LW/RW Kaapo Kakko (2019, 2nd, NYR) Part 8

[FinPanda]

If you could see that I don't get why professionals couldn't. Not like scouts are never wrong but if NHL people were really that lazy in their analysis (played vs men and he's tall so that means he's physically developed and NHL ready!) who can we trust? lol

Yeah that's true. Also we don't know if they worked on his strenght in the cost of his skating speed an we'll see the results in a few years.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Yeah that's true. Also we don't know if they worked on his strenght in the cost of his skating speed an we'll see the results in a few years.

Maybe. When I watch him its not like you can't see theres a lot of talent there but its just a combination of him having zero confidence (which is troubling), sluggish and abysmal stamina, makes me wonder whats going on with his training or whether his medical issues are playing a role.
To be honest, even in the Traverse city tournament he looked sluggish, its just that his superior talent allowed him to still dominate on the score sheet. It's very odd because none of his scouting reports were really concerned about his skating.

 

[SML2]

NHL scouts are notorious exaggerators and bullshitters who rarely go on record to stand behind their quotes. Write down who had big games in the playoffs. That's who scouts are going to tell you whoever player x reminds you of. That said, there's tons of high first round picks who don't make a huge splash first year after being drafted. You want a list of who's a generational talent? If you're the best player on your team as an 18 year old, you're either on that list or your team is awful. All this said, Kakko has to start moving his feet. You can't Coast here. It's the best league in the world and the pace is arguably the highest it's ever been. If your motor is no good,you won't be either.

 

[Shocker]

A few things I found just googling around:

Emphasis mine.


In Kakko, the Rangers get the most NHL ready prospect in this year’s draft. - LastWordOnHockey

After his performances in Liiga, the pro league in Finland, and the IIHF world championships, anticipation is high that Kakko will make an immediate impact for the Rangers as a goal-scoring winger. - ESPN

He has the size, strength and scoring ability to become an immediate impact player. - Bleacherreport

Chris Peters - ESPNMay 6th: "An NHL-ready player who has honed his craft against pros, Kakko is good in all areas of the ice with few noticeable weaknesses."

Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick by New York back in June, is a main reason why their ranking jumped from No. 11 last season to the top dog now. The Finnish forward was highly touted as an NHL-ready prospect that should make an immediate impact for the Rangers this season. - SNY

He's a complete package and he's going to have a strong future ahead of him because he's already physically developed and has a couple of years of experience playing at the pro level so he's as game-ready as you're going to find in this NHL Draft." - NHL.com/devils (pre-draft)

He was surrounded by cameras and peppered with questions, similar to the attention Kakko faced last month at the IIHF World Championships in Slovakia when the 18-year-old from Turku, Finland, solidified himself as arguably the most NHL-ready player in this year's draft class. - AP/USA today




Anyway these are just a few, you can find a ton of examples.

Not that i care that much, but that's a pretty big move of the goalposts, considering you claimed lots of people said he's the "most NHL ready player IN YEARS"

 

[TrufleShufle]

A few things I found just googling around:

Emphasis mine.


In Kakko, the Rangers get the most NHL ready prospect in this year’s draft. - LastWordOnHockey

After his performances in Liiga, the pro league in Finland, and the IIHF world championships, anticipation is high that Kakko will make an immediate impact for the Rangers as a goal-scoring winger. - ESPN

He has the size, strength and scoring ability to become an immediate impact player. - Bleacherreport

Chris Peters - ESPNMay 6th: "An NHL-ready player who has honed his craft against pros, Kakko is good in all areas of the ice with few noticeable weaknesses."

Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick by New York back in June, is a main reason why their ranking jumped from No. 11 last season to the top dog now. The Finnish forward was highly touted as an NHL-ready prospect that should make an immediate impact for the Rangers this season. - SNY

He's a complete package and he's going to have a strong future ahead of him because he's already physically developed and has a couple of years of experience playing at the pro level so he's as game-ready as you're going to find in this NHL Draft." - NHL.com/devils (pre-draft)

He was surrounded by cameras and peppered with questions, similar to the attention Kakko faced last month at the IIHF World Championships in Slovakia when the 18-year-old from Turku, Finland, solidified himself as arguably the most NHL-ready player in this year's draft class. - AP/USA today




Anyway these are just a few, you can find a ton of examples.

" I can’t believe all the scouts and “experts” had him pegged as the most NHL ready prospect in years "-KirkAlbuquerque

You didn't find one quote that said that. If all the scouts and experts said it, it should be easy enough to find one. Even if you go back and search a second or third time, and find one dude who said it, you are still a few off from "all." But at least it would be a start.

 

[93LEAFS]

A few things I found just googling around:

Emphasis mine.


In Kakko, the Rangers get the most NHL ready prospect in this year’s draft. - LastWordOnHockey

After his performances in Liiga, the pro league in Finland, and the IIHF world championships, anticipation is high that Kakko will make an immediate impact for the Rangers as a goal-scoring winger. - ESPN

He has the size, strength and scoring ability to become an immediate impact player. - Bleacherreport

Chris Peters - ESPNMay 6th: "An NHL-ready player who has honed his craft against pros, Kakko is good in all areas of the ice with few noticeable weaknesses."

Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick by New York back in June, is a main reason why their ranking jumped from No. 11 last season to the top dog now. The Finnish forward was highly touted as an NHL-ready prospect that should make an immediate impact for the Rangers this season. - SNY

He's a complete package and he's going to have a strong future ahead of him because he's already physically developed and has a couple of years of experience playing at the pro level so he's as game-ready as you're going to find in this NHL Draft." - NHL.com/devils (pre-draft)

He was surrounded by cameras and peppered with questions, similar to the attention Kakko faced last month at the IIHF World Championships in Slovakia when the 18-year-old from Turku, Finland, solidified himself as arguably the most NHL-ready player in this year's draft class. - AP/USA today




Anyway these are just a few, you can find a ton of examples.

A big difference between the most ready in a single draft-class, and the most ready in years. Guys like Matthews and Eichel were both more ready than Kakko was.

 

[Andrei79]

He’s just not NHL ready, no part of his game is NHL ready aside from his hands. I can’t believe all the scouts and “experts” had him pegged as the most NHL ready prospect in years , why, because he’s big? Everyone knows these power forward types always take longer to develop than speed guys. Can’t send him back to Finland obviously but some AHL time couldn’t hurt

I'm fairly confident there isn't a single scout that described him that way.

 

[Andrei79]

A few things I found just googling around:

Emphasis mine.


In Kakko, the Rangers get the most NHL ready prospect in this year’s draft. - LastWordOnHockey

After his performances in Liiga, the pro league in Finland, and the IIHF world championships, anticipation is high that Kakko will make an immediate impact for the Rangers as a goal-scoring winger. - ESPN

He has the size, strength and scoring ability to become an immediate impact player. - Bleacherreport

Chris Peters - ESPNMay 6th: "An NHL-ready player who has honed his craft against pros, Kakko is good in all areas of the ice with few noticeable weaknesses."

Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick by New York back in June, is a main reason why their ranking jumped from No. 11 last season to the top dog now. The Finnish forward was highly touted as an NHL-ready prospect that should make an immediate impact for the Rangers this season. - SNY

He's a complete package and he's going to have a strong future ahead of him because he's already physically developed and has a couple of years of experience playing at the pro level so he's as game-ready as you're going to find in this NHL Draft." - NHL.com/devils (pre-draft)

He was surrounded by cameras and peppered with questions, similar to the attention Kakko faced last month at the IIHF World Championships in Slovakia when the 18-year-old from Turku, Finland, solidified himself as arguably the most NHL-ready player in this year's draft class. - AP/USA today




Anyway these are just a few, you can find a ton of examples.

What's interesting here is on top of the fact that none of these quotes referring to him as the most NHL ready draftee in years, none of them were by NHL scouts either, which is another strange thing you've invented in your most recent posts.

 

[Igor Shestyorkin]

NHL scouts are notorious exaggerators and bull****ters who rarely go on record to stand behind their quotes. Write down who had big games in the playoffs. That's who scouts are going to tell you whoever player x reminds you of. That said, there's tons of high first round picks who don't make a huge splash first year after being drafted. You want a list of who's a generational talent? If you're the best player on your team as an 18 year old, you're either on that list or your team is awful. All this said, Kakko has to start moving his feet. You can't Coast here. It's the best league in the world and the pace is arguably the highest it's ever been. If your motor is no good,you won't be either.

I think he just lacks explosiveness in his skating stride and lacks speed in general tbh, don't think it's his motor.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

I'm fairly confident there isn't a single scout that described him that way.

No, but the "played against men" mantra on this board reached hilarious meme levels. The underlying connotation was obviously meant to be that his transition would be much easier.

 

[bsu]

Holy crap I literally completing forgot about this kid lol

Damn rangers are gonna be good

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I’m not an expert on skating strides, but he has a very awkward skating stride. I’ve noticed that watching him play this season. I think it hampers his speed. I think he could benefit from training this summer with Prentiss. A number of the best skaters in hockey train with him.

I know some players like to train in their own country with their compatriots, but the guy he trains with has a bad track record. He must know the agents of all these Finnish players to get so many clients when most of them are mediocre or average skaters.

 

[tellermine]

I’m not an expert on skating strides, but he has a very awkward skating stride. I’ve noticed that watching him play this season. I think it hampers his speed. I think he could benefit from training this summer with Prentiss. A number of the best skaters in hockey train with him.

I know some players like to train in their own country with their compatriots, but the guy he trains with has a bad track record. He must know the agents of all these Finnish players to get so many clients when most of them are mediocre or average skaters.

Who is his skating trainer?
Hannu Rautala is condition and strenght trainer.
For some reason people tend to think he also trains skating.

 

[kelsier]

A big difference between the most ready in a single draft-class, and the most ready in years. Guys like Matthews and Eichel were both more ready than Kakko was.

Kakko certainly wasn't as ready as some fans had hoped him to be. Then again, just take a look at the kid's legs when he was golfing during the summer or that thin pair of arms of his. He simply doesn't have the strength and that's alright. Everyone has their own physical trajectory. Kakko has shown glimpses of what he can do once he's really ready. Sooner or later he'll be showing up consistently. The top speed is his biggest obstacle at the moment. Which doesn't worry me in the slightest while looking at some other top end prospects from the country who've overcome the same problems.

Whether Matthews or Eichel were ahead of him holistically as an NHL player at the same age doesn't really carry much meaning in regards to what kind of player he's going to be. Nor does it really point to which direction the gap will sway looking down in to the future.. Sure it might be fun to read up some misleading extravagant takes by random scouts, but that's all there really is.

I'm just trying to picture Kaapo in my mind some years from today and wonder what those genes from his father side will do when added up North American diet, ha. At least he won't have to ever spend a day worrying about his core strength. As said, should be just a matter of time.

 

[NJ DevLolz]

Aside from the speed/motor thing, I noticed back in the WC in April/May that he didn’t appear to know how to use his teammates 5v5. He was an animal on the cycle and along the boards, but he would hang onto the puck way too long and miss the opportunity to make a simple pass or keep the cycle going. Is this still an issue?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Who is his skating trainer?
Hannu Rautala is condition and strenght trainer.
For some reason people tend to think he also trains skating.

That’s what I meant. Does he not train skating? I think the conditioning guy for most players also works with them on their skating.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Aside from the speed/motor thing, I noticed back in the WC in April/May that he didn’t appear to know how to use his teammates 5v5. He was an animal on the cycle and along the boards, but he would hang onto the puck way too long and miss the opportunity to make a simple pass or keep the cycle going. Is this still an issue?

I’ve not seen this issue before the draft or after the draft.

 

[Uncle Dru]

I’ve not seen this issue before the draft or after the draft.

Agreed, there were a couple of instances during the WC where a lane opened up and he held onto the puck and people seem to hang onto that. Good things consistently happened when he held onto the puck/cycled whether it was scoring chances, penalties drawn, etc.

His problem seems to be purely skating. He can't rely on his strength at the NHL level yet which his fine but he consistently loses races to the puck and can't create separation for himself. If anything, he doesn't have the puck nearly enough.

 

[tellermine]

That’s what I meant. Does he not train skating? I think the conditioning guy for most players also works with them on their skating.

Nope. Rautala is totally condition trainer.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

A big difference between the most ready in a single draft-class, and the most ready in years. Guys like Matthews and Eichel were both more ready than Kakko was.

Yep. I've never heard anybody say he's more ready than Matthews/Eichel

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Aside from the speed/motor thing, I noticed back in the WC in April/May that he didn’t appear to know how to use his teammates 5v5. He was an animal on the cycle and along the boards, but he would hang onto the puck way too long and miss the opportunity to make a simple pass or keep the cycle going. Is this still an issue?

Yes.

 

[Star Ocean]

Could the diabetes be a problem?

 

[mm11]

the hype was off the charts for this kid. lets see how he does in the 2nd half

 

[Irishguy42]

Him and Hughes are doing more of what most 1OA/2OA 18 year olds do in the NHL.

McDavid/Eichel and Matthews/Laine got everyone's expectations too high of what Top 2 picks could do immediately in the NHL at a young age.

Kakko is fine.

 

[Ippenator]

Him and Hughes are doing more of what most 1OA/2OA 18 year olds do in the NHL.

McDavid/Eichel and Matthews/Laine got everyone's expectations too high of what Top 2 picks could do immediately in the NHL at a young age.

Kakko is fine.

Both will most probably be fine and even good NHL players at some point. But neither is looking really exceptional at all. The point is that loads of people were claiming that they are exceptional or even generational prospects. Right now it looks pretty darn unlikely that either of them will ever be a truly exceptional superstar caliber player in the NHL. The guys who have become that have usually been pretty darn exceptional already as 18 year olds in the NHL. Kakko and Hughes are both VERY far away from that level.