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

[Hunter Gathers]

Stevens lol what the actual ****

One of the most overrated defensemen ever.

 

[Edge]

Have you noticed how many people on twitter and this board are reacting to the play of Hughes VS Kakko in the WC? There are people basing the #1 pick on this tournament. Kakko has 5 goals in the tournament and Hughes isn't dominating so Kakko is the #1 pick. Hughes wasn't supposed to go the WC. He was playing in the U18 and the decision to play in the WC was made after the U18. He played 7 games in 11 days in Sweden. Flew to Europe. Back to the States. Flew back in Europe less a week later.

I saw people on twitter tweeting the NHL.com draft people and Tom Gulitti who was a long time Devil beat writer than Hughes needs to step up his game. He is falling behind.

I think that's what separates the internet and social media, from what's actually going on behind the scenes.

There's a lot of....noise out there, to put it kindly.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I, for one, will be over the moon with either Hughes or Kakko. Beggars can't be choosers, and we finally have an elite talent falling into our laps in the draft.

I guess the question is does New Jersey want to go with a different dynamic. They drafted a smallish centerman who needed a little while to mature physically in Hirschier 2 years ago. Are they OK doing that again? Probably. Or maybe they want the big Finnish winger to add a different element - at least in the short term. Who knows what they're thinking. But I keep smiling that the Rangers end up with a really good player no matter what they're thinking.

 

[RangerBoy]

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Have you noticed how many people on twitter and this board are reacting to the play of Hughes VS Kakko in the WC? There are people basing the #1 pick on this tournament. Kakko has 5 goals in the tournament and Hughes isn't dominating so Kakko is the #1 pick. Hughes wasn't supposed to go the WC. He was playing in the U18 and the decision to play in the WC was made after the U18. He played 7 games in 11 days in Sweden. Flew to Europe. Back to the States. Flew back in Europe less a week later.

I saw people on twitter tweeting the NHL.com draft people and Tom Gulitti who was a long time Devil beat writer than Hughes needs to step up his game. He is falling behind.

I have read it there and here, it’s stupid, it’s a three week sample size like a week after Hughes just set a scoring record in another tournament after a season where he set a new all time points record in another league.

If Kakko is going to go #1, it’s going to be because the Devils truly believe he’s the better player long term, not because he played better at the Worlds

 

[kelsier]

There is no doubt in my mind that Kakko has a stronger impact in year 1, and perhaps even in year 2, as well. Like you mentioned, however, it's about who is better in five years or so. Hughes' possess traits that make him incredibly dynamic and give him the chance to have that higher ceiling. However, while I think incredibly highly of him, there is no lock that he manages to put everything together and to reach his maximum potential. I feel quite strongly that Kakko is going to be a franchise quality player and one of the best wings in the league. With Hughes, I feel as if he has the potential to be an elite 1C which is always more valuable than an elite 1W, but I feel a bit less confident he will fully reach that potential. Like you, I likely still go Hughes at 1, but even five years from now, I think it's a lot closer than I initially thought.

I just don't buy that at all and I suspected it wasn't even up for a debate before the actual WHCs. Now that' I've actually seen them both play live at practically the highest possible competition a draft eligible could become part of, the difference between them is so huge in Kakko's favour that it just makes me wonder how the scouts get it so wrong with these European players time and time again. But of course it has to be the narrative now, it's literally the only excuse which warrants The Devils to draft Hughes and the scouts who haven't been able to slot FEL and USHL in to right retrospect - not to mention, the only way for them to safe their faces. The same can be said about "Kakko closing in on the gap". How can a prospect who's far superior currently close the gap to his rival? Makes no sense. Still to back to the Hughes having a higher ceiling due to his skillset when he's quite literally has only top speed as a clear advantage over Kakko is non-sense. Kakko has him in shooting ability, hands, size/strength, balance, two-way game and goal scoring in general. Hockey IQ is just a difficult trait to really measure. There's no machine that can accurately evaluate it and that also applies to vision in a lesser extent. We're talking about a lanky kid who hasn't really started the bulking process yet, so of course he's going to get better. I really, and I do mean really hope that they've set their minds up to this and choose to close their eyes along, so that Kakko will one day be a Ranger.

It was particularly funny when that guy, todvells showed up into Kakkos's thread to breach about Hughes' generational skills and how he's a tier ahead as a prospect when at the exact time when Kakko was having dominant shifts against grown ups playing in the NHL. I hope your team finishes up with TPS started and transitions him to center. If Kakko hit his ceiling and we'd be looking at the next Forsberg, that'd be one of the best things ever happened in my country's hockey and your team. Every day he reminds me more.

View attachment 227355Hughes and Kakko getting to know each other.

This should absolutely be on every banner marketing The NHL Draft 2019 from here on out. Frigging awwsum pict and I just luv it.

 

[duhmetreE]

At this point, I'm expecting Laine type of production from Kakko at 18.... if not better.... which is crazy to think

he's been dominant against men

 

[Levitate]

One of the most overrated defensemen ever.

Stevens was a great player in many ways but the only reasonable way I could see anyone putting him over Lidstrom is if you value big hits more than just about every other aspect of a defensemans game because Lidstrom was better than Stevens at everything else

 

[Edge]

I'm curious to see Kakko's final pre-draft measurements.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

At this point, I'm expecting Laine type of production from Kakko at 18.... if not better.... which is crazy to think

he's been dominant against men

35-40 is what I expect. Anything more is a bonus.

 

[Levitate]

35-40 is what I expect. Anything more is a bonus.

goals?

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

goals?

Points

 

[Edge]

35-40 is what I expect. Anything more is a bonus.

I think my expectations are in the 40-50 range.

 

[Inferno]

Maybe on your list. Mine has at least 20 off the top of my head. Lindros for how he was viewed at the time he was drafted and at his peak.

McDavid
Crosby
Ovechkin
Lidstrom
Jagr
Lindros
Roy
Hasek
Bourque
Gretzky
Mario
Orr
Messier
Mikita
Esposito
Hull
Beliveau
Harvey
Shore
Richard

Lindros at his peak was the scariest player I’ve ever seen...I literally used to get scared as a kid watching the rangers play his line...you just knew they’d either score or injure someone....or both.

 

[duhmetreE]

goals?

 

[Mac n Gs]

Kakko has the upside basically of Nash with better hockey sense and less of a need to do it all himself

So, Marian Hossa?

 

[Edge]

Lindros at his peak was the scariest player I’ve ever seen...I literally used to get scared as a kid watching the rangers play his line...you just knew they’d either score or injure someone....or both.

I think there was maybe a two or three year span I felt that way, but that was also because I could see him going up against Messier and realizing just how much the game had changed from a decade prior.

But I almost feel like it was relatively brief phase --- and I remember feeling that way even then.

 

[Levitate]

Points

Settin' the bar low huh

I think there was maybe a two or three year span I felt that way, but that was also because I could see him going up against Messier and realizing just how much the game had changed from a decade prior.

But I almost feel like it was relatively brief phase --- and I remember feeling that way even then.

The injuries were probably inevitable from the way he played but without them he could have been something incredibly unique in many ways (still was but as you say, it was only for a few years or so)

 

[Alluckks]

I'd be happy if Kakko was 20/20 his 1st year, but wouldn't be surprised if he hit 25/35

 

[Levitate]

Matthews hit 40 in his rookie year are we to believe Kakko isn't as good as Matthews??????????!!!!!!!

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Settin' the bar low huh

You say "low", I think it's realistic.

It's in line with Kotkaniemi and Barkov in their rookie season as an 18-year old.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I think my expectations are in the 40-50 range.

Im at about 45-55. But truthfully if he were to hit 60+ i wouldn't even be overly shocked. The kid can hang with the big boys already. He might tire out though as the season goes.

 

[Calad]

So, Marian Hossa?

This is the comparison i've made, it seems pretty accurate. Though I don't remember Hossa when he was young, Kakko has been really explosive at these WCs

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

I just don't buy that at all and I suspected it wasn't even up for a debate before the actual WHCs. Now that' I've actually seen them both play live at practically the highest possible competition a draft eligible could become part of, the difference between them is so huge in Kakko's favour that it just makes me wonder how the scouts get it so wrong with these European players time and time again. But of course it has to be the narrative now, it's literally the only excuse which warrants The Devils to draft Hughes and the scouts who haven't been able to slot FEL and USHL in to right retrospect - not to mention, the only way for them to safe their faces. The same can be said about "Kakko closing in on the gap". How can a prospect who's far superior currently close the gap to his rival? Makes no sense. Still to back to the Hughes having a higher ceiling due to his skillset when he's quite literally has only top speed as a clear advantage over Kakko is non-sense. Kakko has him in shooting ability, hands, size/strength, balance, two-way game and goal scoring in general. Hockey IQ is just a difficult trait to really measure. There's no machine that can accurately evaluate it and that also applies to vision in a lesser extent. We're talking about a lanky kid who hasn't really started the bulking process yet, so of course he's going to get better. I really, and I do mean really hope that they've set their minds up to this and choose to close their eyes along, so that Kakko will one day be a Ranger.

It was particularly funny when that guy, todvells showed up into Kakkos's thread to breach about Hughes' generational skills and how he's a tier ahead as a prospect when at the exact time when Kakko was having dominant shifts against grown ups playing in the NHL. I hope your team finishes up with TPS started and transitions him to center. If Kakko hit his ceiling and we'd be looking at the next Forsberg, that'd be one of the best things ever happened in my country's hockey and your team. Every day he reminds me more.


This should absolutely be on every banner marketing The NHL Draft 2019 from here on out. Frigging awwsum pict and I just luv it.

There are scouts who have watched these 2 players in every game they've played for years and arrived at the rankings. Im glad you, however, were able to make a determination that they all got it wrong by watching a few World championship games a month before the draft.

Wouldnt be surprised if Gordie Clark reached out to you with a job offer by the end of the week.

 

[Edge]

Im at about 45-55. But truthfully if he were to hit 60+ i wouldn't even be overly shocked. The kid can hang with the big boys already. He might tire out though as the season goes.

I wouldn't be shocked with him "exceeding" my expectations at all.