Prospect Info: The 2019 Entry NHL Draft Thread - Part II

[Duchene2MacKinnon]

I mean there obviously is that added risk when drafting a Russian. It's the organization job to do it's due diligence and get to know the player and see if he's worth the risk. Just avoiding him because he's Russian is idiotic just as dumb as pretending Russians aren't riskier high up in the draft. Just my 0.2 cents I'll go back to my hole I mean soccer forum now.

 

[BB88]

 

[BleedWell]

This day confirmed that Kakko is going to be 1OA.

 

[UncleRisto]

This day confirmed that Kakko is going to be 1OA.

Well that much is clear.

 

[henchman21]

And that other russian head case O'Riellyov

And Giordanov...

It isn't about avoiding them, it is understanding the risk not only in coming over, but in higher demands as well. We've even see statements about re-signings like Kuznetsov saying he had offers in the KHL that drove up the price. Does that stop you from selecting a Russian player? Absolutely not, but you need to go through the full due diligence of the situation.

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

If Kakko can show he can play as a C long-term, it would really push him to being the 1OA.

 

[Iceberg]

Wasn't there someone here saying Kakko had never or would never play center?

How reasonable is it to expect him to be a center in the NHL (an elite one) or if its something he wants for his career long term?

 

[SoundwaveIsCharisma]

Wasn't there someone here saying Kakko had never or would never play center?

How reasonable is it to expect him to be a center in the NHL (an elite one) or if its something he wants for his career long term?

I mean, the way he plays the game he could be effective either as a W or C. There may be a bit of an adjustment period.

 

[Iceberg]

I mean, the way he plays the game he could be effective either as a W or C. There may be a bit of an adjustment period.

I'm sure he could be good at both, but maybe more confortable as a winger. I'm more curious to know if this is something he wants for himself long term or if he has a preference to stay at RW.

 

[henchman21]

Wasn't there someone here saying Kakko had never or would never play center?

How reasonable is it to expect him to be a center in the NHL (an elite one) or if its something he wants for his career long term?

Don't buy into that hyperbole... people have said that is is rare for a draft eligible player in the top Finnish men's league to get significant time at center. Look at Kotka last year... drafted as a center, is a natural center, spent most of last season at wing. In the NHL he is getting the full learn center treatment. It has been known for a while that some like Kakko at center and some believe he can play there. Now Kakko has spent most of his time playing wing, especially of late. He has stated he is more comfortable at wing. That doesn't mean that NHL teams will not look at him as a potential center. We can even go back and look at Rants here. Rants played a lot of center developing in Finland (more than Kakko has actually), and the Avs gave him a look there too. I would expect the same thing to happen with Kakko. I'm in the boat that think Kakko has the ability to play center and it should be fully explored. A team drafting Kakko will draft him as a potential center that has a wing fallback, much like Dach.

 

[UncleRisto]

Not only is he playing with TPS like Rantanen, but as far as the center/wing thing goes, I think Rantanen is a very accurate comparison.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

There is not a single team that has gained less points than the Avs since the start of December, not even one.

Keep this up and we are getting 2 top 10 picks.

 

[BleedWell]

Wasn't there someone here saying Kakko had never or would never play center?

How reasonable is it to expect him to be a center in the NHL (an elite one) or if its something he wants for his career long term?

I don't think that there was anyone saying he hasn't been or that he will never been a center. All the "bob mckenzies" in Finland have been saying since the last season that he should be playing as a center because he has all the tools for it.
There were lot of talk that Kakko will not play as a center this year because TPS has the best center 1-2 punch in the Liiga in Filppula and Palve and Kakko needs minutes in the first two lines. Well it turned out that Kakko has been so good and both TPS and Kakko knows that him playing as a center would increase his chanses going first overall a lot.
Kakko him self has said recentely that he likes to play as a winger or a center, doesn't matter but little bit prefers playing as winger because he gets to spend more time in the corners in offensive zone.

 

[UncleRisto]

All the "bob mckenzies" in Finland have been saying since the last season that he should be playing as a center because he has all the tools for it.

Oh? Who's been saying that?

And this time I should be clear, I'm not contesting this at all, just asking.

 

[Iceberg]

Thanks for the replies.

Kakko is my favorite prospect in this draft, but there is nothing i want more than to find an elite center to form that elusive 1-2 center punch with MacKinnon. So hopefully we get to draft Kakko and he becomes that guy.

And as an insurance, i wouldn't mind drafting Turcotte with our pick.

 

[BleedWell]

Thanks for the replies.

Kakko is my favorite prospect in this draft, but there is nothing i want more than to find an elite center to form that elusive 1-2 center punch with MacKinnon. So hopefully we get to draft Kakko and he becomes that guy.

And as an insurance, i wouldn't mind drafting Turcotte with our pick.

Same here. I believe Kakko can be that guy for us more than Hughes.

 

[BleedWell]

Oh? Who's been saying that?

And this time I should be clear, I'm not contesting this at all, just asking.

Where's that "I see what you did there meme"?
But yeah every TPS fan thought that. Obviously. Me included.

 

[UncleRisto]

Where's that "I see what you did there meme"?
But yeah every TPS fan thought that. Obviously. Me included.

Oh, okay.

 

[Vaslof]

Completely unrelated to this thread, the Kakko fanaticism by some Finns is filling me with secondhand embarrassment even though I'm a fan of both him and his team.

 

[BleedWell]

Completely unrelated to this thread, the Kakko fanaticism by some Finns is filling me with secondhand embarrassment even though I'm a fan of both him and his team.

Wow, that makes you a better man and also a better human being over all.

 

[UncleRisto]

Completely unrelated to this thread

Oh yeah?

 

[Vaslof]

Wow, that makes you a better man and also a better human being over all.

I know.

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

Completely unrelated to this thread, the Kakko fanaticism by some Finns is filling me with secondhand embarrassment even though I'm a fan of both him and his team.

Yeah. Its ridiculous. I feel exactly the same way and Kakko is my favorite prospect in this years draft but some of the nonsense from Finns makes it slightly harder to be a fan of his.

 

[henchman21]

Just wait until Lundell

 

[JLo217]

How many NHL ready guys are their in the first round? 2-3?