What's your take on Kakko? I remember you from those threads. Tune changed?It's probably most him being undersized but the bust potential is certainly there. IF you are the worst top draft pick in over 20 years that's saying something
I think Dach has the potential to be the best of the three. Watching him play against us (Vancouver), he was a presence on most shifts and I was impressed with what I saw out of him, granted we're definitely not that great at playing defense. Give him a year or two to adjust.I feel for Hughes, no way was he physically ready for the NHL, could have benefitted from a year in college much like his brother to get stronger and more used to playing more physically developed players. I think in the end he'll turn out fine, but it's very clear he wasn't ready for this level, and I feel the Devils forced it.
Not sure on Kakko, I thought he'd be pretty good since he was used to playing against men, maybe the jump to NA ice was tougher for him. As an Avs fan, we played Rantanen a year in the AHL, to help him adjust to the NA ice and game, it work very well, wonder if this would have benefitted Kakko as well.
Dach not surprised he isn't putting up huge numbers, really surprised he stuck around, even though he has the size, not sure he was quite ready for that big of talent jump from Juniors to NHL. I feel another year of dominating the WHL would have been beneficial.
I think Dach has the potential to be the best of the three. Watching him play against us (Vancouver), he was a presence on most shifts and I was impressed with what I saw out of him, granted we're definitely not that great at playing defense. Give him a year or two to adjust.
Hughes and Kakko could go either way imo
Honestly, can't say I have. If he's improving that's great as he has a lot of potential and the more high skill guys in the league the better. I'll have to watch him a little more.Have you watched Hughes recently? Marked improvement from the first half.
He stopped at 99 because of Stefan. That’s how stats work.In his 2 games against the Flyers, he was the only Devil that stood out. He’ll be fine.
I guess you stopped at 99, because Lecavalier and Thornton were in 98 and 97. They didn’t get off to hot starts.
a general rule of thumb for HFPeople will say it's a weak draft for a few years until these guys take off and then those same people will tell us how they knew all along these kids just needed some time to grow into players they were drafted.
Whether Hughes becomes a 60 point two way star or blossoms into a Johnny Gaudreau/Patrick Kane style player, I think he has a good ceiling and will have a good career.
It's not a matter of being built for two way play (Marchand is a great two way player and he's 5"9), it's a matter of having the will and desire. I don't think that he has those: two way play is way less fun than playing offense.On what planet will Hughes become a two way star? I don’t think anyone is projecting that right now. His potential stardom is as a playmaking center, not a two way player. He’s simply not built for that.
Going from the USNDT to the NHL was an enormous jump, bigger than juniors to the NHL for sure. He's super immature physically and this is likely the first adversity he's ever face in his career.
His skill and vision is obvious but he's still adjusting to the lack of time and space at the NHL level
if only anyone knew what it was saying...It's probably most him being undersized but the bust potential is certainly there. IF you are the worst top draft pick in over 20 years that's saying something