Maukkis
EZ4ENCE
- Mar 16, 2016
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A 17-year-old should not be that good with the puck. Sweet Jesus, is it marvellous to watch him protect it.
RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft) Part 2
- Thread starter Caser
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Hokinaittii
Registered User
- Aug 15, 2015
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No, thats just a narrative you are pushing. Nobody of merit has put Kaakko above Hughes. Ive seen more people put him at 3 than 1
A really Good clip of his creativity in fast pace, dangerous situation created that easy
EDIT: Hokinaittii I subscribe to you on yt
for like 3-4 years I think.
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Kakko was not even a 1st rounder when Hughes was already #1, it will take some time for the slowheaded people with "merit" to see that he might have competition for the #1 nowadays. And tbh it does not matther at all who they have on their #1, the team that gets the #1 pick and whats on their minds is the only thing that matter. And this year draft is no (OFC they will draft the best player available year) cuz this year there is to tight on the top. Hughes should not be seen as a clear #1 and therefore the team that winns the lottery will draft the player they feel would be the best for their team.
NA scouting agencies hate changing their opinions. Remember this time in 2017 when Nolan Patrick was #1 and no one could possibly challenge him?
Hughes has been #1 for them for years, they would need something drastic to change their opinions now. Even though that's not how it should be. People get married to their earlier opinions for some reason.
I read that he's tried that a couple of times in the Finnish league already. He'll score a goal like that one of these days.
Your spelling is way off. "Kaakko" means southeast, "kakko" means bread.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
So if Kakko is ranked #2 behind a "badly overhyped" Hughes how good of a prospect can Kakko be?
The player I have seen for Finland and the player being created/hyped on HF do not look the same. He has looked good at times, invisible at others. Never once did I think this player is just exceptional. Finns do this with every one of their popular prospects.
But he isn't close. Pretty much all hockey sources say Hughes is going first almost as if it is already done. No one is talking about Kakko going first... except for you guys on HF.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
For the record I think the gap between Hughes and the other top prospects in this draft has shrunk. A couple of things though:
* This tournament isn't going to matter at all when it comes to who gets drafted first. Hughes has been injured and when he has played he's been just okay. Kakko has been good but nothing special. Body of work and potential matter more
* I believe Kakko has competition for #2. If you want to believe Hughes isn't the consensus #1 then Kakko isn't the consensus #2 either
* This tournament isn't going to matter at all when it comes to who gets drafted first. Hughes has been injured and when he has played he's been just okay. Kakko has been good but nothing special. Body of work and potential matter more
* I believe Kakko has competition for #2. If you want to believe Hughes isn't the consensus #1 then Kakko isn't the consensus #2 either
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rt
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Hntz
Registered User
- Jan 6, 2018
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I never said that Kakko has been ranked over Hughes, although he has been by some. All I said was that it's not as clear a consensus as you suggest anymore. Are you really trying to pretend that there hasn't been talks of Kakko actually challenging Hughes for the 1OA?
And for the record I also never claimed that Kakko is better than Hughes. I haven't seen enough of both to form an educated opinion, and I think neither have you.
kelsier
Registered User
- Aug 17, 2013
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No he hasn't. Ever since the USA game where he barely scratched the ice I've been closely focusing on Heponiemi and how much he consumes Kakko's ice time. The second line always plays after the first line so if there's no whistle in between, Heponiemi consistently takes another 30+ seconds before he comes to the bench. Don't think I've ever seen anything like that in this tournament as far as Team Finland goes. Today I took note every time they had a line change of the fly and this is what I came up with:
1st period: 32 seconds
2nd period: 25 + 35 seconds
3rd period: 21 + 16 + 23 seconds
(the time between first or both forwards to jump to bench and Heponiemi going back in)
These are the extended shifts where in each case either one or both of his line mates had gone to bench and he'd been left to float on the ice by his own choice, refusing to go in. What I found extremely unusual was that it didn't matter if he was in the middle of the ice (with Finns holding the puck), the offensive zone or practically anywhere on the ice, even almost next to the bench. He just would continue to play no matter the occasion and in every single shift he was the last person left from his line. In the third period when Kupari had already went to the bench I noticed Talvitie was fore-checking deep in the offensive zone and instead of skating to the bench, Hepo rather joins Talvitie at the other end despite of getting the call while skating around in the middle ice. Each of these times, Kakko was the player waiting Heponiemi to come out of the rink so he could get in. Of course I was also watching Kupari and Talvitie at the same time and they never cheated with their call-ins. Now when you count in the seconds from the above, in the FIN-SWI game alone, Kakko lost over 2 minutes and 32 seconds because of this behaviour.
This explained the peak in Heponiemi's ice time in the USA game and why Kakko was left with 13:30 in the same game with Lundell playing more minutes than Kakko. Against Canada, Kakko (15:18) played over 2 minutes less than Lundell even though they are in the same line and PP unit. I really first took notice in the USA game and it went on against CAN and now the SWI. So basically Heponiemi might have been pulling this off from the beginning, and it has really diminished Kakko's role and minutes. All I can say is that's one selfish and arrogant player (taking advantage of his "veteran status") and it's a pity Ahokas doesn't have any sort of discipline and instead just chooses to overlook this or even make changes to the line rotation. Must be frustrating to watch your line mates on the ice and not be able to do anything about it.
Sorta like this time of the year in 2017 when there was no way Patrick wasn't going first right? Got to love this circular appeal to authority argument. Who cares about actually making a point, right?
Kakko's skill set is traditionally much more translateable to the NHL than Hughes's. Hughes needs to be at a truly special level.
Rabid Ranger
2 is better than one
This is a bunch of unsubstantiated bunk but keep shoveling the kakko.
To be really honest, is because he is not playing hes best hockey, you can tell because even if heponiemi steals alot of minutes from him, he still go the to bench when the rest of his line does. That tells ME, that he is here to learn and let the big boys play. I get that vibe, cuz I havent seen the kakko that im used to see, exept for some flashes here and there. But hes not playing the same game as he is in TPS. But thats my opinion, someone with more insigt could maybe englighten me. But I think he has more to give then what he is showing. So yes, people like you that dont have any insight in how he play in liiga is probably disapointed.
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Lainehasaweirdface
Registered User
- May 14, 2015
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- 597
While this will never in a million years happen, I definitely see the comparison Jokiharju made. Kakko is a Matthews clone in the corners.
I’d say Kakko is way more physical than him, but they play a very very similar game. The way they handle and protect the puck is very alike.
I see Kakko as more of a Leon Draisaitl in how he plays. Protects the puck well, stickhandles well, generates off the rush well, plays well in the corners and can both make and finish plays. We'll see if he is capable of driving his own line at center as whoever drafts him will surely try it. But like Draisiaitl I have my doubts if that is the better spot for him or if he is better served as a winger where he can just drive the outside lanes and create plays from there.
