Player Discussion Would you trade Kakko/Laf right now?

[SnowblindNYR]

So would you trade either or both of Kakko/Laf right now for a realistic return? So no "depending on what we get for them". Someone realistic and that would fit with this team and is relatively young, so not like Pavelski or someone.

Click to read more...

 

[Savant]

Kakko for Chychrun is something that should be explored.

I think you give have to Lafreniere another year, but you have to worry about Kakkko’s raise at this point.

 

[LokiDog]

I would trade one or the other, but not both. And not just to trade them. If there were a long term 2C out there, for instance, with some term on their contract, I would move one in a package. I’d take a really good hard look and pick one to hang my hat on. If both bust (relative to expectations) and you traded one while the value was still high, you only have one bust on your hands. If both hit, if you made the right trade, you still have one top two pick that panned out and one guy who was worth trading for. If one busts and one pans out… you better hope you picked the right one to move, but you can’t live in fear of that.

 

[DanielBrassard]

I would trade both. Neither have shown they should be off limits whatsoever.

 

[mike14]

And I thought asking whether we should send them to the AHL for a few games was depressing...

I'm starting to lean towards what Loki Dog wrote above. If there's a player out there that can be had to improve the chances of this team raising the cup in the next 3-4 seasons you have to start seriously considering moving one of these two.
There's still a good chance both will become good/very good NHLers, but I don't think they are forming the next core here while supporting this one in a meaningful way

 

[zlev]

Laf, absolutely not

Kakko, as much as I like the guy and want him to succeed...I dunno, I think I'd have to at least start fielding offers. I really hope he's injured right now because he looked way better last season. He has just done absolutely nothing for a month and a half now.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Kakko is really unnerving me, much more than Laf. He did look better last year due to his forecheck than Laf ever looked. But it just seems like he had no idea what to do with the puck and he doesn't forecheck nearly as well as he did last year. I feel like he loses the puck a lot more easily. I just don't see any skill from him. I feel like I see more skill from Laf and he was always supposed to be the better prospect.

 

[bl02]

Need to change whoever is in charge of developing these young forwards. It can't be that now 5 out of 5 young forward first round prospects have underachieved (ok maybe Chytil is border line) Just can't be!!! I refuse to believe that at least one or two of these kids don't have the talent to be special right now.

 

[Krams]

I mean, it depends on what the return is. I am sure their trade value is lower than ever before, so theoretically not good asset management, but if the right opportunity presents itself it's not an automatic no. If we actually pull the trigger and deal one of them, then I wouldn't further explore trading the other.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I mean, it depends on what the return is. I am sure their trade value is lower than ever before, so theoretically not good asset management, but if the right opportunity presents itself it's not an automatic no. If we actually pull the trigger and deal one of them, then I wouldn't further explore trading the other.

The thing is, if this continues they would be closer to busts than promising young players who have developed slower than expected. If we wait another season or two we won't get much for them.

 

[Krams]

The thing is, if this continues they would be closer to busts than promising young players who have developed slower than expected. If we wait another season or two we won't get much for them.

That's the gamble. Like i said, depends on the value.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Yes so we can talk about something else on these boards that used to be about the Rangers

 

[TominNC]

People just don't learn from the many examples of young players not all starring at 21. Patience. We're not expected to win the cup this year but there's every likelihood that they will be key contributors to a real cup run.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

This is some ridiculous ass thread. Like disintegration, implosion type shit.

Basically the "EA be a GM", "win right now" crowd being incapable of being patient, again, like every day for the last two years.

I say one thing, we threw them into the fire too soon. Sure, their draft position and ego's certainly forced them on the big club, but the FO should have been patient.

@Machinehead I disagree on the 20min vs 13 mins argument you made in a past post. Laf and Kakko should have played top-6 minutes in the AHL/anywhere and be p/g players.

Instead we certainly crushed some confidence, having them play 3rd line minutes and what not.

I defer to Detroit again. They take their time. The kid plays in the NHL when he's absolutely ready to do so.

No one can tell me Seider would have profited from 15m in the NHL the same as playing 20+ in the AHL and SHL.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

This is some ridiculous ass thread. Like disintegration, implosion type shit.

Basically the "EA be a GM", "win right now" crowd being incapable of being patient, again, like every day for the last two years.

I say one thing, we threw them into the fire too soon. Sure, their draft position and ego's certainly forced them on the big club, but the FO should have been patient.

@Machinehead I disagree on the 20min vs 13 mins argument you made in a past post. Laf and Kakko should have played top-6 minutes in the AHL/anywhere and be p/g players.

Instead we certainly crushed some confidence, having them play 3rd line minutes and what not.

I defer to Detroit again. They take their time. The kid plays in the NHL when he's absolutely ready to do so.

No one can tell me Seider would have profited from 15m in the NHL the same as playing 20+ in the AHL and SHL.

Almost all top 2 picks play in the NHL at 18/19. Two guys that were unanimous top 2 picks and they're not doing anywhere near as well as others with the same pedigree. And neither guy was supposed to be a project. Both were seen as ready for the NHL. There are enough busts that it's not so out of line to wonder if they are too. Or if they'll ever reach their potential with this organization.

 

[duhmetreE]

No.

I'd hire Queneville as a consultant

 

[deathb4disco]

In the right deal I would trade either. We have Panarin and Krieder on the top 2 lines to score and they are going nowhere. I would trade Kappo b4 Laf but Laf just looks horrible rn.
He shows nothing, like throw a check, get in a fight, hell take a shot once in a while. As soon as he receives the puck he passes it away and skates to the bench.
The scouting report on this guy was skilled power forward, which take longer to develop than most. Look at Krieder, it took him 10 years to figure it out. I'm still thinking he will figure it out he scores clutch goals, he says the right things but just a flash once in awhile would be great.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Yes, both.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

No.

I'd hire Queneville as a consultant

Pretty sure he isn't getting another NHL job.

As for the question, absolutely not.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Who is everyone more down on now? I feel like for the longest, around the league other fans were more down on Kakko, but Rangers fans were more down on Laf & had more faith in Kakko. But recently it seems Kakko has been falling more and more out of favor among Ranger fans. I have more faith in Laf than Kakko because Laf seems like a somewhat confident kid. Kakko seems like an absolute beta/awkward guy who I have no idea how he got this far in hockey. If he was around the typical hockey kids/hazing/etc in North America I don't think he'd ever even become an NHL prospect. I know this is harsh but I don't get how people don't see that

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Almost all top 2 picks play in the NHL at 18/19. Two guys that were unanimous top 2 picks and they're not doing anywhere near as well as others with the same pedigree. And neither guy was supposed to be a project. Both were seen as ready for the NHL. There are enough busts that it's not so out of line to wonder if they are too. Or if they'll ever reach their potential with this organization.

Well, imo it's a mix of:

a) this weird Shroedinger's rebuild situation we got here. The team already having a strong core that dwarfed their minutes, situations, experience.

b) David Quinn / the front office for hiring him.

This is the JT Miller situation. They need confidence, and in a maybe very simple way, minutes = confidence.

 

[Bacon Artemi Bravo]

No. You don’t trade players like them, this early. You wait. You have patience. Hockey is a hard game. We know they both have the talent and also the personality to recognize their weaknesses and work on them. They’ll come around, just need to have patience.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Who is everyone more down on now? I feel like for the longest, around the league other fans were more down on Kakko, but Rangers fans were more down on Laf & had more faith in Kakko. But recently it seems Kakko has been falling more and more out of favor among Ranger fans. I have more faith in Laf than Kakko because Laf seems like a somewhat confident kid. Kakko seems like an absolute beta/awkward guy who I have no idea how he got this far in hockey. If he was around the typical hockey kids/hazing/etc in North America I don't think he'd ever even become an NHL prospect. I know this is harsh but I don't get how people don't see that

ngl, imo Laf isn't very skilled. He's got a good shot. With a proper play maker, he'd be money.

Kakko with the right mindset, is a demon.

I found this video to be interesting, maybe we should send the kids to the shrink:

 

[haveandare]

Imo it’d be stupid. Live and die with them at this point. The odds that they’re both just not even able to score average numbers in this league are insanely small. Bring someone in to help them, take this as the sign that this organization doesn’t support their young players enough, so whatever you have to. They’re the future of this team - trading them for “now” pieces just leaves a dark dark future

 

[EdJovanovski]

Tell me this isn't the most depressing image ever lol "Room for Improvement: None"