Kappo Kakko is listed as the second best

[mas0764]

Want me to take this one? haha.

Please do!

 

[duhmetreE]

Is it too early to say "Finnish Mark Stone?"

He could be Mark Stone+.

 

[Quinnisinoverhishead]

Loving the positivity in this forum.
KK is going to be a stud next year.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Please do!

DQ.

 

[Kovalev27]

1. defensive forward in NHL by Andy & Rono@HockeyStatsCZ. Some twitter name. Foligno is #1. They use analytics. Do we have a future Selke winner

Quinn wouldn’t let him stay on the ice for defensive zone draws lol

 

[Boris Zubov]

Any list of the top defensive forwards is bogus without Mark Stone near the top.

 

[bobbop]

define 'regularly' and 'late in games'.

Quinn essentially benched the Chytil line late game. It would be Mika or Strome. If needed Rooney.

Quinn benched Chytil but subbed Kakko in on other lines. Weren’t you paying attention?

 

[duhmetreE]

Quinn benched Chytil but subbed Kakko in on other lines. Weren’t you paying attention?

I pay too much attention, that's my problem.

 

[Fataldogg]

I'm glad the Rangers drafted him 2nd overall to play shutdown defense.

I'm much more interested in his offense developing.

 

[2014nyr]

I'm glad the Rangers drafted him 2nd overall to play shutdown defense.

I'm much more interested in his offense developing.

i don't know exactly what stats were used / how they were weighted, but kakko wasn't playing shutdown defense or being leaned on in that kinda role. what showed up in a big way this year was the skills that are going to lead to his offensive breakout. he wasn't a d zone stud locking up guys and breaking up plays - he was solid there i'd say...but i'd wager all the stats they created this off of were plays broken up on the backcheck, pucks won on the forecheck, steals anywhere on the ice, passes intercepted. all of those things he was at his best at generally took place inside the other teams zone or the neutral zone. he's incredible at knocking pucks off sticks, walling guys off and knocking the puck free coming back, knocking passes out of mid-air and controlling them...if you want to call that shutdown defense by all means. what it'll translate too as he gets a little bit more burst / strength in his stride and core will be a ton of his production. his hand eye, hands in small areas, and relentlessness on pucks is unreal. he was so close to dominant at times last year, i kept waiting for that 2 and 2 night where he took over. because he's going to have that night, soon, and once he has that affirmation, his confidence will soar and finishing / production will take off.

and i'll keep bringing it up when it comes to kakko specifically and production, people need to be patient. this isn't a matter of coaching, its just a kid growing up. look at sasha barkovs stats - could not get a better comparable - both big finnish kids assumed ready made nhl'ers. the only difference is position. barkovs first two years were unremarkable...and keep in mind he was on a roster that afforded him a much larger role. its a much bigger jump than most appreciate being from a country that far away at 18 to an nhl locker room...ovi and malkin were 20 when they debuted. rantanen spent a year in the ahl and a year without much production in the nhl before he broke out year 3. kakko hasn't been screwed or held back or ruined, he's basically about where you'd expect him to be.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I really think Gallant is going to help elevate both Laf and Kakko to beast mode levels

I was never concerned about Kakko. He has a confidence motor that is very rare and once it gets up to top speed he’s gonna be spanking this league around like Liiga times