Prospect Info: 2019 NHL Entry Draft Part III
- Thread starter NJDevs26
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Zajacs Bowl Cut
Lets Go Baby
MartyOwns
thank you shero
- Apr 1, 2007
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Ray Shero was recently quoted as saying, “you don’t trade away a winning lottery ticket.” It’s fun to hypothesize but there is close to zero chance this happens.
Kakko is a fantastic player but I’m getting dizzy with the narrative being pushed that this is actually a hard decision now. It’s not. Hughes is the #1 and no reputable scouting source has bumped Kakko ahead of him. A few games at a tournament should not move the needle and offset the accumulation of work/tape on these players from this season (and years past).
I think I’ll just stick to some very specific threads for the sake of my own sanity!
Kakko is a fantastic player but I’m getting dizzy with the narrative being pushed that this is actually a hard decision now. It’s not. Hughes is the #1 and no reputable scouting source has bumped Kakko ahead of him. A few games at a tournament should not move the needle and offset the accumulation of work/tape on these players from this season (and years past).
I think I’ll just stick to some very specific threads for the sake of my own sanity!
Reputable scouting sources don't adjust their ranking after each period. But after seeing the decline in production (from 3 to 0 goals) I am not sure Kakko will be worth his second contract.
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Posted this in the Worlds thread but probably just as applicable here
I think alot of people out there are blowing this Kakko performance in this tournament way out of proportion.
there are 2 things I think alot of people are forgetting or not realizing. Not necessarily in here, (I think alot of the regular posters still know and want Jack at #1) but around the world in general. Kakko is a beast, and had we won 2nd overall instead of first at the lottery I would of been just as ridiculously elated as I am now that we won #1. That being said:
1. Kakko is likely close to where he will be physically. Look at him on the bench, he looks like hes 24. Jack looks like he's 15. I dont like the word "ceiling" here, but I think what your seeing from Kakko now is much closer to what you'll see from him in the future. Yes he will grow a little and he will get better with experience. But he is so physically mature already that hes much closer to what he will be. That is unquestionably helping him dramatically in this tournament where there is a good deal of physical play and quality adult players.
2. This tourney (and his entire season) is played on european ice. We still have seen VERY little of him on north american ice. Kakko is a below the dots power winger with elite puck skills. But in the NHL those areas are much harder to play in and there is much less room. This WILL be a factor and an adjustment for him. At the WJC in vancouver he was very good, scored the golden goal, but he had 5 points in 7, and was 24th in scoring against juniors.
Also, This tournament favors european teams and you can see it with the US team (and their mediocre caching) having trouble adjusting to the systems , forecheck, and spacing with the extra ice. they still cant get through the NZ with any regularity.
And the fact that Jack plays center IS a huge difference, in the way he can control the play and can lift the game of the other 4 players on the ice
I think alot of people out there are blowing this Kakko performance in this tournament way out of proportion.
there are 2 things I think alot of people are forgetting or not realizing. Not necessarily in here, (I think alot of the regular posters still know and want Jack at #1) but around the world in general. Kakko is a beast, and had we won 2nd overall instead of first at the lottery I would of been just as ridiculously elated as I am now that we won #1. That being said:
1. Kakko is likely close to where he will be physically. Look at him on the bench, he looks like hes 24. Jack looks like he's 15. I dont like the word "ceiling" here, but I think what your seeing from Kakko now is much closer to what you'll see from him in the future. Yes he will grow a little and he will get better with experience. But he is so physically mature already that hes much closer to what he will be. That is unquestionably helping him dramatically in this tournament where there is a good deal of physical play and quality adult players.
2. This tourney (and his entire season) is played on european ice. We still have seen VERY little of him on north american ice. Kakko is a below the dots power winger with elite puck skills. But in the NHL those areas are much harder to play in and there is much less room. This WILL be a factor and an adjustment for him. At the WJC in vancouver he was very good, scored the golden goal, but he had 5 points in 7, and was 24th in scoring against juniors.
Also, This tournament favors european teams and you can see it with the US team (and their mediocre caching) having trouble adjusting to the systems , forecheck, and spacing with the extra ice. they still cant get through the NZ with any regularity.
And the fact that Jack plays center IS a huge difference, in the way he can control the play and can lift the game of the other 4 players on the ice
I will say though that at the WJC, Kakko did seem to have a lot of trouble getting the puck up ice through the neutral zone. Idk the statistic on it, but it sure looked like every time he tried to bring it up ice he lost the puck. Once it got in the o-zone though he was a beast. So yea, I think it's valid to say Kakko would have some adjustment to make as well.
Kakko is in his comfort zone in this tournament. He has size and strength along the boards in addition to controlling the puck while playing keep away. We got a chance to see him shine.
Jack is playing limited minutes and Eichel is basically double shifting every other shift in jacks spot.
Hughes is going to get hammered and out played along the boards all next year and its going to drive everyone crazy. When his speed and agility is unusable his lack of strength will be exposed.
Guess what? Im 100% ok with that. Even if he doesn't grow another inch, he should be able to gain 25 lbs. in the next 3 years.
Guess what else? His zone entries seal the deal, being a center is the icing on the cake. The devils have yearned for someone that can break into the zone and control the play for years. This is it. You don't pass that up with a power forward (even though he brought me out of my chair watching him).
Jack is playing limited minutes and Eichel is basically double shifting every other shift in jacks spot.
Hughes is going to get hammered and out played along the boards all next year and its going to drive everyone crazy. When his speed and agility is unusable his lack of strength will be exposed.
Guess what? Im 100% ok with that. Even if he doesn't grow another inch, he should be able to gain 25 lbs. in the next 3 years.
Guess what else? His zone entries seal the deal, being a center is the icing on the cake. The devils have yearned for someone that can break into the zone and control the play for years. This is it. You don't pass that up with a power forward (even though he brought me out of my chair watching him).
OmNomNom
Taco is Love, Taco is Life
OmNomNom
Taco is Love, Taco is Life
Azathoth
Registered User
I don't know about you, but I know I can learn all I need to about teenage hockey player's development by watching a single shift of 3v3 hockey on a European rink...
SteveCangialosi123
Registered User
Billdo
Registered User
It's the most annoying thing about this board... lately.
I don't even have an issue with the shift everyone is blowing their loads over. I don't for one second think Hughes didn't know what he was doing. I think he was trying to maintain position and not chase.
OmNomNom
Taco is Love, Taco is Life
he covered the net as best as he could to prevent a tip in - ultimately, it was a success since kaapo didn' score
None Shall Pass
Dano moisturizes
"_____ is tearing us apart" could be said about almost any discussion on this board, let's be honest.
Zacha
Severson
Hynes
Cory
Grabner trade
Analytics hires
etc...
njdevils1982
Hell Toupée!!!
MartyOwns
thank you shero
- Apr 1, 2007
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OmNomNom
Taco is Love, Taco is Life
in hindsight
fortunately rykov hasn't signed w the rags. the 2nd was a heavy blow, but if rykov comes over, then this gets even worse.
the logic behind why we wanted grabner made sense, but he freakin sucked. if he was able to solidify himself as a middle 6er, it would've been worth it
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BenedictGomez
Corsi is GROSSLY overrated
This is like saying I should have played 4, 24, 37, 66, 68, and 71 after the Mega Millions numbers are announced.
Nobody could predict Grabner would have the worst stretch of his career when he happened to be in a Devils' uniform.
I didnt love the trade, but I dont blame Shero.
NJDevs26
Once upon a time...
- Mar 21, 2007
- 67,580
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Let's not relitigate the Grabner trade here in the draft thread, we didn't give up the 2nd rounder in this year's draft so it isn't on-topic. Just glad we have more than enough 2's to make up for it this year.
That's the great irony over what happened this year, people were so worried about giving up the 2, 3 and Rykov to make the playoffs two years ago but we got similar assets back selling out this year.
That's the great irony over what happened this year, people were so worried about giving up the 2, 3 and Rykov to make the playoffs two years ago but we got similar assets back selling out this year.
None Shall Pass
Dano moisturizes
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