Matthews Vs Kaapo Kakko Vs Laine Vs Marner at 18 years old?

[yzerman]

Kaapo Kakko is 18 right now and if you compare him with the others at the age of 18 which player is the best one?

Note that Multiple votes are allowed to see what order we get.

Click to read more...

 

[tony d]

Auston Matthews.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Matthews for me, I'm surprised that Kakko is being Laine, his buzz doesn't feel nearly what Laine's was. He'll probably be a lot more complete player but the hype seems smaller

 

[Fugazy]

Matthews, for now.

 

[RedWingzz]

Matthews for me, I'm surprised that Kakko is being Laine, his buzz doesn't feel nearly what Laine's was. He'll probably be a lot more complete player but the hype seems smaller

Lots of recency bias going on.

 

[Randy Randerson]

Lots of recency bias going on.

ya, feels that way. With what we know now about Laine, I think Kakko could definitely be a better player, but there was lots of "future multiple Richard trophy" buzz about Laine when he was that age

 

[ThatsSoSlavin]

Kakko outscored laine in less games in Liiga so I’m not surprised he’s beating him,

I will agree there is less hype around him then there was laine and for what reason I’m not sure I understand haha

 

[Conspiracy Theorist]

Matthews was in WJC at 18.

 

[BB88]

ya, feels that way. With what we know now about Laine, I think Kakko could definitely be a better player, but there was lots of "future multiple Richard trophy" buzz about Laine when he was that age

It's easier with Laine to look back and see that the concerns haven't changed for better.

Kakko beat Laine in both goal scoring/points on the regular season and is way more versatile player/threat, he just dominates like Laine didn't.
Laine "dominated" more with his shot where as Kakko with his game.

 

[Randy Randerson]

It's easier with Laine to look back and see that the concerns haven't changed for better.

Kakko beat Laine in both goal scoring/points on the regular season and is way more versatile player/threat, he just dominates like Laine didn't.
Laine "dominated" more with his shot where as Kakko with his game.

ya you can see the production and the more complete game, just feels like less hype to me. Without the benefit of hindsight I think we would expect Laine to go first in the same draft, but for sure there was projection involved with Laine's tools at that point

 

[bert]

ya you can see the production and the more complete game, just feels like less hype to me. Without the benefit of hindsight I think we would expect Laine to go first in the same draft, but for sure there was projection involved with Laine's tools at that point

Laine's tools are so delicious to ignore them would be ignorant. His raw skill, shot, vision reach is too sexy. But Kakko just looks like hockey player when you watch him. Big skilled, heavy, versitile, you just know his game translates to a very good player. Rantanen makes people like Kakko to an extent, because he is better at this age and similar in style.

 

[Polar Bear]

Matthews for me, I'm surprised that Kakko is being Laine, his buzz doesn't feel nearly what Laine's was. He'll probably be a lot more complete player but the hype seems smaller

Kakko is a more well rounded prospect than Laine entering the draft, not to mention Kakko beat him from a production standpoint IIRC. Honestly, Kakko is a 1st overall quality pick in several draft years.

 

[PeterForsberg]

Kakko will score 70+ next season calling it. Salty that the Avs didn't have a chance to scoop him.

 

[BB88]

ya you can see the production and the more complete game, just feels like less hype to me. Without the benefit of hindsight I think we would expect Laine to go first in the same draft, but for sure there was projection involved with Laine's tools at that point

Hype shouldn't mean much in this, and since Laine draft we've seen Finland actually be able to produce multiple high end players which on it's own will kill some of the hype.
At that time it was still only Barkov, and kids with potential.

Now it's Barkov, Rantanen, Laine, Aho, Heiskanen.......

Kakko just doesn't have a major weakness to his game and can dominate games in his own better.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

Matthews for me, I'm surprised that Kakko is being Laine, his buzz doesn't feel nearly what Laine's was. He'll probably be a lot more complete player but the hype seems smaller

Laine had a bad year (still a better year than most 20yo's and great during playoffs) so suddenly he was never a good prospect.

 

[teravaineSAROS]

ya, feels that way. With what we know now about Laine, I think Kakko could definitely be a better player, but there was lots of "future multiple Richard trophy" buzz about Laine when he was that age

So you're admitting you're falling for recency bias.

 

[ijuka]

Laine had a bad year (still a better year than most 20yo's and great during playoffs) so suddenly he was never a good prospect.

Laine had some significant issues, but he(in 2016) probably is underrated as a prospect right now. His concussion probably derailed him somewhat. He was looking truly fantastic during the games before the concussion.

I still think Kakko's superior as a prospect, though. Far superior production on a dysfunctional team, especially towards the end of the season. Also superior playoffs, as short as they were for TPS. And his weaknesses aren't as glaring, while he has attributes more traditionally sought after in NHL.

 

[Albatros]

Laine. Just hasn't developed much since.

 

[Randy Randerson]

So you're admitting you're falling for recency bias.

that poster was saying that Kakko is beating Laine so heavily because of recency bias, I agreed

I chose Matthews

 

[Lays]

Kakko will score 70+ next season calling it. Salty that the Avs didn't have a chance to scoop him.

On the Rangers I wouldn’t be so sure of that. Our only offense is Zibanejad. I’d say around 50 points

 

[teravaineSAROS]

that poster was saying that Kakko is beating Laine so heavily because of recency bias, I agreed

I chose Matthews

Ah my bad

 

[LeafsNation75]

Hype shouldn't mean much in this, and since Laine draft we've seen Finland actually be able to produce multiple high end players which on it's own will kill some of the hype.
At that time it was still only Barkov, and kids with potential.

Now it's Barkov, Rantanen, Laine, Aho, Heiskanen.......

Kakko just doesn't have a major weakness to his game and can dominate games in his own better.

Assuming that both Hughes and Kakko live up to their hype and are both in contention for the Calder, I wonder if that will become version 2.0 like we saw with Matthews or Laine during their rookie seasons. One similarity is one is American and the other one if from Finland. The only difference is unlike the Leafs and Jets fans, we know the Rangers and Devils fans have a rivalry with each other.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Kakko

 

[VoluntaryDom]

definitely either AM or KK

 

[ijuka]

Think I'll need to have Kakko #1 and Matthews #2 actually. Matthews never showed what Kakko has at worlds.