GDT: 2019 IIHF World Championship II

[Nubmer6]

Just an FYI, this is completely false.

The general consensus is there's a gap between Hughes and Kakko, and another gap between Kakko and "everyone else" in the draft.

Saying the consensus is "neck and neck" by MOST professional scouts is either you just making that up or you getting it from some HFBoards "source" rather than reality. You dont get almost all pro scouts choosing Hughes #1 if it's really "neck and neck", which should be intuitively obvious to you.

How else would you interpret this:

Unanimity doesn’t allow for how close the race for No. 1 has become between Hughes, the 5-foot-10, 168-pound American centre, and 6-foot-2, 194-pound Finnish forward Kaapo Kakko, who is now the most prolific under-18 goal scorer (22 in 45 games played) ever in Finland’s top professional league (eclipsing Aleksander Barkov’s 21 goals in 53 games in 2012-13).

“The difference for us, right now, is razor thin,” said one NHL team head scout. “It’s almost a coin flip, pretty much a dead heat. Really close. Call it Hughes at 51 per cent, Kakko at 49 per cent. It’s that close and that could change.”

From: https://www.tsn.ca/hughes-kakko-in-tight-race-for-top-spot-1.1284470 (written Apr 4 before the tournaments)

It's not McKenzie's opinion. It's what McKenzie found when polling professional scouts.

 

[Edmonton East]

Huh?

Did you write this incorrectly & flip Euro and NA?

No, but probably could have elaborated. I'm responding to someone claiming his net drive and board work won't translate, which is crazy when he is doing it right now while playing up in age. Doesn't matter if it's Euro.

I don't really care...watch Kakko's tape. Saying his skills (especially boardwork and shielding) won't translate is the same as the silly people that claim Hughes' skating won't because he "never stops" and does "wide, pond hockey" turns.

 

[JimEIV]

I've already answered all this.

I think he's a ~100 point player who is an elite set-up man and creates offense by himself with A+ zone entry skill. I think of him as an Adam Oates, he may only score 24 or 25 goals, but he has 60 or 70 assists to go with it.

Just gotta get the kid a Hull, Neely or Bondra and he'll be all set

 

[Bcap88]

No, but probably could have elaborated. I'm responding to someone claiming his net drive and board work won't translate, which is crazy when he is doing it right now while playing up in age. Doesn't matter if it's Euro.

I don't really care...watch Kakko's tape. Saying his skills (especially boardwork and shielding) won't translate is the same as the silly people that claim Hughes' skating won't because he "never stops" and does "wide, pond hockey" turns.

It *might not translate, its simple math there’s more room on euro ice especially below the hash marks. I can’t say for sure if it will translate has anyone seen Kakko on NA ice ?

 

[BenedictGomez]

How else would you interpret this:

It's not McKenzie's opinion. It's what McKenzie found when polling professional scouts.

I interpret it as literally 2 scouts opinion. It's not a "polling" of professional scouts, if it was, then you'd have something, but it's 2 scouts (anonymous at that).

And one of them doesnt seem to think either of them may be stars, so one of them is a negatively-loaded opinion at that.

It doesnt change the narrative of what I've heard the last almost 2 years.

 

[Bcap88]

How else would you interpret this:



From: https://www.tsn.ca/hughes-kakko-in-tight-race-for-top-spot-1.1284470 (written Apr 4 before the tournaments)

It's not McKenzie's opinion. It's what McKenzie found when polling professional scouts.

Statistically impossible to have. 51/49 split while polling 10 scouts is how I interpret this one

 

[JimEIV]

The troll game is getting weaker.

No it was really a shitty evaluation of Hughes. He is nothing like Oates....

 

[Nubmer6]

Statistically impossible to have. 51/49 split while polling 10 scouts is how I interpret this one

I think you misinterpreted the meaning of the split. ALL the scouts had Hughes ahead of Kakko. 51-49 is how some seemed to feel about how close the two of them were.

 

[BenedictGomez]

No it was really a ****ty evaluation of Hughes. He is nothing like Oates....

A) I dont even think your posts on this subject are serious, I think you're just doing your "try to argue with 3/4 the board" thing.

B) You've admitted prior you haven't watched Hughes much. How the hell would you even know?

 

[Triumph]

I mean, he is correct that Hughes is nothing like Oates. I only caught the back half of Oates's career but I don't think he was ever fast - he had the ability to shield the puck from defenders and make plays in traffic.

They may end up being similarly valuable players and have similar counting stats, but stylistically they're quite dissimilar.

 

[Nubmer6]

I interpret it as literally 2 scouts opinion. It's not a "polling" of professional scouts, if it was, then you'd have something, but it's 2 scouts (anonymous at that).

And one of them doesnt seem to think either of them may be stars, so one of them is a negatively-loaded opinion at that.

It doesnt change the narrative of what I've heard the last almost 2 years.

Where did you get 2 scouts? The poll was with 10 scouts.

 

[JimEIV]

A) I dont even think your posts on this subject are serious, I think you're just doing your "try to argue with 3/4 the board" thing.

B) You've admitted prior you haven't watched Hughes much. How the hell would you even know?

I did watch WJC...Didn't really notice him there but...Since the lottery I have watched a lot of his games on Youtube there are a ton...And I have watched all of the U18. So my viewing is for sure limited...But I think I have some sense of his game...

But if by "like Oates" you mean 25% goals to 75% assist... then he is like Joe Thornton too I guess?

 

[BenedictGomez]

Where did you get 2 scouts? The poll was with 10 scouts.

Yes, it was unanimous that all 10 scouts ALL said they would take Hughes if they had the #1 pick in the draft.

American Jack Hughes is the unanimous No. 1 pick. Ten out of 10 scouts put Hughes in the No. 1 slot

But that fact badly hurts your argument.

So, naturally, I assumed you were only talking about the 2 scouts that claim it's "very close".

 

[BenedictGomez]

They may end up being similarly valuable players and have similar counting stats, but stylistically they're quite dissimilar.

Which is literally what I said; re-read the sentence.

My prediction for Hughes is a 25'ish goal scorer with 70'ish assists, which is exactly what Oates was.

 

[Nubmer6]

Yes, it was unanimous that all 10 scouts ALL said they would take Hughes if they had the #1 pick in the draft.



But that fact badly hurts your argument.

So, naturally, I assumed you were only talking about the 2 scouts that claim it's "very close".

I didn't read that there were only 2 scouts that had them very close. He only quoted 2 of them.

 

[JimEIV]

No one has it all figured out, that be like me asking the question of will Kakko Celiac disease and diabetes effect his career, no one knows

Wait what?

This blew by me...Kakko has diabetes?

 

[Nubmer6]

Wait what?

This blew by me...Kakko has diabetes?

Wow. I had no idea.

Kaapo Kakko - Wikipedia

 

[Devils731]

I didn't read that there were only 2 scouts that had them very close. He only quoted 2 of them.

If it was truly 51/49 then you would imagine that bunch of scouts would have Kakko first and a bunch would have Hughes first.

It would be unusual in such a tight race for some scouts not to have a different preference between the two; some may not think Hughes can stand up to the size of the NHL, some think Kakko will be less effective on NA ice, or whatever reason.

As an example of a tight race at the end, see Nico and Patrick, that was tight and scouts leaned in both directions. It would seem unlikely that it’s a super tight race but everyone leans the same exact way.

 

[Setec Astronomy]

Wait what?

This blew by me...Kakko has diabetes?

 

[Edmonton East]

It *might not translate, its simple math there’s more room on euro ice especially below the hash marks. I can’t say for sure if it will translate has anyone seen Kakko on NA ice ?

Uh, yea, we have. And he played a big part in the Fins' Gold medal performance while playing on that NA ice at the time.

 

[JimEIV]

Wow. I had no idea.

Kaapo Kakko - Wikipedia

There is no way that can't effect his performance.

 

[JimEIV]

I just checked Wilfred Brimley is still alive...Kind of surprised

 

[NJ07102]

Beautiful assist for Severson on that second french goal

 

[Nubmer6]

I just checked Wilfred Brimley is still alive.

Umm... why?

 

[JimEIV]

Umm... why?

Why did I check or why is still alive?
LOL