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

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Rick Nash @ peak = 1st liner, and a good one. He was PPG a season here and there early in his career but by the time he got to the Rangers his game had shifted styles. But even during his heyday in Columbus, no one touted him as ‘franchise’ forward and for good reason. Nash was great no doubt but I’m holding out hope Kakko can reach that PPG level regularly, AND perform in the playoffs as well.
 
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Rick Nash was a truck that could stick-handle in a phone booth.

If Kakko has the same skill, chooses to utilize it in the same way at this level, and avoids having injuries chip away at him like Nash did, then he will of been an amazing pick.

That said, I'm not a fan of the comparison. Nash dangled where Kakko engages. Has Peter Forsberg ever been mentioned as a comparable?
 
Harbour Dog said:
Rick Nash was a truck that could stick-handle in a phone booth.

If Kakko has the same skill, chooses to utilize it in the same way at this level, and avoids having injuries chip away at him like Nash did, then he will of been an amazing pick.

That said, I'm not a fan of the comparison. Nash dangled where Kakko engages. Has Peter Forsberg ever been mentioned as a comparable?
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Yes, multiple times.
 
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SnowblindNYR said:
Yes, multiple times.
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Good old Peter really is the closest stylistic comparison, and I'm not saying this lightheartedly. Which is also probably the main reason I'd like to see the NYR to complete his transitioning to center, especially given the success Kakko's already had playing the position along his traits which all seem perfectly carved out for a future #1C (franchise one with the current development trajectory).

Kakko seems like the best prospect coming out from the draft year and for once I'm so so glad for the early hype towards the Hughes camp as otherwise the chances for Rangers to get to draft someone like him would diminish significantly. Lets just keep our fingers crossed that this doesn't turn out the year Finland gets it's first ever 1st overall.
 
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kelsier said:
Good old Peter really is the closest stylistic comparison, and I'm not saying this lightheartedly. Which is also probably the main reason I'd like to see the NYR to complete his transitioning to center, especially given the success Kakko's already had playing the position along his traits which all seem perfectly carved out for a future #1C (franchise one with the current development trajectory).

Kakko seems like the best prospect coming out from the draft year and for once I'm so so glad for the early hype towards the Hughes camp as otherwise the chances for Rangers to get to draft someone like him would diminish significantly. Lets just keep our fingers crossed that this doesn't turn out the year Finland gets it's first ever 1st overall.
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Forseberg was a playmaker mostly, Kakko is more of a goalscorer.
 
I hope Jack Hughes is watching Zucc in this playoffs - that stick handling and sent the puck under his stick of the Nashville defender and scored in one Jack Hughes dynamic motion and puck handling, lol. :)
I tell you guys Zucc has never been this good and confident in his NHL career! :D
 
The Crypto Guy said:
To be fair, i don't think 99% of us here have watched him play aside from the small glimpse at the WJC and highlights after we won 2nd in the lottery :laugh:

Though I have a feeling there will be a lot of eyes on him from here during the WCs.
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He must be going through some sort of internal struggle though, I know I would. Imagine dominating in the tournament...just for it to result in being drafted instead by the New Jersey Devils? Yikes.
 
The Crypto Guy said:
Thats great for the teams picking 3-8 can hope for, Kakko we should hope will be a much better player than only hitting 70 points once in his career.
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Yeah pretty much...if we’re hoping for an elite player here then we’re hoping Kakko is a guy who can hit 90 points. Maybe that’s a lofty expectation but I think for a hyped 2nd overall and potential elite talent it’s not out of the question to hope for
 
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darko said:
Really? Nash had 8 30-goal seasons including 3 40-goal seasons. Nash was a very good player.
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Even before the Ranger years, there was often a sense that for as good as Rick Nash was, he was never quite as good as people thought he'd be.

I think that last line is somewhat telling, "Nash was a very good player."

I don't know if great is the first description people use, though they might as a revision. Calling him elite might get some mixed reviews as well.

But there's a feeling that it should've been a no-brainer. That the words great, or elite, or franchise player should've been synonymous with Rick Nash. And the fact that they aren't, has to be seen as disappointing on some level.

Before Nash even came to New York, one of the warnings was that he wanted to be "just one of the guys" and not necessarily "the guy."

Frankly, we're going to need Kakko to be "the guy" and not just "one of the guys" if we're more likely to be successful.

Unfortunately, I don't think Kakko being "very good" will produce the result we're hoping for. I think he'll have to be more than that.
 
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Edge said:
Even before the Ranger years, there was often a sense that for as good as Rick Nash was, he was never quite as good as people thought he'd be.

I think that last line is somewhat telling, "Nash was a very good player."

I don't know if great is the first description people use, though they might as a revision. Calling him elite might get some mixed reviews as well.

But there's a feeling that it should've been a no-brainer. That the words great, or elite, or franchise player should've been synonymous with Rick Nash. And the fact that they aren't, has to be seen as disappointing on some level.

Before Nash even came to New York, one of the warnings was that he wanted to be "just one of the guys" and not necessarily "the guy."

Frankly, we're going to need Kakko to be "the guy" and not just "one of the guys" if we're more likely to be successful.

Unfortunately, I don't think Kakko being "very good" will produce the result we're hoping for. I think he'll have to be more than that.
Click to expand...

Exactly how I feel.
 
Edge said:
Even before the Ranger years, there was often a sense that for as good as Rick Nash was, he was never quite as good as people thought he'd be.

I think that last line is somewhat telling, "Nash was a very good player."

I don't know if great is the first description people use, though they might as a revision. Calling him elite might get some mixed reviews as well.

But there's a feeling that it should've been a no-brainer. That the words great, or elite, or franchise player should've been synonymous with Rick Nash. And the fact that they aren't, has to be seen as disappointing on some level.

Before Nash even came to New York, one of the warnings was that he wanted to be "just one of the guys" and not necessarily "the guy."

Frankly, we're going to need Kakko to be "the guy" and not just "one of the guys" if we're more likely to be successful.

Unfortunately, I don't think Kakko being "very good" will produce the result we're hoping for. I think he'll have to be more than that.
Click to expand...
Which he can be. Kakko can absolutely develop into a franchise quality player that you can build around. Him and Hughes both have that potential.
 
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