Value of: Kappo Kakko... potential offer sheet target?

[GIN ANTONIC]

Rangers are starting their window to compete and they have a lot of strong core pieces in place that should enable them to have some long term success. elite G, elite 1D, elite offensive W, 1C, Top 6 wingers, 2/3D.

These players, while very good, come at a price and there is big money tied up on them and pretty much alleither have NMC/NTC or are cornerstones of their team so wouldn't be trade candidates.

NMC
Panarin - 1LW - $11.6
Zib - 1C - $8.5
Trouba - 2RD - $8.0
Kreider - 2LW - $6.5

NTC
Goodrow - W - $3.6 (15 team list)

Not getting traded
Fox - 1RD - $9.5
Igor - 1G - $5.6
Dead Cap 22/23- $3.4

They also have Ryan Strome as their 2C who has performed well over the last few years, is close to ppg this year, but the catch is that he's a UFA at seasons end and is due for a big pay raise.

From an outsider's perspective, if there are areas of concern on the Rangers it's their depth at C (if they lose Strome) and maybe depth on D as well but they do have some good young pieces there.

Enter Kappo Kakko... where does he fit in? I see him in a very similar situation to where the Canadiens were with Kotkaniemi. Drafted very high with the hopes of developing into a 1C or 2C but he hasn't progressed as planned. He hasn't shown he can play as a C at the NHL level and on the wing with high end linemates he produces around a 15g + 15a pace.

With their big contracts the Rangers are, and will continue to be, up against the cap. They will have Laf as an RFA after next year and will need cap space for him. If the Rangers re-sign Strome (or sign someone similar) as their 2C there will be even less space for this KK.

This off-season could a team swoop in, like Carolina did on MTL, with a big 1 year overpayment and poach the 2019 2OA pick?

What would the Rangers try to extend him for? What would they be able/willing to match?

Click to read more...

 

[GAGLine]

I'm expecting he'll get a bridge deal. Hopefully before free agency hits, to rule out any possibility of an offer sheet.

There have been some rumblings that the Ranger may look to move someone to free up additional cap space. The prime candidates would be Kreider and Trouba, given their contracts, but both have played so well this year. Kreider would make more sense since Laf could move up to take his spot.

 

[StreetHawk]

They require the players permission to trade them. Don’t see American players wanting to leave the rangers now.

as for Kakko, you’d probably just need a contract worth a 2nd round pick in compensation to push the rangers to the brink and no match it. High end is a $4.1 AAV.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Would love for the Devils to give him the KK offersheet lol.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

I'm expecting he'll get a bridge deal. Hopefully before free agency hits, to rule out any possibility of an offer sheet.

There have been some rumblings that the Ranger may look to move someone to free up additional cap space. The prime candidates would be Kreider and Trouba, given their contracts, but both have played so well this year. Kreider would make more sense since Laf could move up to take his spot.

And as pointed out Kreider and Trouba both have NMC's so even if the Rangers want to move them it's not something that they are in control of. Kreider has been with the Rangers for 10 years and just signed a long term extension that would make him essentially a Ranger lifer. Trouba forced his way out of WPG and wanted to specifically go to NYR. Both guys wanted NMC for a reason... seems odd they would waive especially just as the team is starting to compete.

I think it comes down to what happens with re-signing Strome or how much is spent on a replacement.

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Hurricanes can do exactly what they did to get Kotkaniemi to get Kakko with the salary they are clearing. NY probably matches but in a vaccum it makes sense for sure. Any other contenders out there with the balls to make it happen?

 

[jay from jersey]

No team is offer sheeting any ranger player while Glen Sather is still part of the FO.
He’s like J Edgar Hoover, he must have control files on everyone....

add into the fact that rangers pay their players. Both kakko/LaF seem to love NY. They will both likely get bridge deals before they hit their full stride

 

[GirardSpinorama]

Hurricanes can do exactly what they did to get Kotkaniemi to get Kakko with the salary they are clearing. NY probably matches but in a vaccum it makes sense for sure. Any other contenders out there with the balls to make it happen?

I wouldn't mind if Avs let Burakovsky go and then make that Hurricanesque offer to KK. But then someone will probably do that to us with Byram. Lets all play nice haha.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

No team is offer sheeting any ranger player while Glen Sather is still part of the FO.
He’s like J Edgar Hoover, he must have control files on everyone....

add into the fact that rangers pay their players. Both kakko/LaF seem to love NY. They will both likely get bridge deals before they hit their full stride

Well unless the Rangers sign them in advance it’s not really up to them. I’m sure teams give zero shits about potentially upsetting Glen Sather.

 

[jay from jersey]

Well unless the Rangers sign them in advance it’s not really up to them. I’m sure teams give zero shits about potentially upsetting Glen Sather.

Not saying they do. Just saying it’s highly unlikely it happens.....
Plus making the rangers and their pocket book make you a target when they get cap space in the future isn’t a great idea.
I remember these silly threads popping up about the leafs as well a couple years ago

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

Hurricanes can do exactly what they did to get Kotkaniemi to get Kakko with the salary they are clearing. NY probably matches but in a vaccum it makes sense for sure. Any other contenders out there with the balls to make it happen?

Gonna turn Raleigh into Little Helsinki

 

[noupf]

So......................what's the offer sheet OP ? Thats the huge detail missing from your post, no?

 

[StreetHawk]

Not saying they do. Just saying it’s highly unlikely it happens.....

No team will do it just to tick the rangers off.

they would have to believe that there is still good upside on Kakko.

based on his production he’s a sub $2 mill a year player on a bridge deal as he has no arbitration rights. An OS could be 2-3 years at an AAV of $3.5 mill. OS team takes some risk but not insane risk.

rangers could match but makes other moves tight.

but like another team they have to determine what Kakko’s realistic upside is moving forward. Does it warrant matching a deal that he may not like up to?

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Not saying they do. Just saying it’s highly unlikely it happens.....
Plus making the rangers and their pocket book make you a target when they get cap space in the future isn’t a great idea

Did you see the list of big contracts they have signed long term? Don’t think they are going to have ‘FU’ money to go after other teams for quite sometime. The offer sheet thing is so case by case specific it’s really unlikely that the roles will reverse like they did so quickly with MTL and CAR

 

[jay from jersey]

No team will do it just to tick the rangers off.

they would have to believe that there is still good upside on Kakko.

based on his production he’s a sub $2 mill a year player on a bridge deal as he has no arbitration rights. An OS could be 2-3 years at an AAV of $3.5 mill. OS team takes some risk but not insane risk.

But the point of a OS is to extend a contract the team won’t match.
What outside team is offering kakko a ridiculous OS at this point in time?

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

Well unless the Rangers sign them in advance it’s not really up to them. I’m sure teams give zero shits about potentially upsetting Glen Sather.

Why? Seems that there's an unwritten rule among GMs not to extend offer sheets and violation of that rule results in retaliatory offer sheets or threats of a barnfight.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

So......................what's the offer sheet OP ? Thats the huge detail missing from your post, no?

Well I did ask that as part of my post… what would a team offer? What would NYR match?

But hypothetically let’s just use the Kotkaniemi one… 1 x $6.1

 

[jay from jersey]

Did you see the list of big contracts they have signed long term? Don’t think they are going to have ‘FU’ money to go after other teams for quite sometime. The offer sheet thing is so case by case specific it’s really unlikely that the roles will reverse like they did so quickly with MTL and CAR

Kreids and/or Trouba are likely moved in 2-3 years at the most. Goodrow also doesn’t likely play 6 seasons here.....
They also have some buyout money coming back over that timeframe.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

But the point of a OS is to extend a contract the team won’t match.
What outside team is offering kakko a ridiculous OS at this point in time?

A team that thinks Kakko can be a big piece for them moving forward. If NYR is theoretically offering 3 x $2.5 or something (just random bridge here) and someone offers Kakko 1 x $6.1 what do you think he’s gonna do?

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Kreids and/or Trouba are likely moved in 2-3 years at the most. Goodrow also doesn’t likely play 6 seasons here.....
They also have some buyout money coming back over that timeframe.

I don’t know how you can say likely when two of those guys have NMC and one guy has a 15 team NTC but ok…

 

[jay from jersey]

A team that thinks Kakko can be a big piece for them moving forward. If NYR is theoretically offering 3 x $2.5 or something (just random bridge here) and someone offers Kakko 1 x $6.1 what do you think he’s gonna do?

Doubt he takes the 1 year TBH

 

[noupf]

Why? Seems that there's an unwritten rule among GMs not to extend offer sheets and violation of that rule results in retaliatory offer sheets or threats of a barnfight.

I agree with the unwritten rule... MTL did it first and you see what happened the following year. I think the way this OS played on with CAR and MTL.......its cements the notaion of "pay back" is a bitch.....and inevitable.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Why? Seems that there's an unwritten rule among GMs not to extend offer sheets and violation of that rule results in retaliatory offer sheets or threats of a barnfight.

If a team wants that player they’re gonna go for it. It’s not common but it happens. Just depends on the teams involved.

 

[GIN ANTONIC]

Doubt he takes the 1 year TBH

I mean that’s all well and good but you honestly have no idea.

 

[jay from jersey]

I don’t know how you can say likely when two of those guys have NMC and one guy has a 15 team NTC but ok…

Both their clauses change. Trouba becomes a modified NTC in 2 years.... he also lives in FLA with his wife in the offseason.
Kreider clauses changes as well to accept more teams......
Many teams would love to add a 30 year old trouba for a playoff run with only 2 years on his deal.
Kreider as well likely ages well and remains one of the best net front presences in the league