Confirmed with Link: [SEA/NYR] Kaapo Kakko for Will Borgen + 3rd + 6th

[Ruggs225]

Im gonna miss Kakko. Kid was never given a real chance. Between COVID and the rush to become SC champions without completing the actual rebuild he has been screwed over time and time again. Yanked at first troubles instead of letting him play through it and find his way.

Also having Gallant and to a lesser extent Lav as coaches does not help youth develop. I still dont believe Laf has been developed to his potential either.

 

[Levitate]

Im gonna miss Kakko. Kid was never given a real chance. Between COVID and the rush to become SC champions without completing the actual rebuild he has been screwed over time and time again. Yanked at first troubles instead of letting him play through it and find his way.

Also having Gallant and to a lesser extent Lav as coaches does not help youth develop. I still dont believe Laf has been developed to his potential either.

Laf not getting power play 1 time is definitely holding him back somewhat at this point

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Im gonna miss Kakko. Kid was never given a real chance. Between COVID and the rush to become SC champions without completing the actual rebuild he has been screwed over time and time again. Yanked at first troubles instead of letting him play through it and find his way.

Also having Gallant and to a lesser extent Lav as coaches does not help youth develop. I still dont believe Laf has been developed to his potential either.

Please, he had 330 games to show and prove something.

As someone else put earlier in the thread, this dude never took over a game in his career. Even without PP time, or 1st line time, he'd have found a way to do that if he was anything more than JaG.

 

[leetch99]

I bet Vaakanainen hadn't had a good night's sleep since arriving with Kakko airing his grievances to him over text and in Finnish in front of others so they didn't know what they're talking about.

Doesn't Kreider speak Finnish or was it just that he was Finished ? I read too many pages since last week .

 

[Ruggs225]

Laf not getting power play 1 time is definitely holding him back somewhat at this point

Connor Bedard has been struggling this year. You know what they do. They keep playing him and giving him time and minutes to work it out.

Kakko and Laf were both highly rated and regarded. You onow what our coaches did, give them the shortest leashes, no PP time and yanked them up and down the lineup.

Its astounding to see how shitty our two prized prospects have been treated and played so far.

And im not saying that both would have turned into superstars. But you give them every real chance to become one and give them as much support as possible.

We choose to coddle the vets and give them as much support possible at the cost of the youth.

 

[TheWrongWay]

Oh for sure, he seems like a great dude. Tons of potential. Wouldn't shock me if he hit 60.

But, I was also kind of speaking to the fact that it would be our luck if he broke out now. I'll always root for him, but that would be painful.

I don't know, man. I try to look at things through a detached, practical lens. I like the kid, but this is a dude who's on pace for 11 goals this season, which is pretty much his career average.

You could throw a car battery in front of the opposing net and 10 pucks will go in off of it each season.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

I will miss Kakko, wish it worked out. Little Bert Berard seems to be making a pretty good impact without any PP time. How can that be?

 

[RangersFan1994]

Connor Bedard has been struggling this year. You know what they do. They keep playing him and giving him time and minutes to work it out.

Kakko and Laf were both highly rated and regarded. You onow what our coaches did, give them the shortest leashes, no PP time and yanked them up and down the lineup.

Its astounding to see how shitty our two prized prospects have been treated and played so far.

And im not saying that both would have turned into superstars. But you give them every real chance to become one and give them as much support as possible.

We choose to coddle the vets and give them as much support possible at the cost of the youth.

That is an organization and Drury issue

 

[Filthy Dangles]

jamarcus russell once had potential too

Lots of potential energy in his torso area

 

[Ruggs225]

I will miss Kakko, wish it worked out. Little Bert Berard seems to be making a pretty good impact without any PP time. How can that be?

I mean he was given a full 3 years to develop outside the NhL.

Not be dicked around as an 18 and 19 year olds while dealing with a Pandemic and david quinn.

But sure its completely the same.

 

[Filthy Dangles]

Somebody asked for Smith's player card yesterday and I'm surprised how good it was.

I know the cards aren't everything but just consider it for a moment. When Smith isn't on the ice with Zibanejad, the Rangers are an even 6 and 6 in goals, and their xGF% climbs from 34% to 46.5% (keep in mind the team is still pretty lousy in general).

I don't know, you guys, Reilly Smith might be good. He always was.

I know he's not visually impressive, but the impacts are there. He kind of actually is what people told themselves Kakko is, with the ability to do something skilled once in awhile.

CC: @mike14

The flyby at the point against Nashvilles GWG, turnovers leading directly to goals against.

He sucks too. Any of the positive you mentioned is nearly wiped out by the gaffes he's had for us.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

I mean he was given a full 3 years to develop outside the NhL.

Not be dicked around as an 18 and 19 year olds while dealing with a Pandemic and david quinn.

But sure its completely the same.

He was also a 5th or 6th round pick, basically an afterthought. Kakko was the 2nd overall. So yeah, definitely not the same.

 

[Machinehead]

The flyby at the point against Nashvilles GWG, turnovers leading directly to goals against.

He sucks too. Any of the positive you mentioned is nearly wiped out by the gaffes he's had for us.

That was literally one play.

 

[will1066]

Laf not getting power play 1 time is definitely holding him back somewhat at this point

 

[Ruggs225]

He was also a 5th or 6th round pick, basically an afterthought. Kakko was the 2nd overall. So yeah, definitely not the same.

If u think a player who is dicked around at 18 or 19 is the same as aplayer who has had 3 years to develop is the same i dont know what to tell you.

Also in the most formitavt time laff and Kakko had to deal with a f***ing pandemic that likited everything.

Literally a completely different scenario than berard coming in and being more seasoned and older.

 

[stan the caddy]

He didn't come close to living up to expectations but the reality is, he's a solid guy to have on the third line and he's still young enough to maybe put something together.

This trade just makes the team worse. They might blow this whole thing up so Drury can do it "his way". We could be going back to the dark ages very shortly. This is crazy to me.

 

[MyLoveIsBlue]

The only way Rangers win this trade is if they flip Borgen for a 1st before the TDL. Dman do have more value around the deadline.

 

[Ruggs225]

Such a dig at our backwards org

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

If u think a player who is dicked around at 18 or 19 is the same as aplayer who has had 3 years to develop is the same i dont know what to tell you.

Also in the most formitavt time laff and Kakko had to deal with a f***ing pandemic that likited everything.

Literally a completely different scenario than berard coming in and being more seasoned and older.

Did Berard not have to deal with Covid wherever he was at the time? And how was Kakko dicked around? They gave him every opportunity on every line with every player on the damn roster.

 

[Ruggs225]

Did Berard not have to deal with Covid wherever he was at the time? And how was Kakko dicked around? They gave him every opportunity on every line with every player on the damn roster.

No he didnt have to deal with covid in a new country, on an NHL tram while being a #1 or 2 pick and monumental expectations placed on him.

He did not have to deal with that at all.

He was still in Hs age of covid and then his first year in college. There is a massive difference. Especially compared to Kakko.

Kakko was given a very short leash and was demoted at first sign of trouble. Not allowed to really play through mistakes. Also constantly juggled throughout the lineup.

Again all while dealing with a new country, lockdowns, social distancing, competing for playoffs and being a top pick.

Its alot different. I dont know what what to tell you. I can tell you that if berard started in the Nhl at 18 we wouldnt be thinking he would have a chance at being successful right now.

 

[mike14]

Such a dig at our backwards org

It's like PA Parenteua all over again...

 

[its not that serious]

Sincerely wish Kakko well, he is becoming a good player and still young, and has upside. And the change of scenery could help him reach more of his potential. Objectively, 300+ games played before the age of 24 is a good start to a career.

He'll never be the player we hoped he'd be, but he's still better than his critics have ever given him credit for, regardless of the low points. And more recently, respectably consistent and fairly reliable... better than most of the team, and not purely due to the fact that the rest of the team's play was so poor; in spite of it... he didn't sink along with them. He deserves minor credit for that, on the way out at least, after he was commonly seen as too mild-mannered or like he didn't have the same energy, competitive spirit, or whatever some of the criticisms might have been... I'd say this is evidence to the contrary, even him speaking up about being scratched.

Despite how anyone feels about his comments to the media about being scratched, even still he was just about the least of the Rangers' current problems. And because of that alone, it's disappointing on some level that he's the next one to go, for a meager return.

Purely pointless speculation, but I really hope he wasn't traded over those comments about being scratched. A GM willing to be ruthless due to cap constraints is ruthless business, that's fine. A GM shipping a player out because he basically told the truth *would* be personal. I'd stop short of ever saying it was the only factor, but if it was a factor, that's the wrong reason.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

No he didnt have to deal with covid in a new country, on an NHL tram while being a #1 or 2 pick and monumental expectations placed on him.

He did not have to deal with that at all.

He was still in Hs age of covid and then his first year in college. There is a massive difference. Especially compared to Kakko.

Kakko was given a very short leash and was demoted at first sign of trouble. Not allowed to really play through mistakes. Also constantly juggled throughout the lineup.

Again all while dealing with a new country, lockdowns, social distancing, competing for playoffs and being a top pick.

Its alot different. I dont know what what to tell you. I can tell you that if berard started in the Nhl at 18 we wouldnt be thinking he would have a chance at being successful right now.

Lol, and somehow those years aren't super critical for a young kid hoping to get drafted? Are you not developing senior year of highschool, freshman year of college?

Kakko flopped man. He's just not fast enough at this level to be an impact player. I wish him well and hope he carves out a long and prosperous career for himself in Seattle?

 

[Killem Dafoe]

I don't know, man. I try to look at things through a detached, practical lens. I like the kid, but this is a dude who's on pace for 11 goals this season, which is pretty much his career average.

You could throw a car battery in front of the opposing net and 10 pucks will go in off of it each season.

Oh, I totally get ya.

Kakko was my most hyped prospect since Kovalev. Watching how he played pre-draft compared to how he plays here, there's something in my brain that won't let go of the fact that he has it in him and it's waiting to burst out. I'm not sure I'll ever pry myself from that thought.

 

[Ruggs225]

Lol, and somehow those years aren't super critical for a young kid hoping to get drafted? Are you not developing senior year of highschool, freshman year of college?

Kakko flopped man. He's just not fast enough at this level to be an impact player. I wish him well and hope he carves out a long and prosperous career for himself in Seattle?

Hes had 4 years of development in college. Its alot easier to develop in college than the NHL.

If he was 18 and out right in the nhl, he is probably washed out of the league right now.

Their situations are in no way comparable. Not even close.

And again im not even saying Kakko would have become a superstar. Im just saying that they way he was “devoloped” and treated here has been crap compared to other top picks. And so has laf truthfully.

He might have washed out no matter what. But we did him absolutely no favors here either. Not to mention of some untimely injuries such as last year.