Prospect Info: The Second Overall Pick Thread: Part I (Kakko/Hughes Talk)

[AIexisLafreniereNYR]

Man trying not to lose my mind seeing the Rangers not picking 7th with my nephew trying to sleep. Once I got into my car heading home I went bat shit crazy

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Where do you think we will be ranked prospect wise after this draft?

Will we have the best farm system in the NHL?

Top 3 at worst

 

[East Coast Bias]

I’d laugh if Hughes made it clear he wasn’t keen on playing for the Devils and after that factor, they went Kakko.

Talk about two boards reprogramming themselves.

My wife doesn’t remotely care about or understand hockey. She watched with me from the commercial break to the top 3 reveal.

When they flipped over the card that said NJD first, Hughes was immediately shown. She said “why does that kid look so sad?”

It was so funny. Immediately made me think of Eli and SD.

 

[Priorae]

A really nice benefit to tonight is watching that Colorado pick fall so far and thus end this whole Duchene discussion forever.

 

[Edge]

My wife doesn’t remotely care about or understand hockey. She watched with me from the commercial break to the top 3 reveal.

When they flipped over the card that said NJD first, Hughes was immediately shown. She said “why does that kid look so sad?”

It was so funny. Immediately made me think of Eli and SD.

Imagine being so close and yet so far.

I mean in that instant you could tell what he preferred. Let’s be honest, you have Chicago, New York or mother loving Newark

One of these things is clearly not like the other.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I keep saying Grots just needs to be patient here. Just one more down year, and this thing could skyrocket in a hurry. Stay away from the lure of immediate satisfaction by pursuing Panarin. The defense is nowhere near being ready to "go for it". You've got one more year of potential multiple picks in the 1st round. There's an awful lot of high end talent still there to be added.

Adding a Lundell (or anyone at the top end of the draft next year really) to the Kakko/Hughes we were just gifted would set this franchise up in every possible way for the long haul

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Imagine being so close and yet so far.

I mean in that instant you could tell what he preferred. Let’s be honest, you have Chicago, New York or mother loving Newark

One of these things is clearly not like the other.

I guess the good thing is that he can still live in NYC if he wants

 

[Ghost of jas]

Adding a Lundell (or anyone at the top end of the draft next year really) to the Kakko/Hughes we were just gifted would set this franchise up in every possible way for the long haul

Exactly. I'm having a hard time understanding the "go for it", mentality some are exhibiting. A lot of good has happened in the timeframe since the letter, but, I'm not seeing anything near a finished product, and nowhere near the vision that I've interpreted Gorton to have described therein. Just one more year is all I think is needed. I keep bringing this up, but, Washington and Pittsburgh added three generational players and were still in the lottery the following year. Kakko doesn't make them suddenly a playoff contender. People need to be patient.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

It's just a shame to me that if Kakko can in fact play center, we'll never see him playing on a line with Kreider and Krav as his wingers . Wouldn't be PC.

 

[Tawnos]

I think Kakko blows him out of the water and then shots him in mid-air for good measure.

Brendl was talented, but there were a lot of question marks there as well. He was in that top end mix, but not necessarily clear cut.

Maybe 1 percent of scouts and observers doesn’t have Kakko in the top 2.

I wasn’t saying that the Brendl hype was bigger than what the Kakko hype will be (if that’s who they get). I was saying that he was the most hyped prospect the Rangers have gotten on draft day to this point.

I don’t think the words franchise player have ever been used to describe another Rangers draft pick on the day of.

It’s interesting looking back on that period of time. The Rangers really overhauled their development structure in the years between 2002 and 2005. It’s not a stretch to think that the failure of Brendl, Lundmark, and Malhotra (who at least became a solid NHLer) really drove that.

 

[Edge]

Exactly. I'm having a hard time understanding the "go for it", mentality some are exhibiting. A lot of good has happened in the timeframe since the letter, but, I'm not seeing anything near a finished product, and nowhere near the vision that I've interpreted Gorton to have described therein. Just one more year is all I think is needed/ I keep bringing this up, but, Washington and Pittsburgh added three generational players and were still in the lottery the following year. Kakko doesn't make them suddenly a playoff contender. People need to be patient.

Kakko gives us a keystone to build around.

But we still need left wings, we still need centers, and the defense is still very much a work in progress.

We need to continue to determine what we have in goal, and we still need to see promise transform into production at the NHL level from a number of young players.

We’re better than we were 3 hours ago, but there’s still a journey ahead of us.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Exactly. I'm having a hard time understanding the "go for it", mentality some are exhibiting. A lot of good has happened in the timeframe since the letter, but, I'm not seeing anything near a finished product, and nowhere near the vision that I've interpreted Gorton to have described therein. Just one more year is all I think is needed/ I keep bringing this up, but, Washington and Pittsburgh added three generational players and were still in the lottery the following year. Kakko doesn't make them suddenly a playoff contender. People need to be patient.

Even when Trautwig was talking to Sather the other day about Sather stepping down, he mentioned having patience and sticking to the plan. The ‘accelerate the rebuild’ stuff always feels more like ‘hey, renew those season tickets’ stuff to me

 

[Edge]

I wasn’t saying that the Brendl hype was bigger than what the Kakko hype will be (if that’s who they get). I was saying that he was the most hyped prospect the Rangers have gotten on draft day to this point.

I don’t think the words franchise player have ever been used to describe another Rangers draft pick on the day of.

It’s interesting looking back on that period of time. The Rangers really overhauled their development structure in the years between 2002 and 2005. It’s not a stretch to think that the failure of Brendl, Lundmark, and Malhotra (who at least became a solid NHLer) really drove that.

The whole concept of Kakko is surreal. Like a lot of things with this current team, there’s not a good comparable.

Being in a position to take a Kakko is something we talk about hypothetically. It’s never been a reality before. That’s crazy.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Adding a Lundell (or anyone at the top end of the draft next year really) to the Kakko/Hughes we were just gifted would set this franchise up in every possible way for the long haul

Only good thing is 2020 is so much more stacked then this year. We don't have to tank as hard and still get an impact player

 

[Gurglesons]

When is the last time you guys had a pick this high?

 

[HFBS]

I just can't f***ing believe the mother f***ing shmevils get mother f***ing insanely f***ing lucky af***ingain.

 

[Algernop Kreider]

How highly is Kakko regarded relative to Svechnikov and Laine in their draft years?

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

When is the last time you guys had a pick this high?

Original Six era?

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

Kakko gives us a keystone to build around.

But we still need left wings, we still need centers, and the defense is still very much a work in progress.

We need to continue to determine what we have in goal, and we still need to see promise transform into production at the NHL from a number of young players.

We’re better than we were 3 hours ago, but there’s still a journey ahead of us.

Agreed. For me, I am just excited that we are adding a guy like Kakko and still have 4 more picks in the first 2 rounds, in a stacked draft AFTER we pick him. Definitely bright future ahead, this coming season may still be rough but seeing some of these young guys come along and find their stride will be very satisfying.

 

[Tawnos]

When is the last time you guys had a pick this high?

It’s never happened. The highest we’ve drafted in 4th.

 

[Edge]

Even when Trautwig was talking to Sather the other day about Sather stepping down, he mentioned having patience and sticking to the plan. The ‘accelerate the rebuild’ stuff always feels more like ‘hey, renew those season tickets’ stuff to me

I really do feel like the “hit the gas” approach is very much fan-driven.

Yeah you can present arguments as to why it makes sense or is a smart move, but the driving force always reads like a desire to be past this crap sooner. Which is understandable.

But it doesn’t feel like what I’m getting from the team itself.

 

[Ghost of jas]

Kakko gives us a keystone to build around.

But we still need left wings, we still need centers, and the defense is still very much a work in progress.

We need to continue to determine what we have in goal, and we still need to see promise transform into production at the NHL from a number of young players.

We’re better than we were 3 hours ago, but there’s still a journey ahead of us.

Some of that can be addressed in the coming draft. But, Panarin is such a luxury that I don't believe this team needs right now. Hey, look, the Rangers can draft elite talent. One more year gets them either a top notch center or a anothe high end wing.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

When is the last time you guys had a pick this high?

Never

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

I really do feel like the “hit the gas” approach is very much fan-driven.

Yeah you can present arguments as to why it makes sense or is a smart move, but the driving force always reads like a desire to be past this crap sooner. Which is understandable.

But it doesn’t feel like what I’m getting from the team itself.

This is kind of like being on a road trip, it always feels longer for the people along for the ride because they don’t have to focus on the road

 

[Edge]

How highly is Kakko regarded relative to Svechnikov and Laine in their draft years?

I’d say on par with Laine, ahead of Svechnikov.

In terms of how I view him, I think he’s a better prospect than both at the same stage.