RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft) Part 2

[Mysteric1000]

Some might say that hes hanging w/ the puck for way too long at times, even if u had a teammate in close. I bet thats just a sign that errors and mistakes are allowed to make if u learn from them and "immaturity" turns more of a mature and more quick reaction as the games offer chances for those kinda situations more and more.

I stated one interesting thing in WJC, that Kakko and Lundell (most often those guys) played a lot more of a cycle game and give-and-gos comparing what TPS w/ Kakko-Filppula in so many games (tho Kakko did it a lot more w/ Filppula than w/ someone else). Lundell tho with a safer bet as an ensure first guy after turnover gave a different type of variation to play more of a cycle game (His high IQ and positioning offered a chance).

Still that is one strenght more that u actually have a skill to be a differencemaker and give yourself and your teammates time to look for position just hanging on with the puck more longer than most players does. Its up to teammates aswell how does it work, but thats just the attribute why hes ahead of many in his peer group.

 

[Hokinaittii]

Today vs Lukko like 10 puck losing. Not too much? Ehh?

Not that Kakko even had close to 10 giveaways in this game but no one really cares about you being the last person to touch the puck until it's lost in the offensive zone if you have 3 goals and like 10 takeaways to compensate. None of the pucks Kakko lost today were dangerous, they were all just him trying to challenge the defenders and he got taken down at the last second.

 

[Lepardi]

If Jukka Jalonen dont choose Kakko to mans Worlds training group he will destroy other teams in U18 Worlds.

How do you know TPS won't make it to the finals? If they do, Kakko will have no time to play at the U18 Worlds. And if TPS makes it to the finals, Jalonen will probably have to pick him without checking him out in the pre-tournament games first. Isn't that usually what they do with players from the FEL top-2 teams?

 

[Masamies]

 

[SantosHalper]

How do you know TPS won't make it to the finals? If they do, Kakko will have no time to play at the U18 Worlds.

Remember Sebastian Aho in 2015? 24 hours after he won gold and scored game winning goal in game 7, he was playing in u18 Worlds. So Kakko has all the time in the world

 

[Lepardi]

It's pretty damn obvious that Jalonen is choosing him... He's all but said it.

Do you have a source for this? I bet a grand total of €5 on Kakko making the WHC team right after the World Juniors.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

He has a North American quick release. Very, very nice. Too many Finnish players have this slow wind up wrister. I've watched almost all his games and i didn't even know he possesses such a great wrister until recently.

 

[Lepardi]

Remember Sebastian Aho in 2015? 24 hours after he won gold and scored game winning goal in game 7, he was playing in u18 Worlds. So Kakko has all the time in the world

OK. I stand corrected. There's a minor problem though. The potential game 7 of this year's FEL finals is 6 days after the U18 final. The FEL finals would have to be a sweep for Kakko to be able to play in the U18 final.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Do you have a source for this? I bet a grand total of 5€ on Kakko making the WHC team right after the World Juniors.

He said that Kakko would've been in the EHT team a week ago if he wasn't injured. He's also spoken about how if he has to choose between an older Liiga player or a young, promising player, he'll pick the young player. The signs are there.

 

[SantosHalper]

OK. I stand corrected. There's a minor problem though. The potential game 7 of this year's FEL finals is 6 days after the U18 final. The FEL finals would have to be a sweep for Kakko to be able to play in the U18 final.

Ok. Go Tepsi go, then i guess....

 

[Tkachuckycheese]

Just curious does he know how to speak english pretty well? Better than Puljujärvi when he came into the league?

 

[Boonk]

IMO 70% chance Kakko doesnt play at the U18s. He has a higher chance at playing at the Worlds and he should. Guaranteed hell be at the next EHT tournament.

 

[Hokinaittii]

So it seems like he has some finish in him after all which was a concern for some when he couldn't get on the scoreboard even though he kept generating chances after chances earlier in the season. I'm happy he didn't end up as this one-dimensional buzzer in the corner.

On a more serious note, it's nice Kakko seem to be playing his best when the stakes are highest. Scored a goal in U18s finals last year, scored the GWG in U20 finals and now 4+1 in back to back games against 3rd and 4th best teams in Liiga.

 

[ijuka]

Okey. Its good then lose 1000 pucks in 82 games. Thats good.

You really don't get it? Look at the NHL players with the most giveaways. Johnny Gaudreau is #2, Leon Draisaitl #7, Pastrnak #9, Barzal #10, Marchand #13, Malkin #19 etc.

If you have the puck a lot and do a lot with the puck, you'll inevitably be losing it sometimes.

With your priorities, I guess you don't really care that Gaudreau has 78 points in 58 games - he has 84 giveaways after all.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

IMO 70% chance Kakko doesnt play at the U18s. He has a higher chance at playing at the Worlds and he should. Guaranteed hell be at the next EHT tournament.

His agent has stated that U18 is the least of his priorities.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Just curious does he know how to speak english pretty well? Better than Puljujärvi when he came into the league?

Well...he needed a interpreter at the WJC, so its an issue.
In a Finnish media interview he said he'd fix it (improve his english) this summer.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Well...he needed a interpreter at the WJC, so its an issue.
In a Finnish media interview he said he'd fix it (improve his english) this summer.

He did answer the last question the interviewer asked before getting a translation. So he does understand English.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

He did answer the last question the interviewer asked before getting a translation. So he does understand English.

Understands some english i think
But so does Puljujärvi thou (at least that's what he says) - but the speaking part is the issue, inability to communicate

 

[ijuka]

Well at least he said he'll work on it this summer, Puljujärvi just said that he doesn't feel like studying and will learn as he goes, which is absurd.

 

[Kaako Kappo]

Understands some english i think
But so does Puljujärvi thou (at least that's what he says) - but the speaking part is the issue, inability to communicate

Well, you know as much as i do. We'll see in a few months.

 

[Lepardi]

Guaranteed hell be at the next EHT tournament.

TPS might be playing during the next EHT tournament.

 

[ijuka]

TPS might be playing during the next EHT tournament.

Carlsson Hockey Games on 2-5 of May? I guess that's possible... Games 6 and 7 of Liiga finals would be then.

 

[FinPanda]

Just curious does he know how to speak english pretty well? Better than Puljujärvi when he came into the league?

He will be better than Puljujärvi. I have no doubt.

 

[kelsier]

He has a North American quick release. Very, very nice. Too many Finnish players have this slow wind up wrister. I've watched almost all his games and i didn't even know he possesses such a great wrister until recently.

Agreed. The wrist shot looks to be borderline elite if not elite (could use more sample size). The velocity is harder to determine but the accuracy often looks pinpoint. I told from the start that he will need to learn how to utilize his scoring skills in order to be productive due to quality of the goalkeepers and generally low-score games in the FEL. Not to even mention pass first and defensive orientated line mates he played with early on. Filppula for instance scored only 5 goals in 35 games at 17-18 (although is sitting on 12 now) and Wirtanen scored whopping 3 goals before he was shipped out after 17 matches. These were his two most common line mates at the very beginning. At first it seemed Kakko was looking mostly for lanes to make passes but at some point as the season progressed he realized if he relied more on his own skills and finishing ability, he'd get better results. I had impression he had a good shot but didn't know it would be this good either, especially with that short stick of his.

Don't mind that he plays with Palve but when he's getting practically the same production anyway when playing C, I'd much rather see him center Palmu for instance. Also I have to say that the combination of skating, stick-handling and sheer strength, Kakko is unparalleled in his draft class. Sometimes it takes 2 or 3 guys to contain him. Having a great release is just another advantage over everything else. If he didn't end up in the WHC roster, that'd be a huge surprise rather than the opposite at this moment.

 

[Ippenator]

Well, you know as much as i do. We'll see in a few months.

What we do know though is that if someone doesn’t have natural talent for learning languages, one summer will mean Jackcrap for their language skills. Kakko will need at least 2-3 years of intensive studying to get his English to a level that he can really communicate well with. He will for sure have language and communication problems if he is thinking of going to the NHL already next season. Better stay home and really do something about his English for a full year. Even that might not help him well enough to get to the level where he will be comfortable with speaking English.

Although I have to say that Pulju’s English speaking problems are a bit overemphasized. That dude’s problems are seriously his average skills and below average hockey IQ. And in general not the sharpest tool in the shed honestly. Unfortunately I’m getting a bit similar vibes on Kakko (not skillswise though). Some arrogance also. This is based on the few Finnish interviews that I have heard. Of course this might not be meaningful after all. Just get a bit entitled and even arrogant feeling from his interviews. Hopefully he will manage to focus this to the right things and to the will of doing everything he needs to do to keep him still in the future ahead of his peers with his development.

Definitely happy to see him shooting more than earlier this season. Also his shooting quality has been clearly better recently. Still keeps hanging on to the puck too much in my opinion. I want to see him develop more into making much more of quick give and go plays, as his great agility for his size and puck protecting skills should really help him a lot with being successful with the give and go plays. It would make him so much more dangerous as a player than he is at the moment. So far I’m not sure if he has the vision and the hockey IQ for it. But I want to emphasize that I’m not claiming that he doesn’t have them, or can’t develop them. He just hasn’t show’n that yet at the level that I’m hoping to see. Also I have slight worries with his lack of English skills.

Anyways I’m so far happy in general with his develoment this season. Definitely an AAA prospect. I just think that he could turn into something truly amazing, if he could after all master clearly quicker playmaking and give and go-type of plays. He would be absolutely impossible to handle then. Also I’m a bit worried of the slight signs of arrogance and the lack of English skills for him, but I see these still as pretty small things after all. At worst they should only delay his development though. He is that talented that only serious injuries could prevent him from truly panning out at the NHL level.