Player Discussion Kaapo Kakko: Part IV

[The New Russian Five]

I think what I like most about Kakko’s game recently is that he is the driver on any line he plays on and he wants the puck, and he wants to take away the puck.

He has passed the stage of absorbing the NHL game and all of its positional requirements.

He has internalized it all and it has become instinct. It frees him up to play with the north-south confidence we saw on the world stage.

Honestly he is quickly becoming a very effective 200 ft player, something we didn’t really expect. The fact that has happened so quickly is a huge plus to this teams future. You need to remind yourself the kid just turned 20.

The points will come, he is getting plenty of chances. But to me, despite the lack of production, he is ahead of where he should be in his development.

It would be amazing if he turns into a 50-60 point player that plays a good two-way game. We all thought we were getting a 60-70 pt player who wasn't very good defensively. I rather we have the former than the latter. But that is conditional on him actually starting to put up points, which I am confident he eventually will.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I don’t think this data says all that much this early in the season (Kakko’s ratio gets cut in half with his next giveaway), but I am curious what the list looks like if you sort by takeaways? Where does 11 takeaways rank on the list? I assume it’s pretty high?

Where are all of the elite forwards on the list?

Scheiffele has 16
Mangiapane, Stone and Höglander have 13
Matthews, K'A Miller and 3 others have 12
Kakko, Barkov, Backlund and 2 others have 11

 

[Rongomania]

K'Andre has the same amount of takeaways as Matthews. Man that's crazy AF

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

K'Andre has the same amount of takeaways as Matthews. Man that's crazy AF

Comparing to some big names, here are the TkA/GvA numbers:

Kakko: 11/1
Miller: 12/13

Matthews: 12/10
Scheifeele: 16/10
DeBrincat: 12/8
Backlund: 11/7
Barkov: 11/7
P. Kane: 10/10
Malkin: 10/14
Crosby: 8/12
Bergeron: 8/4

Look at Kakko's numbers. This is unreal.

 

[The New Russian Five]

Comparing to some big names, here are the TkA/GvA numbers:

Kakko: 11/1
Miller: 12/13

Matthews: 12/10
Scheifeele: 16/10
DeBrincat: 12/8
Backlund: 11/7
Barkov: 11/7
P. Kane: 10/10
Malkin: 10/14
Crosby: 8/12
Bergeron: 8/4

Look at Kakko's numbers. This is unreal.

Out of curiosity do you have Fox's numbers on this?

 

[Synergy27]

Comparing to some big names, here are the TkA/GvA numbers:

Kakko: 11/1
Miller: 12/13

Matthews: 12/10
Scheifeele: 16/10
DeBrincat: 12/8
Backlund: 11/7
Barkov: 11/7
P. Kane: 10/10
Malkin: 10/14
Crosby: 8/12
Bergeron: 8/4

Look at Kakko's numbers. This is unreal.

I mean, I am not trying to downplay this. Kakko has made some serious strides off the puck. But, can this also not be explained by the fact that he doesn’t have the puck that much, and when he does he either moves it quickly or only attempts the “safe” play? Doesn’t that mesh with our concerns about how Quinn has the kids playing scared?

I am not trying to invalidate these stats. Kakko has looked much better lately. Just trying to add some context and additional potential explanation.

Also, I shudder to think what Panarin’s numbers look like...

 

[UnSandvich]

Out of curiosity do you have Fox's numbers on this?

9 giveaways, 10 takeaways

 

[SnowblindNYR]

It would be amazing if he turns into a 50-60 point player that plays a good two-way game. We all thought we were getting a 60-70 pt player who wasn't very good defensively. I rather we have the former than the latter. But that is conditional on him actually starting to put up points, which I am confident he eventually will.

I'd be disappointed if he's only a 50-60 point player. The Rangers were a team with 50-60 point players all over the roster for years and it got them nowhere. We need a game breaker.

 

[Rongomania]

I'd be disappointed if he's only a 50-60 point player. The Rangers were a team with 50-60 point players all over the roster for years and it got them nowhere. We need a game breaker.

what he's doing out there as a 20yr old in the toughest division of hockey on earth, on a growing, more Hyde than Jekyll right now team - he is going to be very special.

 

[ElLeetch]

I'd be disappointed if he's only a 50-60 point player. The Rangers were a team with 50-60 point players all over the roster for years and it got them nowhere. We need a game breaker.

having a roster of 50-60 point players only semi-works, and thats if you also happen to have a top-10 all time goaltender to steal you a lot of games. I like shesty a lot, but the odds of him being Lundqvist II are slim.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

having a roster of 50-60 point players only semi-works, and thats if you also happen to have a top-10 all time goaltender to steal you a lot of games. I like shesty a lot, but the odds of him being Lundqvist II are slim.

Well that's the point. We were banking on at least Laf and Kakko being PPG type guys. Panarin and Mika (even he gets back to what he was) are older. So Kakko becoming a 50-60 guy no matter how good defensively is not something to celebrate.

 

[aufheben]

 

[YoSoyLalo]

View attachment 396320

Omg these are so cute

 

[Fitzy]

With Kakko playing like an NHL player this season, if he stays on that Panarin line the points will come.

Could see him hitting 30 easily by season's end.

Frankly I'd be a lot more worried if he had 6 points but was failing the eye test as bad as he did last year, where he probably would have been better off in the AHL playing on the top line.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

With Kakko playing like an NHL player this season, if he stays on that Panarin line the points will come.

Could see him hitting 30 easily by season's end.

Frankly I'd be a lot more worried if he had 6 points but was failing the eye test as bad as he did last year, where he probably would have been better off in the AHL playing on the top line.

They REALLY should keep the Laf-Strome-Kakko line together, when the team was playing hockey last game that line was dangerous AF, when the entire team was shut down, so were they. That will allow Panarin to play with Mika, hopefully get him going, and drop Kreider to the third line where he belongs. Long term I think Kreider and Chytil's style will mesh well.

 

[The Sweetness]

Kakko is getting ready to explode. I wish we could sign an extension for him on the cheap. I think he's going to put up really solid numbers next year.

 

[The New Russian Five]

He just gets better every game. He just needs a reliable center and 1 more year of development and the point will start to come.

 

[FireGerardGallant]

He just gets better every game. He just needs a reliable center and 1 more year of development and the point will start to come.

Him and Chytil loooked good to start the year would love to see Laf-Chytil-Kakko but knowing our braindead coach that has a 0% chance to happen

 

[Zub]

Looked amazing again, it's only a matter of time for him to start scoring, some of you who still complain of the lack of production need to chill out, it's coming.

 

[LOFIN]

Looked amazing again, it's only a matter of time for him to start scoring, some of you who still complain of the lack of production need to chill out, it's coming.

At this point it's pretty much just fans of other teams who are scoreboard watching.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

Yea I really like what Im seeing from him he looks determined out there. Wish #20 would start takimg some notes.

 

[Crease]

This is like the opposite of Petr Prucha.

 

[haveandare]

We need Chytil back ASAP. Kakko made a handful of plays tonight that Strome just killed

 

[Zub]

We need Chytil back ASAP. Kakko made a handful of plays tonight that Strome just killed

When is Chytil projected to be back? Feels like it's been forever alrdy..

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Kakko has turned into Mark Stone with out the production.

I mean as long as he keeps doing these things the production will follow, but it's equal parts encouraging and irritating to watch.