RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft) Part 2
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Hokinaittii
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- Aug 15, 2015
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He has a lot of similarities with Matthews on how they play the game. Both have short sticks, great hands, excel in tight space and a good wrister. Obviously Matthews does many of those things better than Kakko but they still share the stylistic comparison imo.
Solid game by Kakko, he wasn't the best player on the ice but he still had a big role in two of the Finland's goals and he himself had couple of good opportunities to score (one rebound chance early in the game and after a give and go play in the 2nd).
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BB88
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- Jan 19, 2015
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This. The way he shields the puck is similar to Matthews.
You realize they can have similarities without being equal?
newfy
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He was definitely noticeable against Canada which is good for a draft eligible. Hes strong out there. I definitely see the style comparisons to Matthews and could see Kakko being a center at the next level
You haven’t seen any games by Kakko have you. Clueless...
He is like a copy of Matthews with the edge work, strong in the corners, great hands and ability to remain calm and calculated in tight. He plays exactly like Auston.
He might play a similar style of game but he is nit Austin Matthews. Period. Go through the criteria;
Speed
Shooting
IQ
Defensive play
Play making
Leadership
Matthews is better than Kakko at every category now and was so at the same age.. so again, no he isn’t Austin Matthews and it isn’t even close
Nobody, literally nobody said that he is or was, but it his skillset is pretty similar level as was Matthews’ at the same age. Don’t say anything when you haven’t seen him actually play.
Kevin Musto
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- Feb 16, 2018
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Kakko has been able to transition from a winger to a Center at an elite level. I'd say his IQ is pretty freaking high.
Read his previous posts... he literally said Kakko is just like Matthews as a complete player.. I understand a comp but again, that’s not what he said.
his IQ isn’t at a Matthews level heck, I’d say he’s even a notch below Eichel’s level... keep in mind those two players were a few notches above Kakko at a similar age.. it’s one thing to say Kakko is stylistically similar to Matthews but to be adamant that he’s just as good isn’t the case!
You have not seen him even play hockey, just stop saying things that you have no knowledge about. And don't even try to claim you have seen him play lol.
It's still hard to compare because at the same age as Kakko , Matthews was still playing juniors/NCAA type schedule . I'd agree at Matthews being ahead at the same age still as he is a generational type of talent for USA hockey. However, I think you would have to give Kakko next season to more fairly compare the two as prospects playing pro. Except, there is a very good chance Kakko will be in the NHL next year at 18yo.
Don’t get me wrong, my Kings have Kupari and I’d be more than happy with Kakko. I think both those kids are 65-75pt players in the NHL but again Matthews is near a generational type talent!
No doubt that Matthews is a great player. But I do not see him being a diffrence maker in the playoffs. He is the type of player that dissapears when it is really time to play. My opnion only
Hokinaittii
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They are similar in speed/skating. What they lack in top speed they make up with their edge work and first few steps. You can't pick a winner here unless you are trying to compare 17 year old to 21 year old.
Shooting is heavily in Matthews's favor, no question there. Kakko really needs to start shooting more, and I'm sure he will in the future, but I still don't see him having that Matthews level of release that makes his shot so deadly.
When it comes to IQ, I'm willing to give the slight edge to Matthews, mostly due to him knowing when to shoot and not pass the puck and he places himself better in the defensive zone. That being said, Kakko still has a high IQ but at the moment he is mostly able to show it in the offensive zone.
Playmaking is the area where I would argue Kakko is just as good playmaker as Matthews. Just look at this passing, the passes are hard and accurate and he always seems to look for setting up others instead of him trying to be the trigger man.
Leadership? I don't think neither one is known for that aspect in their game. Well, I guess you can argue both players lead by the example on the ice but that's about it.
Yeah, Matthews is still better player but to me it's just too short-sighted to say Matthews does everything better than Kakko.
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supermann_98
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Elias Petersson is also a playoff choker, my opinion only of course. It’s just too bad his team won’t make the playoffs for the next 5 years to prove my opinion to be true
Matthews is still only just 21, cannot label him at this point, he's been getting his first tastes of playoff hockey and hasn't even hit his prime yet.
Yeah no, Kupari has nowhere near Kakko level potential.
kelsier
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- Aug 17, 2013
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Where do you come up with this stuff? Kupari isn't anywhere close to the caliper of prospect Kakko is. Not by a country mile. Predicting some kind of ~equal point totals in a distant future just seems off and there's no bother even going into specifics.
Sorry, but Kakko is a tier ot two higher as a prospect than your Kupari is. Most likely two tiers. It’s really a HUGE difference between those two prospects and their talent level. So far Kakko does seem like a close to Matthews level of a talent honestly. I’m not claiming that he is better, but definitely not really as far away at least as you seem to think. Matthews is really great, but absolutely not a generational talent.
But there’s not a generational talent in hockey anyway at the moment. Not even McDavid is that, as a generational talent would need to be a talent that is very clearly head and shoulders above as a player and a talent of his own full generation of players. Matthews absolutely isn’t this kind of a player and neither is McDavid for that matter.
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