Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko: Part III

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Ail

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I personally had high expectations for him coming into the season, which I knew were pretty unreasonable but achievable based on his play over the summer. I am disappointed, but the numbers aren't truly that bad for an 18 year old player. Jack Hughes is doing the same thing in Jersey, and I still think he'll be as good or better than Hughes.
 

LOFIN

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I personally had high expectations for him coming into the season, which I knew were pretty unreasonable but achievable based on his play over the summer. I am disappointed, but the numbers aren't truly that bad for an 18 year old player. Jack Hughes is doing the same thing in Jersey, and I still think he'll be as good or better than Hughes.
Svechnikov is a good comparable.
 
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Fitzy

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Jan 29, 2009
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As poor as a season as it has been, the last few games he has been playing at much closer to an NHL pace.

In retrospect, however, it probably would have been better for his development to play most of this season in the AHL. Probably the same for Hughes and Dach.

I still think Kakko is going to become a perennial 30 goal scorer, we just may have to accept that it will take until his 20s at least to get there.
 

romba

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In retrospect, however, it probably would have been better for his development to play most of this season in the AHL. Probably the same for Hughes and Dach
I don’t get this. If the first half of the season was literally him acclimating to NHL pace and speed, how would spending it down in the A instead at half the pace and speed have helped him acclimate??? Sure he would have ‘looked’ better down there but he still would have had the same difficulties in the NHL whenever he got called up and would be starting only then to get used to the NHL pace.
 

Fitzy

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Jan 29, 2009
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I don’t get this. If the first half of the season was literally him acclimating to NHL pace and speed, how would spending it down in the A instead at half the pace and speed have helped him acclimate??? Sure he would have ‘looked’ better down there but he still would have had the same difficulties in the NHL whenever he got called up and would be starting only then to get used to the NHL pace.

The AHL pace is still faster than the Finnish league pace. So my thinking is we take it in increments.
 

KirkAlbuquerque

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Mar 12, 2014
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As long as he continues to play like he did last night. When he carried into the high slot and let a shot rip , I couldn’t believe my eyes.
 
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BreadKick

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Feb 7, 2016
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I think he should learn to smile first. I don't care for the rest as I am told he is 18 and I am free to enjoy other players while Kakko is in development stage.
 

aufheben

#Norris4Fox
Jan 31, 2013
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As someone who has put a lot of stock into numbers for years now, I’d be lying if I said Kakko’s didn’t make me nervous. Hopefully part of it is spending so much time with Howden, and hopefully they’ve been improving.
 
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Nickmo82

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Mar 31, 2012
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His play of late has been pretty great IMHO. Nice to see some production in the last four games. Let's hope he can keep it up.

They really should try him with Panarin for more than a game or two. Fast, good as he is at certain aspects of the game, is as bottom 6 as they come.
 

Levitate

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Jul 29, 2004
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funny I felt like this was one of Kakko's worse games in awhile, yet he scores, while he's had other games where he's controlled the puck and created/had numerous opportunities and they just didn't go for him.

Ultimately I feel like he just needs to get puck touches...when his teammates don't pass to him much he doesn't do as well. It's dumb to say that but sometimes I see guys pass up an easy chance to advance the puck to him and instead try to skate and dump it, etc. I don't think they're doing it on purpose because of him but still. On the other hand, he needs to do a better job of puck support and positioning in the offensive zone so that he gets the puck there more on the cycle
 
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