RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft)

[ijuka]

He should appeal to any scout or GM, not just the old school ones. Being able to come off the boards with a puck is very crucial part of the game today.

I wasn't saying that he'd only appeal to the old school GMs. My point was that he'd appeal EVEN to them.

 

[FinPanda]

I remember something said about him being Puljujärvi with hockey IQ. But now I think he is a lot better in every way. More psysically and mentally ready, good hockey sense, very skilled, great skater. I shouldn't be too surprised when he was training with Rautala.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

I wasn't saying that he'd only appeal to the old school GMs. My point was that he'd appeal EVEN to them.

Ah ok, misunderstood it

 

[kelsier]

Thought Kakko was much more dangerous in the first game and compared to that, this was an average performance. Still if semi-good performance means 1+1 then you have to wonder what he can do on the hot days. I said he just might have what it takes to make an instant breaktrough and that gut feeling didn't fail up on me.

So two games and two game winners. Could have gone much worse.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I like the "an improved Rantanen" for a pre-draft comparison. If you analyze Rantanen now instead of his draft, I would say a similar game to Rantanen is a good comparison. Rantanen has proven better than expected at the draft. I don't think Kakko's going to score more than 84 points as a 21 year old.

 

[ijuka]

I remember something said about him being Puljujärvi with hockey IQ. But now I think he is a lot better in every way. More psysically and mentally ready, good hockey sense, very skilled, great skater. I shouldn't be too surprised when he was training with Rautala.

The only thing Puljujärvi has over Kakko is a better shot. But for all the important categories, Kakko just is plain better. Kakko also is better than Laine in most of them, of course, but Laine's shot sets him apart so that these players aren't very comparable.

 

[ijuka]

I like the "an improved Rantanen" for a pre-draft comparison. If you analyze Rantanen now instead of his draft, I would say a similar game to Rantanen is a good comparison. Rantanen has proven better than expected at the draft. I don't think Kakko's going to score more than 84 points as a 21 year old.

I think it's a bit too early to predict what he might or might not do at 21. To me nothing about his skill set should logically prevent him from scoring 84 points as a 21-year-old so one would be just relying on it being rare overall when making such a prediction.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The only thing Puljujärvi has over Kakko is a better shot. But for all the important categories, Kakko just is plain better. Kakko also is better than Laine in most of them, of course, but Laine's shot sets him apart so that these players aren't very comparable.

He's also a much better skater.

Kakko isn't a bad skater, but for a player considered in the top few spots, he's below average in the same way that Matthews and Laine were when you compare their skating to players like McDavid, Eichel, Dahlin, Svechnikov.

Puljujarvi also is an elite skater.

 

[ijuka]

If we're talking pre-draft, Puljujärvi was faster but didn't have Kakko's agility or manouverability. Actually, Puljujärvi really wasn't able to change direction very quickly and would really have to circle around in large circles. Then again, I consider Puljujärvi's skating somewhat overrated.

 

[absolute garbage]

He's also a much better skater.

Kakko isn't a bad skater, but for a player considered in the top few spots, he's below average in the same way that Matthews and Laine were when you compare their skating to players like McDavid, Eichel, Dahlin, Svechnikov.

Puljujarvi also is an elite skater.

That's just garbage. Skating has been a big issue for him. He can't skate in a controlled manner.

 

[thomast]

I like the "an improved Rantanen" for a pre-draft comparison. If you analyze Rantanen now instead of his draft, I would say a similar game to Rantanen is a good comparison. Rantanen has proven better than expected at the draft. I don't think Kakko's going to score more than 84 points as a 21 year old.

Rantanen plays much softer game than Kakko especially at same age. He is big rangy dude for sure but Kakko is physically much more encaged. He is a guy who seems to love to compete at boards, squeezing his body from tight seams with the puck most of the times and be involved game all the time. Rantanen in the other hand relies more being well positioned and his hockeyIQ. Sometimes he vanishes at the perimeter but still manages to put up couple points. Kakko is well positioned and really smart player too but when he sees free puck at the boards it is like throwing bone for a dog. He is going at it with full force.

Rantanen is super underrated and he is extremely gifted player but he plays totally different game than Kakko. He isn’t soft player and uses his size to his advantage at times but Rantanen is more like Voracek type of player. Kakko in the other hand plays like winger version of Peter Forsberg and i’m not going to say he is going to be that caliber of player. Just has same kind of hunger to win every battle. Just refuses to lose.

To me this comprison is not good.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

He's also a much better skater.

Kakko isn't a bad skater, but for a player considered in the top few spots, he's below average in the same way that Matthews and Laine were when you compare their skating to players like McDavid, Eichel, Dahlin, Svechnikov.

Puljujarvi also is an elite skater.

I’d say Kakko has better agility than Puljujärvi, and his speed has improved from last season as well. His skating doesn’t suffer when he has the puck either.

 

[ijuka]

Rantanen plays much softer game than Kakko especially at same age. He is big rangy dude for sure but Kakko is physically much more encaged. He is a guy who seems to love to compete at boards, squeezing his body from tight seams with the puck most of the times and be involved game all the time. Rantanen in the other hand relies more being well positioned and his hockeyIQ. Sometimes he vanishes at the perimeter but still manages to put up couple points. Kakko is well positioned and really smart player too but when he sees free puck at the boards it is like throwing bone for a dog. He is going at it with full force.

Rantanen is super underrated and he is extremely gifted player but he plays totally different game than Kakko. He isn’t soft player and uses his size to his advantage at times but Rantanen is more like Voracek type of player. Kakko in the other hand plays like winger version of Peter Forsberg and i’m not going to say he is going to be that caliber of player. Just has same kind of hunger to win every battle. Just refuses to lose.

To me this comprison is not good.

I think there's more to a player than their compete level.

There just don't really exist any Finnish players like Kaapo Kakko. We could try "Winger version of Auston Matthews".

 

[FinPanda]

The only thing Puljujärvi has over Kakko is a better shot. But for all the important categories, Kakko just is plain better. Kakko also is better than Laine in most of them, of course, but Laine's shot sets him apart so that these players aren't very comparable.

I don't know if I agree with the shot, Kakko just doesn't use it a lot. But I agree what you said about Laine.

Kakko is very unique, you don't find many Finns who can be compared to him. Kakko is just better.

Lol you just said something similar.

I think there's more to a player than their compete level.

There just don't really exist any Finnish players like Kaapo Kakko. We could try "Winger version of Auston Matthews".

 

[BusQuets]

Forsberg and Jamie Benn are the best comparables.

 

[1OApick]

Sidney Crosby stylewise. What sets him apart is his willingness to battle. He just wants to compete for every single puck like a madman. His skating speed is not anything special but he has that next level edgework.
When Kakko's lower body strenght gets better he doesnt lose his bbalance as often.

 

[Ippenator]

The only thing Puljujärvi has over Kakko is a better shot. But for all the important categories, Kakko just is plain better. Kakko also is better than Laine in most of them, of course, but Laine's shot sets him apart so that these players aren't very comparable.

I have to disagree with this. Pulju’s shot is honestly quite awful. Sure, it’s really hard, in fact Laine-level hard, but unfortunately his shot is really inaccurate and the worst thing about it is that it takes really long for him to get his shot off. It doesnt help much when you have a really hard shot if it’s inaccurate and the shooter’s technique is so bad that it takes forever to get his shot ready for blasting.

I’m not the biggest fan of Kakko’s shooting (especially too passive shooting), but at least he has a pretty darn accurate shot and his release seems pretty good too. He will get his shot a lot harder through growing and getting more strength. Hopefully Pulju will also fix his problems with his shooting, but at least at the moment I dont’t see Pulju as a better shooter than Kakko.

 

[ijuka]

I have to disagree with this. Pulju’s shot is honestly quite awful. Sure, it’s really hard, in fact Laine-level hard, but unfortunately his shot is really inaccurate and the worst thing about it is that it takes really long for him to get his shot off. It doesnt help much when you have a really hard shot if it’s inaccurate and the shooter’s technique is so bad that it takes forever to get his shot ready for blasting.

I’m not the biggest fan of Kakko’s shooting (especially too passive shooting), but at least he has a pretty darn accurate shot and his release seems pretty good too. He will get his shot a lot harder through growing and getting more strength. Hopefully Pulju will also fix his problems with his shooting, but at least at the moment I dont’t see Pulju as a better shooter than Kakko.

Well, velocity is what I was mostly referring to. And I certainly don't consider Kakko's shot to be amazing, either. Still, I'd be somewhat surprised if Kakko's pre-draft shot was considered better than Puljujärvi's. His range at least isn't as good and he doesn't have the velocity. But I expect Kakko to score a lot more goals.

 

[Jussi]

There's a saying: If youre a cant miss-prospect, you are a cant miss-prospect. Im not even that surprised of his performance. We are looking at lainesque breakthrough season here fellows!

Rookie of the season, WJC, debut in mens national team and eventually World Championships in spring, top2 in the draft.

Please stay healthy Kaapo.

I don't think that's gonna happen with Jukka Jalonen back as head coach. NHL players are less likely to turn down an invite for him.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

I don't think that's gonna happen with Jukka Jalonen back as head coach. NHL players are less likely to turn down an invite for him.

Many have contract ending after this season so I'm not expecting many forwards.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Call me crazy Finn but to me Kakko reminds Peter Forsberg.
Am i only who's seen some foppa Forsberg in Kakko's game?

 

[BB88]

Pretty impressive to think he could have a better regular season than Laine, who gained massive hype on his draft season.

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

If he goes over ppg what are the chances for 1st pick?

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

I don't think that's gonna happen with Jukka Jalonen back as head coach. NHL players are less likely to turn down an invite for him.

Even Laine was draft eligible prospect in 2016 world championships.
And still did well scoring 12 points in 10 games.
I don't see any reason why Kakko can't do the same.

PS and there's always NHL players who will skip hockey world championships different reasons.

 

[ijuka]

Pretty impressive to think he could have a better regular season than Laine, who gained massive hype on his draft season.

Not really due to his regular season, though. The majority of Laine's hype was due to his performance at u20s, world championships and playoffs.

If he goes over ppg what are the chances for 1st pick?

Should be quite high.