come with a free pizza for Mika.

 

[noncents]

He becomes Superman any time he puts on that Suomi jersey

i'll always love the player i thought he could be for us

 

[romba]

Kakko’s playing smarter along the boards. He’s finally realized he can’t bull though the majority of NHLers unless he’s got an advantageous angle or position. Instead he’ll buy an extra second along the boards using shiftiness and then quickly dish the puck to an open guy or keep the cycle going instead of hanging on to the puck too long thinking he can power through everyone.

I think he’s seeing the ice much better as well (due to confidence), he’s slinging cross ice passes to open teammates, and quite frankly has looked the best out of everyone on PP2, even Laf, who often tries to force seam passes through defenders while on the PP.

 

[Cuckoo4Kakko]

i'll always love the player i thought he could be for us

Gabe scored the same goal as the last goal in that video a few days ago.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I am always humored that when a player plays better it’s always almost followed by “his skating improved!”

No you chuckle f***s, this is what it looks like when he’s got confidence and he’s playing with players who compliment his skill set. Same as it was with Laf.

 

[bhamill]

I am always humored that when a player plays better it’s always almost followed by “his skating improved!”

No you chuckle f***s, this is what it looks like when he’s got confidence and he’s playing with players who compliment his skill set. Same as it was with Laf.

EXACTLY bud. Including the part about LAF.

 

[Mugless]

He becomes Superman any time he puts on that Suomi jersey

That is not Fat Kakko. That's Kate Moss Kakko.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I am always humored that when a player plays better it’s always almost followed by “his skating improved!”

No you chuckle f***s, this is what it looks like when he’s got confidence and he’s playing with players who compliment his skill set. Same as it was with Laf.

His skating looks exactly the same to me. He's still not fast. Laf did actually look like he gained some additional explosiveness last year.
Theres alot to be said for confidence, but sometimes guys do get just a little faster and it translates really well.

Theres also times when a guy gets faster than they can actually process, and it makes things worse for them offensively.

 

[bhamill]

His skating looks exactly the same to me. He's still not fast. Laf did actually look like he gained some additional explosiveness last year.
Theres alot to be said for confidence, but sometimes guys do get just a little faster and it translates really well.

Theres also times when a guy gets faster than they can actually process, and it makes things worse for them offensively.

The thing is when you are confident you do EVERYTHING faster. Laf "looked exactly the same" last preseason. Once he got confidence he was much faster. It sure wasn't skating work he put in between pre season and regular season...
That being said, I'm sure Kakko has worked on his skating and will continue to. Laf too. But its hard for those improvements to show when everything is done hesitantly because of a lack of confidence.

 

[romba]

Was the consensus that KK’s blind behind the back touch deflection to spring Cuylie was purposeful or he was trying to corral the puck and it happened to deflect perfectly?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Was the consensus that KK’s blind behind the back touch deflection to spring Cuylie was purposeful or he was trying to corral the puck and it happened to deflect perfectly?

He said it was an accident.

 

[noncents]

He said it was an accident.

no no he said "antecedent," as in his pass preceded the goal