RW Kaapo Kakko - TPS, Liiga (2019 Draft) Part 5

[Team Cozens]

The New Jersey Devils are proud to select.....

 

[QnebO]

Never really understood the bolded on why Hughes has a higher ceiling, either. Kakko's ceiling, absolute ceiling, is him making it as a center and becoming a 1C, after all. Kakko also would improve his skating significantly over the summers, like Rantanen or even better. He'd continue having his other attributes that he currently possesses. Because with ceiling we're being optimistic, aren't we?

Theres 5 guys on the ice anyway, and modern hockey is more and more "positionless" as we say in Finnish -. Its not like center is the guy who makes plays and two other guys just skate on rails, dump the puck and make hits to the endboards. After faceoff the players start changing spots. You gotta know how to play C and D anyway to be NHL winger.

 

[Loffer]

Reijo Ruotsalainen comes to mind as just about the only good Finnish Ranger.

Amazing how you manage to write in this style with all your posts, that's dedication.

Reijo Ruotsalainen comes to mind as just about the only good Finnish Ranger.

Amazing how you manage to write in this style with all your posts, that's dedication.

Thanks for the compliment. I just try to slot decent words in decent places in front of me... as if they were parts of a bigger puzzle which never stops puzzling me. And TBH, this "skill" has asked lots of personal sacrifices, some real talent, pretty much raw hard work, accidental choices, selectivity in reading & exercises in writing. One day all the invisible hard work and dedication will pay off in bigger, more tangible terms, I hope, and that day, I still hope, is approaching pretty fast now as I beat on and put decent words in their decent places before me one after another while the puzzle keeps puzzling me still.

So, I am a writer of world fiction and then some. The emphasis on the word world.

But thank you, in any case. Even if I didn't make it on the big stage. The jury is still out but the odds are, of course, on my side. Meaning my confidence is unwavering! Otherwise you cannot make it, not on any field of life. You must have the swag and vision, the dedication and skill, the resilience and - the eye for detail and the big picture unfolding.

 

[ijuka]

Theres 5 guys on the ice anyway, and modern hockey is more and more "positionless" as we say in Finnish -. Its not like center is the guy who makes plays and two other guys just skate on rails, dump the puck and make hits to the endboards. After faceoff the players start changing spots. You gotta know how to play C and D anyway to be NHL winger.

Well sure. But the other thing is, board play is super important in NHL. And this is ALWAYS emphasized, except this year for some reason when only the rush apparently matters. And I just can't see a player with an array of board play cheat codes like Kaapo Kakko not having an amazing ceiling in the NHL game. I've said this before, but for all the things that people talk about that NHL prospects should have, Kakko has essentially everything, most at a very high level.

 

[Binary Code]

Kakko will outproduce Hughes in the NHL.

 

[Hockeyisl1fe]

So surreal to me. Watching the kid play since juniors and grow as a player, now he's getting all this hype from the media and fans overseas... just unbeliavable.

 

[CLW]

So surreal to me. Watching the kid play since juniors and grow as a player, now he's getting all this hype from the media and fans overseas... just unbeliavable.

And people criticize Kakko for not being prepared for the media and overall attention...

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Oh if Eurolanche said it...

These guys are insiders and they have good knowledge of what's happening in Avalanche organization and they have a lot of connections in Europe. They don't put out foolish rumors for fun.

 

[Colorado Avalanche]

Kakko could score a hat-trick in every game left in the tournament, and still go as the second pick. He's a winger and not from North-America, just how it goes. Tho a bit scared of him going to either one of NJ or NY, neither one has a good track record with Finnish prospects (Though there haven't been many)

I don't believe you. If Kakko becomes player of the tournament and Hughes struggles. It will factor in. He could go first overall.

 

[PJM]

Well, as someone who lives in that world, I assure you that both Jack Hughes and Kappo Kakko are elite prospects worthy of our admiration and undeserving of baseless, fabricated insults

Perhaps also undeserving of having their names misspelled? Especially when the right spelling is right there in the title of the thread.

 

[ijuka]

What an absolute joke this comment is. In terms of success (Winning) The New York Rangers are one of the worst organizations in all of sports.

Amazing the disrespect the devils get in these Kakko threads/HF Boards In general. It really shows the age of some posters.

Anyhow, I for one was one of the fans who didn’t think it was close. I said it’s not close because of position. The devils need a center to pair with Hischier. I never suggested the talent level between the two was enormous.

The devils will still take Hughes, doesn’t mean Kakko can’t become the better play.

What does it have to do with age?

I'd like Kakko for Rangers because 1. he'd be the clearly biggest star on the team and 2. because it's a huge market with a lot of exposure. Finland's needed a new "face of a franchise" as Barkov's getting wasted with Panthers who no one cares about. And yeah, I think that NYC is cooler than Newark, can hardly blame me.

 

[fr9dd9]

Sooo, I guess Kakko is the youngest ever to score Hattrick in WC? I just assume it, dont really know for sure thoe.

 

[The don godfather]

Kakko will outproduce Hughes in the NHL.

I'm willing to take that bet blindfolded.

 

[Synergy27]

Kakko thread already onto Part 5. Hughes thread still struggling in mid Part 4. Kakko > Hughes.

 

[crowi]

Stop talking about hughes in the Kakko thread. It's POINTLESS.... haHAA.

I truly hope Kakko goes to NYR.

 

[Uncle Scrooge]

I don't believe you. If Kakko becomes player of the tournament and Hughes struggles. It will factor in. He could go first overall.

Maybe in extreme situation like that but also have to remember Ray Shero used to work for the organization that have 3 cups with the same 2 drafted centermen.

Being set down the middle as well as Hughes fitting in with the fast style they want to play seems like a combination he wouldn't pass on.

But never know. I think we're far away from Kakko being named player of the tournament. There's some pretty good ones like the Art Ross winner playing.

 

[Cardinal Smith]

I don't believe you. If Kakko becomes player of the tournament and Hughes struggles. It will factor in. He could go first overall.

Can Hughes really struggle so much that the past three or four years of hype around him would dissappear?

 

[ZestyMest]

Can Hughes really struggle so much that the past three or four years of hype around him would dissappear?

It would be more so Kakko catching up and passing than Hughes's struggles, although that isn't happening. This is like the Matthews/Laine thing except its as if the Leafs were picking 2nd rather than 1st.

 

[ijuka]

Can Hughes really struggle so much that the past three or four years of hype around him would dissappear?

Why do the past 3 or 4 years factor in? If he gets caught by someone else after being so far ahead, that shows a lower trajectory, which is a negative for future projection.

This way of thinking is so backwards it's ridiculous. Judge him by his recent play. Toni Rajala didn't go #1 either.

It would be more so Kakko catching up and passing than Hughes's struggles, although that isn't happening. This is like the Matthews/Laine thing except its as if the Leafs were picking 2nd rather than 1st.

And it's not so much "catching up and passing" as it's these NA scouts having to re-evaluate how they value Liiga performance, I'd say. If we had a clean slate and we had no "catching up" or "passing" necessary and just judged the player on their current merits(which is how it is in reality), I wonder if Hughes would even be ahead.

Mysterious.

 

[Cardinal Smith]

It would be more so Kakko catching up and passing than Hughes's struggles, although that isn't happening. This is like the Matthews/Laine thing except its as if the Leafs were picking 2nd rather than 1st.

Was thinking bout using Matthews/Laine here, but for all of our mental healths sakes decided not to

 

[Edmonton East]

The New Jersey Devils are proud to select.....

Would be hysterical if it's Kakko considering they still won't unlock my Kakko prospect thread on that board.

Prospect Info: - Kaapo Kakko

 

[Cardinal Smith]

Why do the past 3 or 4 years factor in? If he gets caught by someone else after being so far ahead, that shows a lower trajectory, which is a negative for future projection.

This way of thinking is so backwards it's ridiculous. Judge him by his recent play.

Hughes has been built up as The diamond of US hockey program for the last three or four years. It matters because the image of him being the next number one pick, and future superstar is imprinted on peoples minds. And because of this it is hard, if not impossible for Kakko to overtake him, no matter how well he plays in this tournament.

 

[aufheben]

It's so excited to see this year draft, because this year we have number one draft choice who are not maybe BPA. I mean that Hughes have higher ceiling, long time 1OA in public, high marketing value as an American kid and even relations with Shero and because those things he is going to be selected first. But do I sound out of this world if I say that right now Kakko is better player? Whole year in pro league and every single game I watch he is better than last time. So is Kakko BPA right now? It is quite interesting.

Anyways Devils need Hughes. They will get great player but also more importantly more attention to that team. Rangers doesn't need more attention, they have it already, so not so sexy named Finnish guy who doesn't speak English is fine to them.

All in all both are going to win. Both will get right guys to their situations.

This. If the Rangers were drafting #1, I think it’d be a little less certain.

What an absolute joke this comment is. In terms of success (Winning) The New York Rangers are one of the worst organizations in all of sports.

Amazing the disrespect the devils get in these Kakko threads/HF Boards In general. It really shows the age of some posters.

Anyhow, I for one was one of the fans who didn’t think it was close. I said it’s not close because of position. The devils need a center to pair with Hischier. I never suggested the talent level between the two was enormous.

The devils will still take Hughes, doesn’t mean Kakko can’t become the better play.

Poster said the Rangers are a better organization, not that the Rangers have won more Cups in X years.

 

[Kupo]

As a Rangers fan, I still don’t give a rats ass who we select between Hughes/Kakko.

I’m just delighted that we’re in position to select one of these terrific prospects.

It hasn’t really set in yet. Few weeks ago I would have literally murder-death-killed someone for Byram or Turcotte.

The only thing I really hope for now is that bitch queen Cersei’s death, is a slow, painful one.

 

[kthx]

Would be hysterical if it's Kakko considering they still won't unlock my Kakko prospect thread on that board.

Prospect Info: - Kaapo Kakko

Haha. Need to score 10 goals in 3 games I guess.