Jack Hughes vs. Kaapo Kakko part 2

[FinnishSniper]

I've watched Hughes play several times and while he's very fast, he certainly didn't look to have the type of explosiveness McDavid does.

Yeah, that’s the feeling I’ve got too. Phenomenal edges and gliding, but the explosiveness isn’t his best attribute in skating. Maybe as he gets some muscle he’ll get that too

 

[FinnishSniper]

Here are some of the players the Devils have drafted since Parise:

Travis Zajac (20th overall)
Adam Henrique (3rd round)
Blake Coleman (3rd round)
Damon Severson (2nd round)
Miles Wood (4th round)
Mackenzie Blackwood (2nd round)
Jesper Bratt (6th round)
Ty Smith (17th overall)

They just signed Jeremy Davies, a 7th round pick, to a contract and he is expected to be a bottom pairing D next season.

When you consider the Devils have had a top 10 pick only three times (which I did not include here) out of the last 16 years, that is not too shabby of a talent pool. Certainly not terrible like you stated.

The picks right there look pretty bad considering it’s been 16 years...

 

[f1nn]

...he said with not even a morsel of self-awareness.

The reality of the situation is you're sitting here whining about everyone that disagrees with you being "uneducated", while you sit in Finland pretending all of those same people have no ability to watch Kakko play lol.

I would be honestly interested to know how I can watch Liiga games as there is rarely any kind of streams and I watch it so little that I don't feel like dishing out 30 euros a month to watch it. So if you do have a way to watch it I'd appreciate hearing how as it is hard enough living in Finland

 

[tuozzi]

The picks right there look pretty bad considering it’s been 16 years...

Not so bad, considering 17th was the highest pick.

I'm also not entirely sold on the NA bias among professional scouts, that some like to bring up.

There are plenty of redraft rankings on this site. It would be interesting to see a breakdown on how Europe-based players' rise/fall in them. I doubt it's anything statistically significant.

I have only seen very little of Hughes and I will say that I have not been overly impressed. Of course he's good, but I was expecting more based on the hype. Having said that, I trust the professionals know better than me, or pretty much anyone else on Hfboards.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Here are some of the players the Devils have drafted since Parise:

Travis Zajac (20th overall)
Adam Henrique (3rd round)
Blake Coleman (3rd round)
Damon Severson (2nd round)
Miles Wood (4th round)
Mackenzie Blackwood (2nd round)
Jesper Bratt (6th round)
Ty Smith (17th overall)

They just signed Jeremy Davies, a 7th round pick, to a contract and he is expected to be a bottom pairing D next season.

When you consider the Devils have had a top 10 pick only three times (which I did not include here) out of the last 16 years, that is not too shabby of a talent pool. Certainly not terrible like you stated.

Not for nothing, but this is horrendous, even more so when you take out the 1st rounders where you should get an NHL regular.

It's better of late though so you can hang your hat on that.

 

[Kupo]

That’s funny and if the Devils come out tomorrow saying they like Kakko more than they’ll switch back to rating Hughes Higher. Whoever the Devils pick is the inferior player to the rest of the league. Lol let the haters hate

This is nonsense considering there are many Rangers fans like myself who have said several times that they have Hughes ranked #1.

 

[Devilsfan118]

Here are some of the players the Devils have drafted since Parise:

Travis Zajac (20th overall)
Adam Henrique (3rd round)
Blake Coleman (3rd round)
Damon Severson (2nd round)
Miles Wood (4th round)
Mackenzie Blackwood (2nd round)
Jesper Bratt (6th round)
Ty Smith (17th overall)

They just signed Jeremy Davies, a 7th round pick, to a contract and he is expected to be a bottom pairing D next season.

When you consider the Devils have had a top 10 pick only three times (which I did not include here) out of the last 16 years, that is not too shabby of a talent pool. Certainly not terrible like you stated.

My man.. prior to the new leadership group taking over, the Devils drafted TERRIBLY over the past decade+. You can pin a whole lot of it on the incompetence of Conte, and by extension Lou.

The healing process has started and is underway.. but do you remember our prospect pool around the time we lost both Kovy and Parise? It was embarrassing.

 

[The Devil In I]

Never did I say I know More than all Devils fans. I do know More than you that is apperant. There is a difference being a fan with critical and Correct views and a fan boy that sees only rainbows and unicorns

Your scouting department is terrible and there is no way to spin that. Being fan that long you should know this. Results speak for their selfs. There is one thing worse than accepting failure and that is blindly defending it without Even knowing what you are really talking about.

The Castron scouting department has only been around since 2016. Tough to give a good judgement one way or another when most of the players they've drafted are only breaking into the league now, but, sure, if you want to judge the current department by the results of the different scouting department under Conte from ~2004-2015 to fit your narrative, go ahead.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

On a positive note, it looks like J. Hughes will also be playing at worlds so there will be a solid chance for comparison.

If points are the definitive end-all-be-all proof that one player is better than another:

Hughes > Kakko.
Hischer > Pettersson.

Zacha > Pettersson.

That would be great! Where did you see that?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I do see (correctable) deficiencies on the defensive side of the puck, and, of course, he's currently lighter than a string bean. He looks pathetic trying to physically engage right now. He also looks a bit bored playing with players who are not even remotely on the same level. But he does not have to overcome a lot. I have a hard time passing on that type of skillset in this environment.

This applies for a lot of players in a junior hockey league, but not Hughes. He’s played on the most talented NTDP team ever with many first round picks, and there’s an argument that he wasn’t even the best player on the team this season.

 

[R8Devs]

Never did I say I know More than all Devils fans. I do know More than you that is apperant. There is a difference being a fan with critical and Correct views and a fan boy that sees only rainbows and unicorns

Your scouting department is terrible and there is no way to spin that. Being fan that long you should know this. Results speak for their selfs. There is one thing worse than accepting failure and that is blindly defending it without Even knowing what you are really talking about.

the previous scouting staff was terrible (and I think most Devils fans except for the ones who always defend Lou+Conte would agree with that) but they changed it up after the 2015 draft. I don't get why the new scouting staff is beholden to the mistakes of the previous one or you just assumed that it's the same when it's not

 

[glenwo2]

That's not anything to praise about, I mean Parise was drafted 2003.

(this post is not to say pick Kakko).

The picks right there look pretty bad considering it’s been 16 years...

If you take out the past 2 years, it's been brutal 'cause out of 14 years, the Devils have had only 5 draft picks that turned into Starters.

That just shows you the INCOMPETENCE we had in Scouting THEN with Conte.

With Castron, it's looking much better.

Certainly doesn't hurt to win the #1 pick twice either.

 

[king89]

I just get the feeling that Hughes is not a winner, the same with his older brother. They both disappeared in the final against Finland. They look like two kids that never had a hard time growing up, always getting everything served on a silverplatter. They are very gentle and talented but they lack that thing. "Sisu" type of thing. Kakko has won two finals over J Hughes, i can't shake that off. I now i now its a team sport, rest of the team needs to perform as well. But in these two finals Kakko has been better. And its not like USA has been shit in these to finals and Hughes stellar.

But with that said i still think Hughes should go number one.

 

[glenwo2]

I just get the feeling that Hughes is not a winner, the same with his older brother. They both disappeared in the final against Finland. They look like two kids that never had a hard time growing up, always getting everything served on a silverplatter. They are very gentle and talented but they lack that thing. "Sisu" type of thing. Kakko has won two finals over J Hughes, i can't shake that off. I now i now its a team sport, rest of the team needs to perform as well. But in these two finals Kakko has been better. And its not like USA has been **** in these to finals and Hughes stellar.

But with that said i still think Hughes should go number one.

That comment was unnecessary.

You don't know them personally to make that type of statement.

 

[93LEAFS]

That comment was unnecessary.

You don't know them personally to make that type of statement.

It's a just ridiculous statement. They grew up in an upper-middle class area in the city with a dad who is an AHL assistant coach. Look at the Tkachuk brothers. Or, using my team as an example, Zach Hyman who grew up absolutely loaded but is probably the most blue-collar player on the team. The belief one player has demonstrated himself as a clutch, and that is a sustainable reason for them to be better is a ridiculous premise. It reminds me of Montoya being a "money" goalie over Fleury in 2004 due to a great WJC performance by Montoya and a very weird goal allowed by Fleury.

 

[Devilsfan118]

Yeah guys, well I heard from a pretty reliable source that Kaapo Kakko pours the milk in the bowl BEFORE adding cereal.

I've also heard that Kakko is a cat person, while Hughes prefer dogs.

It's for these very obvious reasons that I believe and hope the Devils go with Hughes at #1.

 

[glenwo2]

Yeah guys, well I heard from a pretty reliable source that Kaapo Kakko pours the milk in the bowl BEFORE adding cereal.

I've also heard that Kakko is a cat person, while Hughes prefer dogs.

It's for these very obvious reasons that I believe and hope the Devils go with Hughes at #1.

I heard Kakko likes Coke while Hughes likes Pepsi.

 

[UnSandvich]

As a Rangers fan, I think I'd prefer Hughes, but that's only by a hair. To be honest, I still can't believe we're picking second.

 

[king89]

That comment was unnecessary.

You don't know them personally to make that type of statement.

And you don't know me personally to make that type of statement.

 

[glenwo2]

And you don't know me personally to make that type of statement.

Why would I need to know you personally to tell you that you were wrong to say what you said?

You're not making any sense.

 

[abo9]

Can Kakko fit with the Devils? Seems like they badly need a center to help Hischier out so since Hughes and Kakko apparently are so close in talent would not they pick for position first ?

 

[hellvetet]

And you don't know me personally to make that type of statement.

Are you saying you know the Hughes family personally and the brothers are spoiled? Because that is the only way the post I am quoting makes any sense.

 

[king89]

That comment was unnecessary.

You don't know them personally to make that type of statement.

It was no statement?

 

[Lays]

As a Rangers fan, I think I'd prefer Hughes, but that's only by a hair. To be honest, I still can't believe we're picking second.

It’s really just a matter of preference between these two. Neither of them are clearly better than other and even though I’ve had Kakko at 1 for a while, I’m still not confident in having him over Hughes. I’ll take either one and be happy with it, if they both hit reach their potential they’ll be very close anyway

 

[AmericanDream]

And you don't know me personally to make that type of statement.

"Nobody makes me bleed my own blood, nobody!"