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

[FinPanda]

Devils did draft Ari Ahonen first round back in 1999, played 0 NHL games in the end.

Second round they drafted Teemu Laine in 2000 (0 NHL games) and Tuomas Pihlman in 2001 (15 NHL games).

That's why I said usually

 

[Rabid Ranger]

Oh now you like him

He’d be happier if the Rangers took Turcotte.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Stop drinking the kool aid guys there is no way devils select kakko . No way. Hughes is mini Crosby.

And Kakko is mini ovechkin

 

[Rabid Ranger]

And Kakko is mini ovechkin

No, that is Laine (or was it mini Lemieux?). Kakko is mini Forsberg.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

No, that is Laine (or was it mini Lemieux?). Kakko is mini Forsberg.

Ok i’ll take that too

 

[1OApick]

So happy, Im moving to New York next year. So which team picks Kakko will be probably my favourite team from now on.

 

[Fireonk]

From the last 5 drafts, which team that drafted in the top-2 has had less secondary scoring than the current Rangers, especially now that they traded away their 2nd line center? It's so clear that Rangers doesn't have as much star players in their teams than your average team would have. So am I wrong to say I don't wish Rangers' most talented player to be playing with players clearly inferior to him? Laine got everything handed to him on a silver platter and even Matthews got to play mostly with Nylander in his draft year and people still said he was so underutilized back then. And there are many other examples of young players immediately getting to play with their team's best players.

Jack Eichel joined a team who only had 2 players with more than 35 points the year before. Tyler Ennis and Matt Moulson.

Having Zibanejad alone makes this situation significantly better.

 

[thomast]

Kakko is great building block for the future because he is so versatile. He can play LW/C and RW. He can put the puck in net or create plays with his awesome vision. You can pair him with playmakers or snipers it doesen’t matter. I think he is equally good playmaker and scorer despite of his goal heavy production this year. I think Hughes is really good fit for NJD because of their speed game. Kakko is good for NYR because of his heavy cycling game and strength. His skating is great especially agility, accerelation and balance but he is not speedster like Hughes.

 

[ijuka]

I know you are joking, but I’ve had him above Hughes for over a month. My main concern about his game is skating acceleration. If Kakko is going to be an elite NHL winger, you’d like him to be able to gain the zone with speed easier and beat defenders to the outside with speed easier. It doesn’t mean all the best forwards have great acceleration, but more of them do than don’t.

This isn't wrong but gee, players improve their skating a ton post-draft all the time, especially if they have slightly bigger bodies. Kakko's skating still is well ahead of cases like Barkov or Draisaitl pre-draft, who each are quite formidable skaters at this point.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Kakko is great building block for the future because he is so versatile. He can play LW/C and RW. He can put the puck in net or create plays with his awesome vision. You can pair him with playmakers or snipers it doesen’t matter. I think he is equally good playmaker and scorer despite of his goal heavy production this year. I think Hughes is really good fit for NJD because of their speed game. Kakko is good for NYR because of his heavy cycling game and strength. His skating is great especially agility, accerelation and balance but he is not speedster like Hughes.

This is a good point. The Rangers have a very big team. There isn’t a forward on the current roster listed at less than 6’0, and now Kravtsov and Kakko are both 6’2. There also isn’t a defensemen listed at less than 5’11. We don’t acquire many of the small skilled forwards or defensemen. We play more of a Western Conference style. Big, physical and hard to play against with agitators like Lemieux and DeAngelo.

I think Quinn would also prefer Kakko to Hughes because he fits his style more than Hughes does.

 

[Lepardi]

Start spreading the news. I'm leaving today. I want to be apart of it, New York, New York!

The little town blues are certainly melting away for Kaapo, especially as the town is not only little but extremely crappy and awful too.

 

[BB88]

Despite him sometimes getting into arguments with Finns, I think he has always liked the player. Definately more than your average American poster here.

Kakko to Rangers doesn't sound too bad even though I would have preferred some other teams even moe, mostly because the Rangers are hard in the rebuild mode and they don't really have much history with Finns. But they are surely a classic team and it will be interesting to see how quickly he becomes a fan favorite in New York City.

It will also be interesting to see what kind of linemates Kakko gets. I guess Zibanejad is solid #1 center but besides him there aren't many real star players in the team. I'm not asking Kakko to be handed everything on a silver platter in his rookie year but if Kakko won't see much ice time with the best players next year, I don't expect him to be one of the Calder favorites.

Should't you look at more of longterm potential and the management when looking at top teams for Kakko instead of how they are looking for next season?

Rangers never have had a Finn like Lakko before so that's exciting and they seem to be building quite well for longterm future.

 

[Hokinaittii]

Should't you look at more of longterm potential and the management when looking at top teams for Kakko instead of how they are looking for next season?

Rangers never have had a Finn like Lakko before so that's exciting and they seem to be building quite well for longterm future.

I don't see any problems with Kakko in Rangers other than he isn't as likely going to win Calder as a player like Laine who got drafted 2nd into a team that could have competed for the Stanley Cup already that season or the next. I know Kakko competing for the Calder is very irrevelant in a big picture but for a small Kakko fanboy like me this situtation isn't ideal.

Rangers definately have a great prospect pool but I don't see them having #1 goalie anymore in couple of years when Ludqvist retires and Shattenkirk doesn't strike me as the greatest possible #1 D to have. I guess I'd prefer if the Rangers already had replacements for those players in their system instead of me having to wait and see them draft or trade for those players.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sure the Rangers will look great in a few years but it's probably going to be a bumpy road for the next season or two for Kakko and his team.

 

[MarVell]

I don't see any problems with Kakko in Rangers other than he isn't as likely going to win Calder as a player like Laine who got drafted 2nd into a team that could have competed for the Stanley Cup already that season or the next. I know Kakko competing for the Calder is very irrevelant in a big picture but for a small Kakko fanboy like me this situtation isn't ideal.

Rangers definately have a great prospect pool but I don't see them having #1 goalie anymore in couple of years when Ludqvist retires and Shattenkirk doesn't strike me as the greatest possible #1 D to have. I guess I'd prefer if the Rangers already had replacements for those players in their system instead of me having to wait and see them draft or trade for those players.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sure the Rangers will look great in a few years but it's probably going to be a bumpy road for the next season or two for Kakko and his team.

I mean, Elias Pettersson managed to win the calder in Vancouver. Not alot of star power there either.

 

[ijuka]

I don't see any problems with Kakko in Rangers other than he isn't as likely going to win Calder as a player like Laine who got drafted 2nd into a team that could have competed for the Stanley Cup already that season or the next. I know Kakko competing for the Calder is very irrevelant in a big picture but for a small Kakko fanboy like me this situtation isn't ideal.

Lack of star power means more opportunity. If Kakko, for instance, gets to play on the first line with Zibanejad, his chances for Calder are as good as any player's.

 

[AgentBrodeur]

Kakko, is a JVR alike, protects the puck like a later year Jagr, can win puck battles with grown men right now. Great passing, harder shooter, good skater. Way better then a Patrick Nolan, in all categories.

Jack Hughes , is Johny Hockey, wrister, passing is is top notch, skating is top notch, his size is the only negative and puck battles will be tough, unless he lets others do that job. But if you worried about that. Go look at the last game when team USA lost the turney in the third period, he tried and looks like Barzel and danced around and made scoring chance, after scoring chance, after scoring chance. absolutely relentless. Hes younger, at 17/18 i weight that much. Just takes a few years before metabolism drops and start hitting that gym.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

https://www.tsn.ca/hughes-kakko-in-tight-race-for-top-spot-1.1284470

This just in...a scout laments having less footage of a top pick in an upcoming draft. Shocker.

PS hi overzealous finn fans. You know I've been around. As a nyr fan, I knew the NY rangers would get kakko somehow. Ok well...didnt KNOW but I felt super strong about it.

Looks like we better start making nice bc were going to be linked for years

 

[DoingItCoolKiwi]

Suddenly I want Kakko to go #2oa despite Finland never having had someone be a #1oa pick. Would rather watch rangers than devils next season

 

[Lays]

I don't see any problems with Kakko in Rangers other than he isn't as likely going to win Calder as a player like Laine who got drafted 2nd into a team that could have competed for the Stanley Cup already that season or the next. I know Kakko competing for the Calder is very irrevelant in a big picture but for a small Kakko fanboy like me this situtation isn't ideal.

Rangers definately have a great prospect pool but I don't see them having #1 goalie anymore in couple of years when Ludqvist retires and Shattenkirk doesn't strike me as the greatest possible #1 D to have. I guess I'd prefer if the Rangers already had replacements for those players in their system instead of me having to wait and see them draft or trade for those players.

So I guess what I'm trying to say is, I'm sure the Rangers will look great in a few years but it's probably going to be a bumpy road for the next season or two for Kakko and his team.

Have you never heard of Shestyorkin or Georgiev?

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Have you never heard of Shestyorkin or Georgiev?

Prob not georgiev but shesty is a top 25 overall prospect in the world in a lot of eyes so yea hes totally wrong. Poster pavel buch does that all the time too (talks with certainty without having nearly enough research or knowledge behind it).

Of course this guy only did it once. PB does it every other day

 

[Hokinaittii]

Have you never heard of Shestyorkin or Georgiev?

I have heard about Georgiev but since Rangers have been one of my least watched teams, I must have missed the real deal which seems to be Shestyorkin.

Although he plays for a very good team in KHL, his numbers are still great compared to another ex-SKA goalie Koskinen. I guess my fears for the Rangers not having a solid plan after Hank retires were in vain.

So my bad for getting that wrong, I should have known better.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

This isn't wrong but gee, players improve their skating a ton post-draft all the time, especially if they have slightly bigger bodies. Kakko's skating still is well ahead of cases like Barkov or Draisaitl pre-draft, who each are quite formidable skaters at this point.

Pronman wrote an article yesterday on Kakko, and I thought he summarized it well.

Kakko doesn’t have a true weakness in his game. For all his tools I give 20-80 grades to, not one of them is below a 50. However, if you had to pick apart something about the way he plays, it would be the fact he’s not a blazing fast skater. If you’ve watched all the video to this point, you may have noticed Kakko is not making a ton of plays due to high-end speed or agility. We see times where he gets by folks and he has some speed for sure. I like his first step and how well he maneuvers in small areas, especially around the net. There are times where his zone entries look pedestrian, though, in terms of pace:

When he does decide to turn on the jets, he has enough to turn the corner on some defenders:

For me his skating is about average, maybe a half-tick above, but it’s not what drives his value. He’s not spinning off checks with his edge work or blazing down the wing. He relies on his skill, power and sense to make plays.
“It’s not going to hold him back, but it’s not a strength,” said one NHL scout about Kakko’s skating

Pronman: Why Kaapo Kakko could be considered with the No. 1...

I don't think Kakko is a bad skater, and has much of a need to improve his skating. He's good at skating in smaller spaces, he's a powerful skater, he has good edge work. He's going to make his money with his play in crowded areas of the ice instead of by winning with pond hockey. He doesn't lug around the ice either. If he did, his skating might be a problem. I tend to think that an average skater is better suited for the middle of ice and a bad skater is better suited for the wing. A bad skater could not keep up with the play, and getting from goal-line to goal-line. You can hide their skating on the wing. The Rangers have a player like this already who I think will need to be hidden on the wing, Lias Andersson. Kakko's skating is good enough to keep up with the play.

I think keeping Kakko, whose strengths are almost entirely based upon parts of the game other than skating, on the wing is probably counter-productive to how you want to develop the player. If I'm coaching the team, I want Kakko to watch tape of guys like Kopitar and Barkov. You want him to turn into one of those centers that is physically difficult to play against, along with being incredibly skilled. He has the skill part. He has potential to be a physical 1C. Thats what he needs to now develop. This is the type of center that a rookie would hate to play against instead of someone like a McDavid. A skilled rookie might be able to skate with McDavid. It would be much harder for them to physically keep up with a player like Barkov. Kopitar is notorious for being the hardest face-off guy in the league to beat because of how strong he is in the circle.

 

[yvrtojfk]

Congrats Rangers fans. He's going to be a real special player.

 

[ijuka]

Pronman wrote an article yesterday on Kakko, and I thought he summarized it well.


Pronman: Why Kaapo Kakko could be considered with the No. 1...

I don't think Kakko is a bad skater, and has much of a need to improve his skating. He's good at skating in smaller spaces, he's a powerful skater, he has good edge work. He's going to make his money with his play in crowded areas of the ice instead of by winning with pond hockey. He doesn't lug around the ice either. If he did, his skating might be a problem. I tend to think that an average skater is better suited for the middle of ice and a bad skater is better suited for the wing. A bad skater could not keep up with the play, and getting from goal-line to goal-line. You can hide their skating on the wing. The Rangers have a player like this already who I think will need to be hidden on the wing, Lias Andersson. Kakko's skating is good enough to keep up with the play.

I think keeping Kakko, whose strengths are almost entirely based upon parts of the game other than skating, on the wing is probably counter-productive to how you want to develop the player. If I'm coaching the team, I want Kakko to watch tape of guys like Kopitar and Barkov. You want him to turn into one of those centers that is physically difficult to play against, along with being incredibly skilled. He has the skill part. He has potential to be a physical 1C. Thats what he needs to now develop. This is the type of center that a rookie would hate to play against instead of someone like a McDavid. A skilled rookie might be able to skate with McDavid. It would be much harder for them to physically keep up with a player like Barkov. Kopitar is notorious for being the hardest face-off guy in the league to beat because of how strong he is in the circle.

How about Leon Draisaitl? I'd say that Kakko's a lot closer to him than either Kopitar or Barkov in style, and Draisaitl's excelled on the wing with his big, physical yet very skilled style of play, though he can play C as well. And yet another reminder that Kakko's better than these players were at skating at his age.

I'm very aware that Kakko needs to have some improvement in his skating, but unlike you, I don't think that improving one's skating in general is an issue. If Dylan Strome can skate well enough to score at a PPG pace in NHL, so can Kakko. I guess that's where the way we think differs. In general, I feel safe expecting bigger players to have a significant improvement in skating post-draft, so much so that it barely ever is a concern unless the skating is truly terrible(think Laine pre-draft).

Considering Saku Koivu's comments about Kakko's attitude towards training and considering the physical properties of other TPS products / summer training partners such as Mikko Rantanen and Rasmus Ristolainen, that's a good starting point also. Also, slower players can play the wing as well. Matthew Tkachuk for example has been extremely successful in NHL. In fact, there are some similarities between him and Kakko as well.


In short, I guess what I'm saying is that Kakko's very capable of becoming at least a Barkov / Draisaitl-level skater, and when he does, he's going to have absolutely no issues tearing the league up in my eyes.

 

[Devilsfan118]

I can't wait for this player rivalry to re-ignite the hatred between the two teams.

Kakko's going to be a solid #2 pick - can't wait for the narrative Larry Brooks is going to spin going forward.