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

[McRanger]

I will never understand what the hell happened to Kakko.

I have seen prospects fail for a thousand different reasons. Injuries. Attitude. Being too small, too slow, too one-dimensional. Or skills not translating against bigger, faster or better competition.

But I dont think I have ever seen a healthy player simply cease to be the player they were before they were drafted. Like just completely lose the ability to do anything that made him a highly regarded draft pick.

Kakko was such an impressive prospect. He was a skilled man-child playing against adults. When he got the puck he kept it and he was always around the net with it. He was never a speedster but he could move, especially with the puck. And he was wildly productive. And pretty much all the time; this wasn't some kid who had one great playoffs or U18 or Hlinka and some idiot scout overrated him. That draft year he was productive everywhere against every competition in pretty much every situation.

But from pretty much his first game you could tell something was wrong. I figured, like others likely did, that he was just tired, maybe banged up. But that whole season he looked like he could barely make it through a shift without falling down or looking like he was about to die on the ice. And as much as I think David Quinn is a generationally bad coach he basically fed Kakko's corpse ice time and PP time. And while I am sure his brain was melting from Quinn like others on the team but the problem looked decidedly physical in nature. And it never really got any better.

What a bizarre and unfortunate journey this has been.

 

[nyr2k2]

Kakko played 1:15 on the PP. The leaders on Seattle played 2:45 ish. That's Beniers, Bjorkstrand, McCann, and Stephenson. He'll have to unseat one of them to get good PP time, but those four are all pretty good offensive players. Of course Seattle isn't very good so they may mix it up at any time.

I had read on a fantasy site that Seattle had recently been deploying their PP1 more and more. It used to be basically 50/50 but they've moved to a 60/40 deployment or even more pronounced.

 

[will1066]

Kakko played 1:15 on the PP. The leaders on Seattle played 2:45 ish. That's Beniers, Bjorkstrand, McCann, and Stephenson. He'll have to unseat one of them to get good PP time, but those four are all pretty good offensive players. Of course Seattle isn't very good so they may mix it up at any time.

I had read on a fantasy site that Seattle had recently been deploying their PP1 more and more. It used to be basically 50/50 but they've moved to a 60/40 deployment or even more pronounced.

PP1 played like 1:30 on their chances last night. Only their first chance was like 50/50 between first and second units. On the power play, he might get on the first unit doing half-court offense but I can't see him keeping up with Beniers and McCann on the top line when they're on their game and flying. I saw remnants of 2-year-ago Seattle last night at times with Bjorkstrand and them playing at a really high pace.

 

[TGWL]

I will never understand what the hell happened to Kakko.

He skipped leg day.

 

[bhamill]

At some point you are


With all due respect will more PP time make make a player a better skater? A better puck handler? Have a better shot?

I think KK was benched around 1 time every 70 games or so.

Zooks was benched. CK was benched. Lafi was benched. Chytil was benched. Guys get benched occasionally. Its not the end of the world.

I do believe that Kk being given pp time and not getting sat or yanked around anytime he f***s up will allow him to build confidence. And when you have confidence, decisiveness, you do everything faster. There are no guarantees, but it’s a good opportunity if Seattle actually has the patience to follow through on this. There won’t be any excuses left if he’s given that leash and doesn’t progress.

 

[Rongomania]

I do believe that Kk being given pp time and not getting sat or yanked around anytime he f***s up will allow him to build confidence. And when you have confidence, decisiveness, you do everything faster. There are no guarantees, but it’s a good opportunity if Seattle actually has the patience to follow through on this. There won’t be any excuses left if he’s given that leash and doesn’t progress.

Krav getting put into breads pocket after he had done absolute zero at this level at an older age than Kakko told you everything you had to know. Bread chose not to play with Kakko and that will always be complete bullshit. Bread really could’ve worked with him if he wanted to and that must suck so bad when the superstar of the team doesn’t dig playing with you and never really put that effort in.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I do believe that Kk being given pp time and not getting sat or yanked around anytime he f***s up will allow him to build confidence. And when you have confidence, decisiveness, you do everything faster. There are no guarantees, but it’s a good opportunity if Seattle actually has the patience to follow through on this. There won’t be any excuses left if he’s given that leash and doesn’t progress.

You are right that more PP time might help his stats and confidence but I think the only thing that will help his skills is hard work. I think KK plays more PP time than Will but Will is doing very well. The thing about KK that makes me look at his skills more than stats were the playoffs. His game should be more inclined to a tighter checking game but he seemed to decline in the playoffs not raise up.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Krav getting put into breads pocket after he had done absolute zero at this level at an older age than Kakko told you everything you had to know. Bread chose not to play with Kakko and that will always be complete bullshit. Bread really could’ve worked with him if he wanted to and that must suck so bad when the superstar of the team doesn’t dig playing with you and never really put that effort in.

Yeah, let's blame Bread for Kakko being an utter failure who never bothered to work on his skating.

 

[TheWrongWay]

Yall on brand writing Kakko off as a Kraken after his first game

NYR fans won this trade simply cuz of how much we can play with Borgen's name.

You've already indulged in this with Willy Corgan. Giving up a guy who averages 10 goals a season was a fair price for this indulgence. The picks were a nice add-on

 

[NickyFotiu]

Yeah, let's blame Bread for Kakko being an utter failure who never bothered to work on his skating.

Bread played with Strome, Fast, Lavi, etc so maybe someone should ask why he prefered not to play with KK if that stuff is accurate. I know that story has been on HF for a while but did Bread ever say it publicly?

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I will never understand what the hell happened to Kakko.

It's a few things.

None of us ever saw him being a finished product, but I can't think of a single skill that he improved on after being drafted. He clearly didn't put in the work regarding his skating - that's for damn sure.

I never saw this hunger or drive in him that other successful youngsters have. He always just was . . . there. Maybe that's just Finnish stoicism or something, but I've seen other Finns able to express that hunger and drive so . . .

Either way. So much of this is on him. Could the Rangers have done a bit better with him? I guess. Maybe they could've really kicked his ass and told him to work on his skating more. I'm just not sure how much that would accomplish.

It's not as if he ever earned anything, here. He didn't earn more ice time. He didn't earn more PP time. He didn't do anything to earn anything, frankly. Other than his draft pedigree, anyway.

But it's just wild how little he actually improved skills-wise. Really kind of nuts.

Bread played with Strome, Fast, Lavi, etc so maybe someone should ask why he prefered not to play with KK if that stuff is accurate. I know that story has been on HF for a whike but did Bread ever say it publicly?

What did KK ever do to deserve/warrant playing with Bread?

Even if this is true and Bread didn't want to play with him, what on earth did Kakko ever do to show that he'd be a good fit with Bread? I don't get this fascination with blaming everyone else other than the individual player, here.

 

[Rongomania]

Yeah, let's blame Bread for Kakko being an utter failure who never bothered to work on his skating.

I’m not saying the complete onus should be on him.

Let’s also not pretend like this trade was good at all.

 

[Profet]

NYR fans won this trade simply cuz of how much we can play with Borgen's name.

You've already indulged in this with Willy Corgan. Giving up a guy who averages 10 goals a season was a fair price for this indulgence. The picks were a nice add-on

What has been seen can not be unseen:

 

[Hunter Gathers]

I’m not saying the complete onus should be on him.

Let’s also not pretend like this trade was good at all.

We got a movable TDL asset and 2 picks for a malcontent bust. I'm fine with it. Kakko is a mirage.

 

[will1066]

We got a movable TDL asset and 2 picks for a malcontent bust. I'm fine with it. Kakko is a mirage.

We're not gonna want to move him.

 

[LOFIN]

We got a movable TDL asset and 2 picks for a malcontent bust. I'm fine with it. Kakko is a mirage.

Let's be real, Drury isn't going to do some retool here, he's going all in for this season as well. He might not be under the gun today, but if this team misses the playoffs that's going to change. Rapidly.

 

[Rongomania]

We got a movable TDL asset and 2 picks for a malcontent bust. I'm fine with it. Kakko is a mirage.

Oh gee, can’t wait to see that return and what this plethora of picks turn into.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

I must be a sadist because I'm planning on watching this shit show tonight

Let's be real, Drury isn't going to do some retool here, he's going all in for this season as well. He might not be under the gun today, but if this team misses the playoffs that's going to change. Rapidly.

Drury needs to make playoffs to save his job imo

 

[GlasgowNewYorkRanger]

Even with the perception of a former 2OA, I find it amazing Drury couldn't get a better return for Kakko. As others have said I thought we would get a similar 'level' change of scenery player or a former higher pick with reclamation status.

This will all matter not if certain members of this supposed core don't pull their heads out of their f***ing asses and at least pretend to be NHL level hockey players.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

It's a few things.

None of us ever saw him being a finished product, but I can't think of a single skill that he improved on after being drafted. He clearly didn't put in the work regarding his skating - that's for damn sure.

I never saw this hunger or drive in him that other successful youngsters have. He always just was . . . there. Maybe that's just Finnish stoicism or something, but I've seen other Finns able to express that hunger and drive so . . .

Either way. So much of this is on him. Could the Rangers have done a bit better with him? I guess. Maybe they could've really kicked his ass and told him to work on his skating more. I'm just not sure how much that would accomplish.

It's not as if he ever earned anything, here. He didn't earn more ice time. He didn't earn more PP time. He didn't do anything to earn anything, frankly. Other than his draft pedigree, anyway.

But it's just wild how little he actually improved skills-wise. Really kind of nuts.


What did KK ever do to deserve/warrant playing with Bread?

Even if this is true and Bread didn't want to play with him, what on earth did Kakko ever do to show that he'd be a good fit with Bread? I don't get this fascination with blaming everyone else other than the individual player, here.

he looks like exactly the same player as he did when he was drafted. kravstov was the same

 

[NickyFotiu]

Even with the perception of a former 2OA, I find it amazing Drury couldn't get a better return for Kakko. As others have said I thought we would get a similar 'level' change of scenery player or a former higher pick with reclamation status.

This will all matter not if certain members of this supposed core don't pull their heads out of their f***ing asses and at least pretend to be NHL level hockey players.

Its been 6 years. Turn it around. How much would you want the Rangers to pay for a Draft plus 6 player on pace for 11 goals?

 

[GlasgowNewYorkRanger]

Its been 6 years. Turn it around. How much would you want the Rangers to pay for a Draft plus 6 player on pace for 11 goals?

I don't necessarily disagree, although, I'd have liked to swap it out with a relatively similar player who has yet to find their feet in the league.

More the fact that GM's normally are prepared to pony up a bit more than that for a former top 10 pick, let alone the 2OA.

Maybe the perception of Kakko is he skates poorly rather than the toxic big bad Rangers have ruined him - but for Drury to take back a guy who absolutely screams plodder who'll get turnstiled at the blue line? Scouted him for years, though, it would seem

 

[Jaromir Jagr]

I don't know what happened to KK. What I do believe in my soul - is that if other teams with proper development systems picked Lias, KK, Kravtsov, to some extent Laf, etc - they wouldn't have all busted.

 

[TGWL]

I do believe that Kk being given pp time and not getting sat or yanked around anytime he f***s up will allow him to build confidence. And when you have confidence, decisiveness, you do everything faster. There are no guarantees, but it’s a good opportunity if Seattle actually has the patience to follow through on this. There won’t be any excuses left if he’s given that leash and doesn’t progress.

They currently have too many players in front of him for the powerplay. I'm not sure he's able to break onto powerplay #1 without an injury or the team just trying to change something. They've gone the route of how we gave powerplay #1 majority of the time. Last night was his first game so we can't really judge, but i'm hopefully he's going to get more than 13minutes a night with them going forward.

 

[TGWL]

I don't know what happened to KK. What I do believe in my soul - is that if other teams with proper development systems picked Lias, KK, Kravtsov, to some extent Laf, etc - they wouldn't have all busted.

I think the biggest surprise is that his skating looks worse every season. I know he went from playing boys 2 men, but if there was a development plan for his skating, both Kakko and the organization failed miserably.

He must have practiced skating in a basement with little space on synthetic ice. Maybe that's why all he does is quick cuts back and forth.