RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft)

[Hokinaittii]

Here are his points tonight. No freebies given.



He is already looking so dominant in U20 that it makes me excited to see what he can do next year in Liiga. Will also be interesting to see how he looks in WJC U18 in couple of months, assuming he is healthy. He seems to have missed pretty much every national tournament this year due to small injuries.

 

[jalperi]

Kakko is today playing Liiga game on TPS first line with Eric Perrin and Tomi Kallio.

 

[FinPanda]

Kakko is today playing Liiga game on TPS first line with Eric Perrin and Tomi Kallio.

Great chance for him. I'm excited.

 

[kelsier]

Kakko is today playing Liiga game on TPS first line with Eric Perrin and Tomi Kallio.

Woot! Made my day!

Can't frigging get back home already just to wait the puck drop. Man, what an opportunity. This kid is such a gem and I'd be astounded if he didn't end up being a high first round pick.

 

[kelsier]

Oh oh and seeing Vesalainen play at the same time (at the opposing team) makes it even sweeter. Sorry for getting carried away.

 

[jalperi]

Already one pass after first period.

 

[LOFIN]

First point, primary assist on a 2v1 attack for Kallio goal. Apparently he has been good through the 1st, managed to draw a penalty etc. Unfortunately have not seen the game.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

He drew 2 penalties. He has great hands and uses them very well to steal the puck, kind of like Barkov, or Matthews if you will.

 

[FinPanda]

Sounds like he had an excellent first period. Great to hear. I hope he gets to play in other Liiga games too.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Looked really good with the puck. This is the first time I have really been impressed by him. That skill and vision is NHL level. Hopefully he will get to play in the top-6 for the rest of the season (fat chance...)

 

[kelsier]

Looked tremendous in the first period. Drew two penalties and that assist. Could have had couple of more later on, but that will have to do.
Extremely skilled and already fast considering he's just 16 years old. What surprised me the most was that he had the strength to battle with the puck on the boards already.
Of course his defensive game looked like he'd just come from the juniors, but that was expected.
With that performance they'll have to give him another look.

Go-Kaapo-gogogo!

 

[LOFIN]

What surprised me the most was that he had the strength to battle with the puck on the boards already.

This for me was very surprising, because in the earlier 2 games he got thrown around a lot. Today, (especially in the 2nd period IIRC) he looked like Mikko Rantanen/Barkov with his ability to shield the puck under pressure. And this was a 16yo kid playing against men (granted, turns 17 next month). No doubt he gets more playtime since Lindstedt is out, but after that who knows. Definately top 6 winger for TPS next season, one of our problems solved in that department.

 

[HockeyHistorian]

Looked tremendous in the first period. Drew two penalties and that assist. Could have had couple of more later on, but that will have to do.
Extremely skilled and already fast considering he's just 16 years old. What surprised me the most was that he had the strength to battle with the puck on the boards already.
Of course his defensive game looked like he'd just come from the juniors, but that was expected.
With that performance they'll have to give him another look.

Go-Kaapo-gogogo!

I still wouldn't call him fast (well, for his age) nor did I see the strength, but the skills were undeniable.

 

[1OApick]

Is he Barkov or Rantanen tier prospect? I think that he is closer to Barkov.

 

[Ippenator]

Is he Barkov or Rantanen tier prospect? I think that he is closer to Barkov.

Which is the better tier? In my opinion those two players are in the same tier really. Barkov is in my opinion quite overrated, but I have to admit that Rantanen has already become better than I expected him to become. Nice to see that he has a tougher attitude than I thought, as I saw him previously as a bit soft mentally and because of that I doubted that he would probably never become a real top 6 NHL player. I’m really happy that he has proven me wrong, and can someone please pass me some ketchup - this crow is not very tasty.

Anyway I can see Kakko as the same class of a prospect as Barkov or Rantanen. Still a bit early to say, but the signs are definitely looking very promising. His skill and hockey IQ seem super high, and skating is pretty good too. All that is such a combination, that if his attitude is also great, then he should definitely become an excellent player in his prime.

 

[1OApick]

Which is the better tier? In my opinion those two players are in the same tier really. Barkov is in my opinion quite overrated, but I have to admit that Rantanen has already become better than I expected him to become. Nice to see that he has a tougher attitude than I thought, as I saw him previously as a bit soft mentally and because of that I doubted that he would probably never become a real top 6 NHL player. I’m really happy that he has proven me wrong, and can someone please pass me some ketchup - this crow is not very tasty.

Anyway I can see Kakko as the same class of a prospect as Barkov or Rantanen. Still a bit early to say, but the signs are definitely looking very promising. His skill and hockey IQ seem super high, and skating is pretty good too. All that is such a combination, that if his attitude is also great, then he should definitely become an excellent player in his prime.

You seem to really appreciate killer instics and thats not wrong. Rantanen is a hard worker. He wasnt that good prospect but is beast nowdays. I think Kakko is better prospect and hope he has that hard working mentality.

 

[StiffSquid]

I wouldn't mind having a national team full of Rantanen/Barkov clones lol

 

[StiffSquid]

Which is the better tier? In my opinion those two players are in the same tier really. Barkov is in my opinion quite overrated, but I have to admit that Rantanen has already become better than I expected him to become. Nice to see that he has a tougher attitude than I thought, as I saw him previously as a bit soft mentally and because of that I doubted that he would probably never become a real top 6 NHL player. I’m really happy that he has proven me wrong, and can someone please pass me some ketchup - this crow is not very tasty.

Anyway I can see Kakko as the same class of a prospect as Barkov or Rantanen. Still a bit early to say, but the signs are definitely looking very promising. His skill and hockey IQ seem super high, and skating is pretty good too. All that is such a combination, that if his attitude is also great, then he should definitely become an excellent player in his prime.

I do in fact enjoy the taste of crow lol. It just means that I was completely wrong and the player exceeded all my expectations.

 

[kelsier]

I still wouldn't call him fast (well, for his age) nor did I see the strength, but the skills were undeniable.

You didn't see him holding on to the puck for a rather long time at the offensive end while someone was pressing him from behind? I remember that well I cause I said to my gf who was watching the game with me that hey look at that "little kid" wrestling out there and she replied with "aww, the poor thing".

Can't remember who came out of the boards with the puck though nor whether it was at the second or third period. Anyway, for someone who likes to watch prospects those moments are often the ones that you take a special notice. I wouldn't call him strong at FEL standards however. After all Kakko is just a young teenager. Really promising one if I may add.

 

[Ippenator]

I do in fact enjoy the taste of crow lol. It just means that I was completely wrong and the player exceeded all my expectations.

I have also no problem admitting when I was after all clearly wrong about a player. Especially when a player exceeds my expectations. That crow was not very tasty was just a joke referring to me being wrong about Rantanen and to crow in reality being not tasty. Although I haven’t tasted it IRL, so what do I really know?

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

You seem to really appreciate killer instics and thats not wrong. Rantanen is a hard worker. He wasnt that good prospect but is beast nowdays. I think Kakko is better prospect and hope he has that hard working mentality.

What do you mean by "he wasn't that good of a prospect"? He played his first game for the men's team when he was 15 years old. He was always a tremendous prospect.

 

[Ippenator]

You seem to really appreciate killer instics and thats not wrong. Rantanen is a hard worker. He wasnt that good prospect but is beast nowdays. I think Kakko is better prospect and hope he has that hard working mentality.

Well yeah, you are really right when I think of it again. Barkov was of course as a prospect in another tier when comparing to Rantanen. But Rantanen has developed even more and has become a same tier player as Barkov is nowadays. I can’t of course deny the wonderful skills that Barkov has, but honestly he has been extremely disappointing in the mental toughness department. And that is a very important area to be also at an excellent level if a player wants to be a real top class star.

I have been following both Barkov and Rantanen pretty much, as I follow in fact all of the real top Finnish prospects. And unfortunately Barkov has made me immensely frustrated, as he definitely has such great skills, but to me he really seems like quite a mentsl softy. Every bigger game that I have seen him play so far, he has been able to choke and make his disappearing act. Mostly in the National teams, but also he was completely in the shadows in the only NHL playoff series that he has played so far, which was against the Islanders. I can understand that a young center might really be in a tough spot against such a great proven NHL center as John Tavares, but still to get absolutely blown out of the water by Tavares, was also showing that Barkov has this serious problem of collapsing when he gets into the very tough and meaningful games.

I will also gladly eat crow if Barkov will after all start to show true mental toughness and the kind of killer instinct that I’m expecting from real top class players. He for sure has magnificent skills altogether. Although I do think that his defensive skills are also by some margin overrated, as for me takeaways (he is excellent in those for sure) are not really that important factor for good defence. Sure they are a nice thing to have, but not even close to as important as how well you are playing positionally and how well you contribute in preventing opponents from scoring when you are on the ice. Barkov gets still in this department too often the kind of complete off nights that he had against Dallas last night. I mean, his line was completely trashed by the Seguin-line. And Barkov is usually not playing with any scrubs, so blaming it on Florida as a bad team, does not cover it for me.

I do definitely hope that Barkov will prove me wrong in all of these things, as if he had a a real killer instinct and a clearly tougher mental side, he could maybe really become what he has a couple of times said as being his goal - to become the best player in the world. And I definitely hope that Kaapo will also become a real top player in the world in his prime. Nice times to be a Finnish hockey fan, with all these wonderful prospects emerging year after year.

 

[Ippenator]

What do you mean by "he wasn't that good of a prospect"? He played his first game for the men's team when he was 15 years old. He was always a tremendous prospect.

He was, but still not as good as a prospect as Barkov. Now I see them in the same tier though.

 

[FinProspects]

Kakko at 16-17y old: A-juniors 32games 47 points, 3 games 1 point in Liiga.
Laine at 16-17: Played in Leki+was injured, but year before scored 37 in 40 in A. Was dominant in U18. Next year we all remember.
Barkov at 16: A-juniors 5 games 5 points, 32games 16points in Liiga.
Rantanen at 16: A-juniors 35 games 24points,, 15 2+1=3 in Liiga.
Puljujrvi at 16-17: A-juniors 11 games 18 points, Liiga 21 games 11 points.
Aho at 16: 44games 59 points in A-juniors, 3 games 1 point in Liiga.

Kakko could very well belong in this group.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

He was, but still not as good as a prospect as Barkov. Now I see them in the same tier though.

As much as I love Rantanen, I disagree with you on this. Barkov is still a tier or two ahead. Regarding to your last couple of messages: I can't see how can you be disappointed in Barkov? He was never drafted to be an offensive juggernaut. He is still producing at almost PPG pace and is one of the best 2way players in the world (I would argue he should be a selke finalist with Bergeron).