Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko

[EdJovanovski]

 

[FlyguyOX]

#RangersEffect

 

[Crease]

Well, the “green light” at the WC certainly didn’t help Kakko. I don’t even know anymore, other than that forwards turn to dust after they’re drafted by the Rangers.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

Well, the “green light” at the WC certainly didn’t help Kakko. I don’t even know anymore, other than that forwards turn to dust after they’re drafted by the Rangers.

Maybe NYR f***s it up, by playing their top-6 NHL talents, bottom-6 NHL ice-time. Our top 6 usually are logjammed with vets. We should have let Kaapo marinate another year.

Our bottom-6 prospects come in hot usually, as they were given time to marinate.

Kaapo and maybe Laf should have been playing 1st line anywhere but with NYR in their D+1.

 

[LOFIN]

Kakko has been consistently one of the best, if not the best forward for Finland at the tournament. The whole team has issues with scoring, top-2 forward lines don't work and Jalonen has not bothered to mix 'em up yet. I'm not worried. Kakko has created a ton of chances, and has had a few himself as well.

Not going to convince a lot of people here though, results are what they are at the moment. Hoping that they will mix up the lines and he finds himself at the scoreboard as well.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Kakko has been consistently one of the best, if not the best forward for Finland at the tournament. The whole team has issues with scoring, top-2 forward lines don't work and Jalonen has not bothered to mix 'em up yet. I'm not worried. Kakko has created a ton of chances, and has had a few himself as well.

Not going to convince a lot of people here though, results are what they are at the moment.

I’ve heard this same thing about his play on the Rangers the past 3 years.

 

[LOFIN]

I’ve heard this same thing about his play on the Rangers the past 3 years.

Which is fine. Maybe it is what it is, you need to put Kakko in certain situations to maximize his potential, and he has lost that ability to dominate just by himself. It's unfortunate, but that doesn't make him a bad player. Plenty of top line players in the NHL who are like that. For what it's worth, Rantanen also looks lost out there because the system is totally different from what he's used to from Colorado.

But we'll see. Plenty of tourney left. Maybe it's coping, but I'm not worried.

 

[McRanger92]

Which is fine. Maybe it is what it is, you need to put Kakko in certain situations to maximize his potential, and he has lost that ability to dominate just by himself. It's unfortunate, but that doesn't make him a bad player. Plenty of top line players in the NHL who are like that. For what it's worth, Rantanen also looks lost out there because the system is totally different from what he's used to from Colorado.

But we'll see. Plenty of tourney left. Maybe it's coping, but I'm not worried.

Too many fans root against the success of our players because of the online narrative. It's strange. I guarantee the players see it too. And we wonder why they lose confidence so fast.

 

[CLW]

Which is fine. Maybe it is what it is, you need to put Kakko in certain situations to maximize his potential, and he has lost that ability to dominate just by himself. It's unfortunate, but that doesn't make him a bad player. Plenty of top line players in the NHL who are like that. For what it's worth, Rantanen also looks lost out there because the system is totally different from what he's used to from Colorado.

But we'll see. Plenty of tourney left. Maybe it's coping, but I'm not worried.

Kakko is a talented player that right now looks like he's looking for his game. He's been one of the best if not the best forward but the team overall has had a very poor to start the tournament. This kid needs real coaching. He and Laffy need a good coach to put them to rights after a succession of poor "coaches". They need a coach to revive them like Caufield had in Montreal with MSL after Caufield go "coached" by Dominique Ducharme (the Habs' version of Quinn and Gallant).

 

[NickyFotiu]

Too many fans root against the success of our players because of the online narrative. It's strange. I guarantee the players see it too. And we wonder why they lose confidence so fast.

You must not realize, if KK does poorly it means that Drury somehow ruined him or it makes Krav in to a better player. Come on how can you not connect these dots lol.

 

[Vitto79]

top 6 RW and done move him

 

[DanielBrassard]

I couldn't think of a less important piece of information to evaluate a player off of than their point totals in the world championships. I haven't watched any of the games but what would possibly change about Kakko in the two weeks since the Rangers were eliminated?

 

[Machinehead]

Kakko looks good but can't score. More at 11.

 

[NickyFotiu]

I couldn't think of a less important piece of information to evaluate a player off of than their point totals in the world championships. I haven't watched any of the games but what would possibly change about Kakko in the two weeks since the Rangers were eliminated?

Sometimes guys play different in different scenarios. Some guys go up or down in these types of tournaments. Sometimes guys go up or down based on the size of the ice. There have been guys for decades that excelled for their countries in international tournaments but were not great in the NHL. I do agree with your point though. It is not very relavent (good or bad) for his career in the NHL.

 

[duhmetreE]

Kakko looks good but can't score. More at 11.

At this point, I'd hire a 3rd party Consulting Team to figure out a way to undo what was done to our young forwards.

I've never seen anything like it.

We want a new shiny young forward...... for what? The outcome will be the same.

 

[will1066]

A shooting mentality needs to be drilled into Kakko and his peers. Forget about making 1,000 moves trying to coax a slam dunk all the time. When Kakko is thinking about making that one additional move to open up a goalie, that's exactly when the puck needs to be shot. And if it's a chest snipe, so be it. You have to have a starting point to change the mentality. Over time, those shots start finding their way in or start producing rebounds for garbage goals. In the mini-stretches when he was scoring, he quick-released and one-timed off the puck, not thinking too much. Goals from 10 feet out, not from wrapping around a prone goalie. How many times is that going to occur anyway?

 

[Crease]

Kakko looks good but can't score. More at 11.

Kakko and Chytil play a skilled game but barely hit 40 points. Laf plays caveman hockey but hits 40 points.

I don’t know what’s better or worse or bodes well for the future. I just know that I hate all of our forward prospects and wish I didn’t have to squint to find reasons to believe they will break out.

 

[LionsHeart]

Kakko and Chytil play a skilled game but barely hit 40 points. Laf plays caveman hockey but hits 40 points.

I don’t know what’s better or worse or bodes well for the future. I just know that I hate all of our forward prospects and wish I didn’t have to squint to find reasons to believe they will break out.

They will on other teams because that’s how the Rangers role.

Buch is a PPG player, JT Miller broke out, Jesper Fast is playing an important role on a cup contender, Howden is having a great playoff, etc.

 

[McRanger92]

A shooting mentality needs to be drilled into Kakko and his peers. Forget about making 1,000 moves trying to coax a slam dunk all the time. When Kakko is thinking about making that one additional move to open up a goalie, that's exactly when the puck needs to be shot. And if it's a chest snipe, so be it. You have to have a starting point to change the mentality. Over time, those shots start finding their way in or start producing rebounds for garbage goals. In the mini-stretches when he was scoring, he quick-released and one-timed off the puck, not thinking too much. Goals from 10 feet out, not from wrapping around a prone goalie. How many times is that going to occur anyway?

Rangers as a whole need to master the art of shooting for rebounds and crashing the net. It's a foreign concept to them

 

[CLW]

A shooting mentality needs to be drilled into Kakko and his peers. Forget about making 1,000 moves trying to coax a slam dunk all the time. When Kakko is thinking about making that one additional move to open up a goalie, that's exactly when the puck needs to be shot. And if it's a chest snipe, so be it. You have to have a starting point to change the mentality. Over time, those shots start finding their way in or start producing rebounds for garbage goals. In the mini-stretches when he was scoring, he quick-released and one-timed off the puck, not thinking too much. Goals from 10 feet out, not from wrapping around a prone goalie. How many times is that going to occur anyway?

He's shooting now tho. The puck just refuses to go in. He has a good heavy shot, but shot selection and masking needs work and he shoots wide too frequently. He's going in technically good positions in the slot, but his team mates either don't find him or his timing attacking the net is off. All of this can be fixed by a good coach you'd think.

 

[NickyFotiu]

They will on other teams because that’s how the Rangers role.

Buch is a PPG player, JT Miller broke out, Jesper Fast is playing an important role on a cup contender, Howden is having a great playoff, etc.

LOL if Fast was here we would have threads that he is only a 10 goal scorer, that he makes too much money, that he was a coaches pet, and that he was taking time that should go to younger players. How much did the board value Howden when he was here?

 

[Raspewtin]

Kakko and Chytil play a skilled game but barely hit 40 points. Laf plays caveman hockey but hits 40 points.

I don’t know what’s better or worse or bodes well for the future. I just know that I hate all of our forward prospects and wish I didn’t have to squint to find reasons to believe they will break out.

Laf playing caveman hockey would imply he actually hustles and gives a shit which I don't think he does.

 

[McRanger92]

LOL if Fast was here we would have threads that he is only a 10 goal scorer, that he makes too much money, that he was a coaches pet, and that he was taking time that should go to younger players. How much did the board value Howden when he was here?

This is all true, but I still want him back.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Rangers as a whole need to master the art of shooting for rebounds and crashing the net. It's a foreign concept to them

Blows my mind too with how much Vally preaches passes off pads. We know the Rangers utilize CSA too, so it’s surprisingly it hasn’t translated at all to their on-ice play, especially with how much they focus on seam passes

 

[Priorae]

Kappo is going to be good. He’s shown enough for anyone to notice the skill. He’s one where it just takes time, but I find it hard to believe he won’t become a 60 pt a year guy soon enough at minimum. He needs the puck regularly, so a first line with 93 and 20 is right there for him.