1) they could not play the season in a bubble scenario
2) same thing has been happening in every other major sport and will continue to happen for a while
Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko: Part III
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2) same thing has been happening in every other major sport and will continue to happen for a while
Those, the relatively short bubble and playing a 2/3rd season, are entirely different situations. It's happening in every sports, worldwide. Whether it is basketball, hockey, football/soccer or the glorious sports of curling. Blaming the league in this situation is outlandish.
The options are really not play the season or play the season and deal with these flare ups. You can certainly argue they should have just canceled the season but we also had tons of people calling it a clown league for not having the season up and running at the same time the NBA did.
It's the nature of this virus...every sports league around the world that I'm aware of has had infections pop up. It seems the NHL is trying to operate as cautiously as they can and you have players go on the protocol list who might not even be infected but they're being extremely careful. REally you're going to have more people on the protocol list the more careful you are.
At any rate I hope Kakko is OK and he's not actually sick
It's the nature of this virus...every sports league around the world that I'm aware of has had infections pop up. It seems the NHL is trying to operate as cautiously as they can and you have players go on the protocol list who might not even be infected but they're being extremely careful. REally you're going to have more people on the protocol list the more careful you are.
At any rate I hope Kakko is OK and he's not actually sick
Based on Quinn’s comments I think I’m gonna assume he had contact with someone who tested positive, but he’s had no symptoms and no positive tests and that the rangers are acting out of an abundance of caution which is the right thing.
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
I don’t think the nhl is using rapid tests. I think they have a testing schedule and they’re waiting for the next clean test. Which is why the reports are he’s back next week.
Sisu4ever
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ZiGOODejad
intangibles
- Nov 30, 2013
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Really feel like the coaching is holding him back.
Amazing Kreiderman
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He was assigned last night. The Rangers only announced it this morning
- Jan 7, 2013
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I really think he is too.
I’m glad it looks like he’s only missing one game. We need him to play as much as possible.
GeorgeKaplan
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Feels to me like occam's razor here is that Kakko wasn't as physically ready (mostly from a conditioning stand point) for the NHL like some people thought last year
KirkAlbuquerque
#WeNeverGetAGoodCoach
will1066
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depends...honestly think the coach need sto give these guys more than a couple of shifts into a game before throwing his hands up and moving the lines around. I'd rather see several games of big ES minutes with Panarin and Strome to see how they all settle in. A coaches tendency to freak when things don't click immediately is annoying.
If he's getting big minutes with good players but struggling then yeah...time to re-asses the situation, maybe even think of sending him down
If he's getting big minutes with good players but struggling then yeah...time to re-asses the situation, maybe even think of sending him down
Ineffective as in not scoring, or ineffective as in looks overmatched/out-of his-depth?
If he's looking ok but just can't convert then you move him around a bit trying to find the right-line mates, with maybe a quick stint with the Pack to get some confidence back.
If he's looking like crap it's a longer stint with the Pack, and if they really don't think they can get the most out of him, you start exploring what kind of player you can get from a team who thinks they can develop prospects better than we can
I think it's easier for younger guys to learn without things that draw your attention away, especially for in-game adjustments. Even a guy like Blackwell would be able to help a guy like Kakko. He's a Harvard educated grinder. That's about as smart as it gets for a grinder. He's shorter, slower, quite possibly less athletic than Kakko. But he's getting in the way of turnovers by using his outs there. If Kakko starts to master that, especially sneaking up on guys, he's going to end up creating a lot of chances of the rush.
You can learn the ins and outs from the grinders that had to muck through it to play in the NHL. They get minutes because that's what got them there.
Blackwell really doesnt seem slower than kakko... to me its been obvious this season, kakko’s acceleration is whats holding him back. The second he’s able to create separation with his skating he’s gonna be much better. No need to be a speed demon, but theres not a lot of player on the team he would be beating in an end to end rink sprint.
I think both elements will help. He uses a stutter step, if he just explodes into it, he's basically through the neutral zone in 3 strides. Try that on the back check when you have no one on you, and get those turnovers. You see Alexie do it to close out shifts on a regular basis.
He's 19. If he doesn't do well with more minutes, we show patience and conviction and continue to let him develop his game as his body matures.I deserve a serious answer.
His game in finland wasn't based on speed though, but on using hard cuts and power. Thats a harder game to replicate in the nhl. I dont disagree that if his skating took another step or two he'd absolutely be a nightmare to handle, but in the long run I don't see any issues with how he's playing now. On the bright side, we might be able to parlay these not fantastic two rookie years into a very comfortable bridge deal or long term deal similar to mackinnons.
- Jan 18, 2012
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I may be crazy but he's a lot slower, acceleration wise, when he has the puck.
His stride seems fine, his first few steps is rough.
but how is this on the league? outside the rink these guys are leading everyday lives. they have kids, some in schools, spouses/gf's who go out, they themselves i'm sure are not indoors 24/7 away rom the rink. they're on team/league time a few hours a day tops. and this thing just travels, you can take every precaution, but there doesn't seem to be any realistic 100% preventative measure. if anything i think leagues have been too strict trying to eliminate it totally. if you're traveling this much, commuting, around other people socially, its just a reality a significant amount of players will get it at some point. bottom line this isn't on the league if he had it or not. its every bit as much on players to do their part. and even if all parties act in good faith, you may still get it. without trying to get into the philosophies of what the right and wrong approach is, its probably fair to say anybody playing knows the risks, knows the probability of contraction at some point, and still want to play. given that, i think its safe to consider a lot of players aren't worried at all outside of concerns of hurting their team or family, and at least now and again making some decisions that reflect that. these are young, well paid athletes. some of them, at least some of the time, are gonna have some fun. 3 days later 8 guys are positive. or maybe its a kid bringing it home. same deal. the players weren't going to agree to a bubble. postponements and absences are just gonna be part of the deal. not on the league or the players, its just 2021. none of its how i'd approach it, but no one asked me, so this is what it is and its better than nothing...though some of these games make me question that
I forget who said it but I have to agree with the idea that Quinn is, while trying to teach Kakko and Laf how to play NHL hockey, kind of suppressing their natural play style. Rookies with high expectations on other teams seem to get more leeway (and more minutes) to play their own game. They'll probably make lots of mistakes, but they'll produce more.
Here's hoping Quinn's method pays off in the long run, because it's pretty dispiriting to see neither of these guys produce.
Here's hoping Quinn's method pays off in the long run, because it's pretty dispiriting to see neither of these guys produce.
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