Matthews, Kakko vs Laine, Hughes?

[pikkuvaimo]

Kakko is the weak link

What? I'm 100% sure you never seen him play a single game.

 

[FinPanda]

Hughes isn't clearly better than Kakko. He has the edge, but it isn't that big.

Matthews/Kakko duo for me.

 

[Territory]

Matthews is the best player, so him.

 

[Lovedemfanboys]

The fact Matthews is an elite #1 centre is a major reason why.

Also can we please stop with the Laine is 7 months younger excuse. It failed when his fans said that's why he would win the Calder, so just stop because it's pathetic that it's even brought up.

I reckon it's more pathetic to believe that Leafs will easily score over 100 PP goals this year. Or claim that Matthews is an elite playmaker because of one YouTube clip. But that's just me.

 

[Sasso09]

What? I'm 100% sure you never seen him play a single game.

What? Im 100% sure I did.

He's undeniably the weakest link of the 4. It's not debatable

 

[Snowsii]

What? Im 100% sure I did.

He's undeniably the weakest link of the 4. It's not debatable

It sure is..

Hughes isnt so much better than Kakko, who might also play center soon. (And who's playstyle actually works better as an center, than Hughes) Or could you please show us, the parts of the game where Hughes is greatly better than Kakko?

 

[Randy Randerson]

I like the idea of making sure that you get a center out of it so took Matthews/Kakko, but either would be a good starting point for a franchise

 

[Sasso09]

It sure is..

Hughes isnt so much better than Kakko, who might also play center soon. (And who's playstyle actually works better as an center, than Hughes) Or could you please show us, the parts of the game where Hughes is greatly better than Kakko?

This makes Kakko the weakest link.... unless you take him over Laine or Matthews. I don't understand your logic

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I'm confused with people seeing Kakko as the weakest link.

Atm he's ahead of Laine at the same age (although Laine had an insanely steep rise).

Also Matthews is for sure better than Hughes

 

[Snowsii]

This makes Kakko the weakest link.... unless you take him over Laine or Matthews. I don't understand your logic

If/When Kakko switches to center, in which he most likely excels better than Hughes.. Then Hughes becomes the weakest link..

Hughes offensive play is only thing, that he's ahead of Kakko.. And Kakko has advantage in boards and defensive aspect of the game.

So which one in your mind makes a better center?

Although, i might be talking to a brickwall.. After all, you left answered my question earlier..

I know that, it only because you cant provide any real proofs; that why it isnt debatable that Kakko might be equal or better than Hughes.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

If/When Kakko switches to center, in which he most likely excels better than Hughes.. Then Hughes becomes the weakest link..

Hughes offensive play is only thing, that he's ahead of Kakko.. And Kakko has advantage in boards and defensive aspect of the game.

So which one in your mind makes a better center?

Although, i might be talking to a brickwall.. After all, you left answered my question earlier..

I know that, it only because you cant provide any real proofs; that why it isnt debatable that Kakko might be equal or better than Hughes.

Well just because Kakko might be better defensively and potentially turns into a Center doesn’t necessarily mean he will be better than Hughes(who’s accumulated most of his career thus far playing at Center). That is like comparing Benn or Stone to Mackinnon.

 

[glucker]

No matter what?
Matthews 144 GP - 74 G-58 A 132 TP
Laine 155 GP- 80 G-54A 134TP All while being 7 months younger.

Matthews has the higher ppg, better defensively, more important position, and less sheltered.

Pretty easy choice imo

 

[Snowsii]

Well just because Kakko might be better defensively and potentially turns into a Center doesn’t necessarily mean he will be better than Hughes(who’s accumulated most of his career thus far playing at Center). That is like comparing Benn or Stone to Mackinnon.

More like; Mackinnon vs Barkov.

 

[Nithoniniel]

To me, Kakko doesn't project to be the same level of player as Laine, but Hughes might very well be as good as Matthews. So the second duo was what I went with.

Regarding Kakko vs Laine, it's another example of why comparing players based on what they did at the same age isn't always effective. Laine had a meteoric development in his last year before the draft. It's very unlikely that even a prospect like Kakko match that development. The better way to view it is whether the average development of Kakko leads to him matching what Laine is now, and I don't think it does.

 

[loyaltotheend]

To the people saying Laine = Matthews: the thread is not goal-scoring only. Therefore Laine is not equal to Matthews

OP should get his wish though, as Kakko is further behind Hughes, so the combination ought to win out

 

[HockeyGuruPitka]

Ill take Matthews and a 7th round pick

 

[Cotton]

I'm confused with people seeing Kakko as the weakest link.

Atm he's ahead of Laine at the same age (although Laine had an insanely steep rise).

Also Matthews is for sure better than Hughes

Rumblings I've heard is he has the potential to become the top pick.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

More like; Mackinnon vs Barkov.

Hughes is much closer to Mackinnon than Kakko is to Barkov(Kakko isn’t even a Center while Barkov is a Selke candidate 1C). In fact Hughes is probably a better prospect than Mackinnon while Kakko isn’t really even close to Barkov as a prospect as well. At the moment Kakko can only be compared to Wingers(who are capable at playing C).

 

[Snowsii]

Hughes is much closer to Mackinnon than Kakko is to Barkov(Kakko isn’t even a Center while Barkov is a Selke candidate 1C). In fact Hughes is probably a better prospect than Mackinnon while Kakko isn’t really even close to Barkov as a prospect as well. At the moment Kakko can only be compared to Wingers(who are capable at playing C).

So you admit, to never watched Kakko play?

Barkov was better in defensive play, but Kakko is far ahead of Barkov in offensive end of the game..

And still this is still more likely a Mackinnon vs Barkov situation.. ( a high offense Center vs little worse offensive center/winger with better overall game.

 

[StatisticsAddict99]

So you admit, to never watched Kakko play?

Barkov was better in defensive play, but Kakko is far ahead of Barkov in offensive end of the game..

And still this is still more likely a Mackinnon vs Barkov situation.. ( a high offense Center vs little worse offensive center/winger with better overall game.

If I’m correct Barkov had the highest PPG and total point outage from a DY player in Liiga history and not only that he was significantly younger than Kakko currently is in his DY. Kakko was not “far ahead” offensively by any notion.

Kakko hasn’t ever even played Center so stop making assumptions or notions that he will just because he plays a good balanced game. To my next point, what makes you assume Hughes is weak defensively, from my view he’s very strong and smart in all facets of the game(sure he’s more so top heavy offensively but that doesn’t mean he’s bad).

Barkov is Elite in every category of the game NHL wize, as a prospect Kakko isn’t even Elite defensive wise(the kid won’t win any Selkes), as a Player Mackinnon is a Offensive Force offensively and Hughes is as good as it gets as far as Offence goes when it comes to prospects. Mackinnon is a fair comparison to Hughes, Barkov is an off the wall comparison to Kakko(like I said Benn is more comparable).

And finally, every team in the league values Offence first when it comes to forwards, it’s just the way things go. Nobody is gonna pick Bergeron or Kopitar over Crosby or even Ovechkin today(or even in any of those players primes), you don’t score by having your forwards play defence, you score by having your forwards play offence and the way teams win is by out scoring the other(common sense). I’d rather a Franchise Center who will make his teammates better at putting points on the board than a Winger(who I don’t believe is a franchise level prospect) who is great in all aspects of the game.

 

[biturbo19]

I'd take the "sure thing" PPG capable Center over the goal-scoring winger. Hughes could also be an absolutely dominant PPG Center, but with the size difference, and the fact i've already seen Matthews do it for real, in the NHL...i go with the proven talent. And as much as Laine is a phenomenal goal-scoring winger, i just thing it's harder in general to build a Cup winning team around that player. I just prefer the mentality of building down the middle where you can supplement more easily, more consistently with comparatively "undervalued" wingers via the draft, etc. and continually recycle and replace them over time as the costs start to get too high.

I also think Kakko is looking like he has the potential to be, not the better player per se...but perhaps the more well rounded winger than Laine. So i don't feel terrible taking that over Hughes.

 

[Snowsii]

If I’m correct Barkov had the highest PPG and total point outage from a DY player in Liiga history and not only that he was significantly younger than Kakko currently is in his DY. Kakko was not “far ahead” offensively by any notion.

Kakko hasn’t ever even played Center so stop making assumptions or notions that he will just because he plays a good balanced game. To my next point, what makes you assume Hughes is weak defensively, from my view he’s very strong and smart in all facets of the game(sure he’s more so top heavy offensively but that doesn’t mean he’s bad).

Barkov is Elite in every category of the game NHL wize, as a prospect Kakko isn’t even Elite defensive wise(the kid won’t win any Selkes), as a Player Mackinnon is a Offensive Force offensively and Hughes is as good as it gets as far as Offence goes when it comes to prospects. Mackinnon is a fair comparison to Hughes, Barkov is an off the wall comparison to Kakko(like I said Benn is more comparable).

And finally, every team in the league values Offence first when it comes to forwards, it’s just the way things go. Nobody is gonna pick Bergeron or Kopitar over Crosby or even Ovechkin today(or even in any of those players primes), you don’t score by having your forwards play defence, you score by having your forwards play offence and the way teams win is by out scoring the other(common sense). I’d rather a Franchise Center who will make his teammates better at putting points on the board than a Winger(who I don’t believe is a franchise level prospect) who is great in all aspects of the game.

Once again.. watch him, then maybe you should known that Kakko has played center.. Well, that enough for me to know, that you havent studied nothing about Kakko.. So it's not worth debating with you..

 

[canadiantirefire]

Laine and Hughes. Laine's shot being the deciding factor.

 

[ijuka]

Once again.. watch him, then maybe you should known that Kakko has played center.. Well, that enough for me to know, that you havent studied nothing about Kakko.. So it's not worth debating with you..

Funny right? Says "stop making assumptions" while making the assumption that Kakko has never played center.

 

[kelsier]

Laine is the best player here but Matthews doesn't fall too far short. I'm not at all sure how it'll end up with Kakko and Hughes but right now Kakko's play reminds me of Forsberg's and while he has some similarities to Matthews, I think Kakko's even stronger on the puck (at the same age). Laine tips this for me though, so going with him and Hughes.