Kaapo Kakko vs Jesperi Kotkaniemi

[GrandmaCookie]

Both of these finish player who were drafted in the top 3 have been slight disappointment compared to their impact projection. Of similar size, the age difference is 7 months between the two.

Who would you take on your team?

Kaapo Kakko:

2019-20	New York Rangers	NHL	66	10	13	23	14	-26	3	0	0	0	0
2020-21	New York Rangers*	NHL	23	2	2	4	8	-3

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Jesperi Kotkaniemi:

2018-19	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	79	11	23	34	26	1
2019-20	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	36	6	2	8	23	-11	10	4	0	4	23

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

2020-21

Montreal Canadiens

NHL

31

4

11

15

12

6

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Click to read more...

 

[Love]

Kakko. Not even close for me. He's better now and has a way higher ceiling.

 

[Canovin]

The real KK

 

[GrandmaCookie]

Kakko. Not even close for me. He's better now and has a way higher ceiling.

What makes you say he is better now? Production wise Kotkaniemi has the edge and it's not even close, so I'm curious about you statement. Have you watched both play this season?

 

[Love]

What makes you say he is better now? Production wise Kotkaniemi has the edge and it's not even close, so I'm curious about you statement. Have you watched both play this season?

Yes. And scoring isn’t everything.

 

[KevSkillz4]

KK no doubt. He play REALLY good hockey under Dominique Ducharme. We all see the potential of a true #1 center in KK. He can do everything on the ice, he can shoot, he can pass, he can defense and he can HIT!!

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

If Rangers fans throw their votes towards Kotkaniemi to help him win, can Habs fans agree to stop calling Kotkaniemi by the nickname KK?

It makes absolutely no sense to me. It's as if someone couldn't pronounce his last name. His initials are JK.

It's also hugely confusing in a discussion like this where Kakko's initials are KK.

 

[KevSkillz4]

If Rangers fans throw their votes towards Kotkaniemi to help him win, can Habs fans agree to stop calling Kotkaniemi by the nickname KK?

It makes absolutely no sense to me. It's as if someone couldn't pronounce his last name. His initials are JK.

It's also hugely confusing in a discussion like this where Kakko's initials are KK.

Kotkaniemi = KotKa. So KK for KotKa.

 

[Love]

Kotkaniemi = KotKa. So KK for KotKa.

As @Pavel Buchnevich said, it makes no sense.

PatricK Kane...... Lets call him KK too!!

 

[Buck Naked]

KK was a reach at the draft, so I guess I'll go with the other.

 

[Canovin]

Kotkaniemi = KotKa. So KK for KotKa.

KK is Kaapo Kaako

Stick with Kotka for Jesperi. Less confusing

 

[sharks9]

Kotkaniemi is playing better right now and plays the more important position. Not that Kakko can't surpass him, but I'd say right now it's Kotkaniemi

 

[Adele Dazeem]

Tkachuk and Dach.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

KK no doubt. He play REALLY good hockey under Dominique Ducharme. We all see the potential of a true #1 center in KK. He can do everything on the ice, he can shoot, he can pass, he can defense and he can HIT!!

KK plays under Quinn and is a winger.

 

[bobholly39]

Kakko was a better prospect with higher ceiling.
Kotka is better today

Kakko has more question marks ( weird - both him and Laf seemed like as surefire NHL ready prospects as any in recent years, and both have thoroughly disappointed with NYR) due to disappointing start, but also still has the higher ceiling.

As a habs fan i'll vote Kotka, but I could see people thinking Kakko figures it out and surpasses him

 

[OKR]

Kotkaniemi = KotKa. So KK for KotKa.

His name is Kotkaniemi, literally no sense in that nickname at all.

Kotka=Eagle
Niemi=peninsula

 

[abo9]

His name is Kotkaniemi, literally no sense in that nickname at all.

Kotka=Eagle
Niemi=peninsula

So we should call him JKN?

I have not watched Kakko tbh, so super biased Habs fan and I did not vote. But I doubt that Kakko is a defensive specialist ala Bergeron, so I'd say JKN is better now.

I would also not say that JKN has been a slight disapointment, he was a little bit of a reach at #3 and everyone labelled him as a "project". He surprised most people by making the team at 18. Kakko on the other hand was supposed to be more NHL-ready than Hughes, and was the clear-cut #2 OA. I'd say he's currently much more of a slight disapointment, but time is on his side.

Now: JKN
Future: I can't say

 

[EdJovanovski]

KK is a very dumb name
I vote Kakko

 

[thomast]

Right now it is Kotkaniemi but based on talent and skillset it is Kakko not close.

 

[Kudo Shinichi]

Kotkaniemi
Had a much better rookie season, and also had a better 2nd year despite not having a good 2nd year.

He also has looked great since Ducharme took over, and is playing his best hockey to date.

 

[Woncka]

Kotkaniemi
Had a much better rookie season, and also had a better 2nd year despite not having a good 2nd year.

He also has looked great since Ducharme took over, and is playing his best hockey to date.

Id imagine both of these guys will be playing their best hockey to date yearly over the next 4-5 years

but I get your point. Kakko also has looked much better this year, even without the production. Its what Jack Hughes dealt with last year (Kakko was simply bad his rookie year)

 

[LOFIN]

Kotka plays C and scores more ATM, Kakko has the higher ceiling. Maybe would take Kotka now but it might be and probably is a different story maybe 1 year from now, or later.

 

[HabsMD97]

Yes. And scoring isn’t everything.

cool, cuz Kotkaniemi is miles better defensively, is a Center, is bigger, has better advance stats and has been better literally every season

 

[ole ole]

KK seems to be playing pretty good as of lately and is a C . Kakko i haven't been following lately.

 

[lawrence]

Kotkaniemi Wasn’t even that good. What a waste of a 3rd overall pick. Skating looks choppy as hell.