RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft) Part 3

[kelsier]

Yeah it wasn't really directed at you. I'm mainly talking about claims such as "Kakko > Rantanen right now" etc.

I'm pretty much the same when it comes to Finnish prospects. Too many have busted for me to not be skeptical towards them.

Like who exactly? I doubt anyone here actually believes such things.

 

[CanuckCity]

How much Left Wing has he played? Does he seem just as effective there?

 

[ijuka]

I don't get why it is negative to try your best to get to WHC team. He is working hard to get in.

Because it's obvious he's in and there's no need to work hard?

 

[1OApick]

Because it's obvious he's in and there's no need to work hard?

I think he should have season ticket for mens team. But Jukkas comments don't look like that and Kakko needs to work hard for it. And why people view this like it is bad for Kakko? Like he would have character issues?

 

[ovythegiraffe]

Why would anybody ever choose to go to wjc if they have a legit chance of being an impact player in the mens one? 4/top-6 nhl scorers this season played in the WC last year. Would be pretty awesome to get to play against people like that pre draft. Hopefully the trend continues though

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

WHC is the most important tournament for the players in his age group. Everybody should keep their focus getting in. Unless it is an Olympic year. Nobody puts junior tournaments above those, nobody. Or if they do, they should stop playing hockey.

If team Finland wanted Kakko in the juniors they simply wouldn't have invited him to the mens training camp.

That’s not what he did. He could play in both. He chose not to. Also, WHC is not his age group. Very few players get the opportunity to play the WHC.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I disagree. He showed last year how he played in the U18 tournament and was probably the best player on the Finnish team. He doesn't need to play in the U18 tournament this year as he played with the U20 already earlier.

It's disappointing but I think it is smart to think forward and try to make the men's team.

Let’s say he scored 15 points and his team won the title over Hughes team with Kakko being the tournament MVP. Would that not help him? He can play WJC18 and WHC.

What message does it send to his teammates in his own age group that he’s had for three years?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Doesn’t Canada do the same? Once you’ve played with an older age group, you’ve graduated from the younger ones. Correct me if I’m wrong.

I don’t know, but they shouldn’t do that, if that’s what they do.

 

[FinPanda]

Let’s say he scored 15 points and his team won the title over Hughes team with Kakko being the tournament MVP. Would that not help him? He can play WJC18 and WHC.

What message does it send to his teammates in his own age group that he’s had for three years?

I would liked him to play in the U18 tournament but he already has gold in the U18 level as the best player on the team. He feels like it is not worth it anymore. How that would help him? Hughes will be first overall and it's not like Kakko really had any chance to change that really. One tournament doesn't change the facts.

Kakko has mostly played this year with the U20 national team anyway. I don't think he actually played a single game with the U18 team this year. He has better chance to make the men's team when he is in from the beginning.

It is not the same thing like with the USA U18 national team who play together for many years. Most of the Finnish team stay to same for many years, but the best players will be promoted to the U20 team and some players will change during the years. Some are not good enough to play with men's yet so it is good for them to play for the U18 team. Like Kotkaniemi who was unfairly left off the U20 team in 2018 WJC so and he was never gonna get a chance to play with adults. So it made sense for him to play in the U18 tournament.

And we can discuss about this as much as we want but he made his decision already.

 

[1OApick]

Let’s say he scored 15 points and his team won the title over Hughes team with Kakko being the tournament MVP. Would that not help him? He can play WJC18 and WHC.

What message does it send to his teammates in his own age group that he’s had for three years?

I don't think he is trying to avoid U-18 and can guess that Jalonen have said that you should try your best to get to the mens team.

 

[ovythegiraffe]

Let’s say he scored 15 points and his team won the title over Hughes team with Kakko being the tournament MVP. Would that not help him? He can play WJC18 and WHC.

What message does it send to his teammates in his own age group that he’s had for three years?

Help with what? It's not like he needs to impress any scouts anymore. He's basically locked on second and whether he's drafted 1st or 2nd or 10th makes no difference on how he'll perform in nhl and how his career is gonna go.

 

[karhukissa]

What message does it send to his teammates in his own age group that he’s had for three years?

Well it's a chance for the new players to take the lead. I think everyone outside some regular fans understands his choice.

Risk/reward ratio is too low anyways, what if he get's injured or something. He has already shown everybody what he can do at the junior level, also in Liiga level with adults. So whether he plays with U18 doesn't affect on scouts opinion whatsoever, moreover it's important to put everything to WHC where scouts can see his level against NHL guys.

Everyone knows he would be dominant against everyone in WJC, 2 gold medals and final winning goal already in his backpocket, what's more to prove in that level? What would he need to do there to raise his stock in scouts eyes? Play with the opposite handed stick and still be the top scorer?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I don't think he is trying to avoid U-18 and can guess that Jalonen have said that you should try your best to get to the mens team.

I don't read Finnish, but here is what FinPanda claims was said in this article.

So it was Kakko's decision to skip the U18 tournament.


Jukka Jalonen paljastaa: Leijoniin valittu NHL-superlupaus Kaapo Kakko teki itse poikkeuksellisen valinnan

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Help with what? It's not like he needs to impress any scouts anymore. He's basically locked on second and whether he's drafted 1st or 2nd or 10th makes no difference on how he'll perform in nhl and how his career is gonna go.

He's not locked into second. WJC18 is the biggest evaluation tournament for draft-eligible players. To think that how certain players perform in this tournament can't impact their draft position is ridiculous.

 

[FinPanda]

He's not locked into second. WJC18 is the biggest evaluation tournament for draft-eligible players. To think that how certain players perform in this tournament can't impact their draft position is ridiculous.

Of course they can. It is why Kotkaniemi went third overall. But for top prospects who already played at the U20 WJC I don't think this tournament is as important.

It is huge opportunity for everyone else who has not shown enough on international level.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Risk/reward ratio is too low anyways, what if he get's injured or something. He has already shown everybody what he can do at the junior level, also in Liiga level with adults. So whether he plays with U18 doesn't affect on scouts opinion whatsoever, moreover it's important to put everything to WHC where scouts can see his level against NHL guys.

Everyone knows he would be dominant against everyone in WJC, 2 gold medals and final winning goal already in his backpocket, what's more to prove in that level? What would he need to do there to raise his stock in scouts eyes? Play with the opposite handed stick and still be the top scorer?

Thats terrible reasoning. What if he gets injured walking down the street? He's not made it yet, and has no draft positioning to protect. He's not even played a game in the NHL. I think this is a bad mindset for a player to have.

His draft position can absolutely change based on this tournament. It might change based on the fact that he won't play here. Hughes was the consensus 1OA choice for almost everyone going into the season. He'd probably still go 1OA if Kakko outplays him, but Kakko can make it closer, and consensus doesn't matter when there's only one team choosing. If one of the teams that prefers Kakko chooses first, it won't matter that more teams had Hughes 1OA.

 

[FinPanda]

Thats terrible reasoning. What if he gets injured walking down the street? He's not made it yet, and has no draft positioning to protect. He's not even played a game in the NHL. I think this is a bad mindset for a player to have.

His draft position can absolutely change based on this tournament. It might change based on the fact that he won't play here. Hughes was the consensus 1OA choice for almost everyone going into the season. He'd probably still go 1OA if Kakko outplays him, but Kakko can make it closer, and consensus doesn't matter when there's only one team choosing. If one of the teams that prefers Kakko chooses first, it won't matter that more teams had Hughes 1OA.

I am sure he would've played in the U18 tournament if he had missed the U20 one. If things change because of this decision it's dumb.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I am sure he would've played in the U18 tournament if he had missed the U20 one. If things change because of this decision it's dumb.

Hughes, Podkolzin, Knight, Broberg and Heinola are playing in both. Lundell will likely play in both.

 

[FinPanda]

Hughes, Podkolzin, Knight, Broberg and Heinola are playing in both. Lundell will likely play in both.

But how many of those guys would have had an opportunity to represent their men's national team? Hughes for sure, but any other?

 

[FinnishSniper]

Hughes, Podkolzin, Knight, Broberg and Heinola are playing in both. Lundell will likely play in both.

Yes, because none of them are good enough to play for the men’s team.

End. Of. Story.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

He could go 1st overall if he plays well in men's tournament.

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Yes, because none of them are good enough to play for the men’s team.

End. Of. Story.

Hughes is and there's a good chance he does. Quit putting Kakko on this unassailable pedestal.

 

[FinnishSniper]

Hughes is and there's a good chance he does. Quit putting Kakko on this unassailable pedestal.

Oh shit, didn’t even notice Hughes, of course he can and hopefully is going to make the team My bad. Will be great to compare the two against the same competition.

 

[1OApick]

I don't read Finnish, but here is what FinPanda claims was said in this article.

Yes thats true but he is skipping it to make to mens team. He is trying play at highest level possible. Can't just see why that is bad. Any other than maybe Hughes have no chance for mens team. So I think he is a lock for second at least.

 

[ovythegiraffe]

Thats terrible reasoning. What if he gets injured walking down the street? He's not made it yet, and has no draft positioning to protect. He's not even played a game in the NHL. I think this is a bad mindset for a player to have.

His draft position can absolutely change based on this tournament. It might change based on the fact that he won't play here. Hughes was the consensus 1OA choice for almost everyone going into the season. He'd probably still go 1OA if Kakko outplays him, but Kakko can make it closer, and consensus doesn't matter when there's only one team choosing. If one of the teams that prefers Kakko chooses first, it won't matter that more teams had Hughes 1OA.

Still, the scouts give much more value to being a key player on a mens team than a junior team of course. And no one even knows in which order the teams get to draft so at this point it makes no difference what number you go on