Roster Building Thread - Part XI (Off-season edition)

[eco's bones]

Not against moving Kakko if the deal is right and it might even do him some good getting a fresh start somewhere else. I'm not into giving him away though and would have no problem with him on our team next year.

On Trouba and the captaincy. It's possible the Rangers take it away from him but I don't think it's very likely. Will they then go back to the team and ask the players to find a new captain? or would they impose one and who would be that lucky guy? and what if that player didn't want to? What if they asked the players for a do over and they came back with Trouba again? Or maybe no captain this year which is a lot more likely if they decided to take the C away from Trouba. Anything else has the potential to cause unnecessary friction.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Not against moving Kakko if the deal is right and it might even do him some good getting a fresh start somewhere else. I'm not into giving him away though and would have no problem with him on our team next year.

On Trouba and the captaincy. It's possible the Rangers take it away from him but I don't think it's very likely. Will they then go back to the team and ask the players to find a new captain? or would they impose one and who would be that lucky guy? and what if that player didn't want to? What if they asked the players for a do over and they came back with Trouba again? Or maybe no captain this year which is a lot more likely if they decided to take the C away from Trouba. Anything else has the potential to cause unnecessary friction.

I really don’t think the org was as upset with Trouba as the media made it seem.

 

[Overcast]

Underlying numbers/stats aside, Kakko has been a healthy scratch during 2 important playoff runs under 2 different HCs. Unless he does something significant and impactful this season, I don't see him sticking around when separate coaching staffs haven't had faith that he can contribute in a meaningful way when the games count.

 

[SA16]

Underlying numbers/stats aside, Kakko has been a healthy scratch during 2 important playoff runs under 2 different HCs. Unless he does something significant and impactful this season, I don't see him sticking around when separate coaching staffs haven't had faith that he can contribute in a meaningful way when the games count.

He's been a healthy scratch but he's also played in 41/43 playoff games so I wouldn't really consider the coaching staffs to be that against him because they scratched him once.

 

[JimmyG89]

What about moving for Askarov? I know it probably doesn't happen, but he's got the pedigree of being a top tier goalie at every level he has been in. He wants out of Nashville since Saros is blocking him.

I can't see them moving Igor, but it'd open up a lot of money to be able to make the 2025-26 team better

 

[Overcast]

He's been a healthy scratch but he's also played in 41/43 playoff games so I wouldn't really consider the coaching staffs to be that against him because they scratched him once.

When you're scratched in an elimination game that's not exactly a vote of confidence. And this year when his replacement was who, Rempe? Brodzinski? I'm not saying the team has some vendetta against him, but it doesn't seem like they view him as an integral player.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

What about moving for Askarov? I know it probably doesn't happen, but he's got the pedigree of being a top tier goalie at every level he has been in. He wants out of Nashville since Saros is blocking him.

I can't see them moving Igor, but it'd open up a lot of money to be able to make the 2025-26 team better

Too creative for Numbnuts Drury.

He’s going to sign Igor to 8/12 and then get a minimum wage veteran backup

 

[SA16]

When you're scratched in an elimination game that's not exactly a vote of confidence. And this year when his replacement was who, Rempe? Brodzinski? I'm not saying the team has some vendetta against him, but it doesn't seem like they view him as an integral player.

Well he's mostly been a bottom six player and I think any bottom six player is subject to being scratched at pretty much any time.

 

[Barnaby]

Well he's mostly been a bottom six player and I think any bottom six player is subject to being scratched at pretty much any time.

I think Kakko lacks speed and physicality which is amplified in the playoffs. Hopefully he finds another gear.

What about moving for Askarov? I know it probably doesn't happen, but he's got the pedigree of being a top tier goalie at every level he has been in. He wants out of Nashville since Saros is blocking him.

I can't see them moving Igor, but it'd open up a lot of money to be able to make the 2025-26 team better

Sounds good in theory, but I can’t see them trading a Vezina caliber guy to go with the prospect. Albeit, a very good one.

 

[LiveLongandProspal]

Daily reminder:

Trouba sucks and should be stripped of the C
Drury sucks

 

[noncents]

This is silly. Laf was great in the playoffs but let's not pretend a teams focus is not on Panarin. Its also a very small portion of games compared to an entire season of Chytil playing with Laf. Chytil is not a playmaker and doesn't push play. He drives to the net and throws anything at it and has a terrible shooting percentage. Guy is made of glass also. Guarantee the Rangers 3rd line is going to struggle as it is probably composed right now. Expecting Chytil to put up 40 or more points with kappo and probably a kid is being insanely optimistic.

The other issue is Kappo us pretty much the same player as Chytil and its why they struggle. The both need a playmaker on that line.

wow you've gotten so much wrong here. Watch the 2022 ECF run again.

 

[IDvsEGO]

I think Kakko lacks speed and physicality which is amplified in the playoffs. Hopefully he finds another gear.

I absolutely agree that he lacks speed. But Kakko is one of our best players down low and under physical pressure with the puck.
Now he has a problem converting that to scoring chances. But he’s also a huge kid who doesn’t really lose 1 on 1 board battles which is entirely how to succeed in the playoffs.

 

[BBKers]

Garand + ? for Askarov?

 

[NYR Viper]

Garand + ? for Askarov?

I think Askarov would be in the same exact spot in NY as he is in Nashville though. He wouldn't be a NHL player this year with Shesty and Quick

 

[Machinehead]

He's been a healthy scratch but he's also played in 41/43 playoff games so I wouldn't really consider the coaching staffs to be that against him because they scratched him once.

Players who have solidified their place in the lineup get scratched zero times.

The team has also made moves at consecutive deadlines, plus Smith this offseason, to put Kakko lower in the lineup.

 

[TGWL]

Lets take them point by point here.

No im not comparing mika's career to kakko's career. Kakko is 23. Lets compare things at age 23 for each of them.

Age 23 Mika's career high was 17 ES goals, and 21 Assists in his age 22 season (he was then injured and missed 20+ games at 23 but we can compare those if you'd like).

Age 23 Kakko's carrer high was also in his age 22 season.
18 ES goals and 19 ES assists.

The kicker in this is Mika at 22 got 17 minutes including PP time. Kakko got 15 minutes including PP time.

And 1 player had over 100 points that season vs 11 in 2022-2023, and some were on pace to break it or come close to 100. That's not saying Kakko can't find scoring again and improve, but the comparisons just don't work anymore. The league is faster and point totals have increased.

 

[will1066]

We just need Kakko to become a somewhat complete player. Full stop.

 

[noncents]

I absolutely agree that he lacks speed. But Kakko is one of our best players down low and under physical pressure with the puck.
Now he has a problem converting that to scoring chances. But he’s also a huge kid who doesn’t really lose 1 on 1 board battles which is entirely how to succeed in the playoffs.

hockey teams who can possess the puck down low under pressure win playoff hockey games. The Rangers have very few players who can do this effectively. they don't have a center who plays this style.

Kakko is a flawed player. we know this. Hockey players' production (in the context of talent) can be precipitated in many ways. In my opinion, Kakkos main flaw as a hockey player is that he needs linemates who play a certain way to produce successfully. He's never had that. Zibanejad and Kreider like to play defense, then rush back up the ice.

the irony is the teams that beat us in playoffs often do so by cycling down low. It's how we want our team to play. but the one guy who does it- nah let's ship him off for nothing.

 

[Machinehead]

hockey teams who can possess the puck down low under pressure win playoff hockey games. The Rangers have very few players who can do this effectively. they don't have a center who plays this style.

Kakko is a flawed player. we know this. Hockey players' production (in the context of talent) can be precipitated in many ways. In my opinion, Kakkos main flaw as a hockey player is that he needs linemates who play a certain way to produce successfully. He's never had that. Zibanejad and Kreider like to play defense, then rush back up the ice.

the irony is the teams that beat us in playoffs often do so by cycling down low. It's how we want our team to play. but the one guy who does it- nah let's ship him off for nothing.

Playing down-low is only useful if you can turn it into offense. He has demonstrated that he has no idea how to convert possession into offense with any linemates.

 

[Machinehead]

Kakko is a weird player.

Like, people talk about his hands and his ability to control the puck/win battles down low, and that's true, but the second he tries to do anything but just hold it, he loses the puck easier than any player I've seen at this level.

He has great hands and horrendous hands at the same time.

 

[NYR Viper]

Kakko is a weird player.

Like, people talk about his hands and his ability to control the puck/win battles down low, and that's true, but the second he tries to do anything but just hold it, he loses the puck easier than any player I've seen at this level.

He has great hands and horrendous hands at the same time.

And yet the year before last he was routinely making beautiful passes to Lafreniere and Chytil.

 

[Machinehead]

And yet the year before last he was routinely making beautiful passes to Lafreniere and Chytil.

I must have slept through these.

 

[savebyrichter94]

He has great hands and horrendous hands at the same time.

He needs more puck possession and less puck possession at the same time, he is….

Dewey Kax

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Kakko is a weird player.

Like, people talk about his hands and his ability to control the puck/win battles down low, and that's true, but the second he tries to do anything but just hold it, he loses the puck easier than any player I've seen at this level.

He has great hands and horrendous hands at the same time.

You can't have it both ways. Either he has the hands or he doesnt. He clearly does. He makes bad decisions because he has zero confidence and doesn't trust himself to make plays.

 

[noncents]

Playing down-low is only useful if you can turn it into offense. He has demonstrated that he has no idea how to convert possession into offense with any linemates.

disagree.

possessing down low is itself a useful and winning strategy because it keeps the puck in the o zone, allowing D to change, especially in long change periods, and tires out the opposing D. it can lead to power play opportunities.

Kakko has demonstrated that he can thread passes through the net mouth from down low, especially behind the net. bonino, brodzinski, cuylle, even chytil all miss them. these are high percentage opportunities wasted.

i'm not arguing that he's a high level playmaker from below the dots, or that i personally am happy about his lack of offense creation from possession. he needs to cut to the middle more when he has the puck, and he needs to find open space to shoot without it.

but you're wrong on both counts, playing down low is useful and he has demonstrated he can create offense. just not consistently enough. Part of that to me is linemates - his biggest flaw is lack of adaptability.