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Rangers Re-Sign Kaapo Kakko to 2-Year/$4.2M Extension; $2.1M AAV


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1 hour ago, Pete said:

I don't agree at all. At worst he'll be a cost controlled 3rd liner for year 2, and possibly beyond. There's really no reason to move on from him other than fan frustration. He's not really taking anyone's spot in the bottom 6. Better to keep him than Blais, TBH.

 

I can lay out several reasons why he would be moved. I already mentioned two. One being he might buy the team a better piece for a Cup run, and the other being I'm not sure he's the type of 3rd liner that complements the top half of this team well enough to help get them a Cup. He is most welcome to prove me wrong and show up next season with a chip on his shoulder.

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1 hour ago, rmc51 said:

The improvement from year 1 to year 2 was more or less learning the game on NA ice and effort-related. He became harder on the puck carrier along the boards and vastly improved his defensive positioning. That stuff is positive, but nothing that screams high end talent or potential. Year 2 to year 3 was pretty lateral. Riveting stuff.

 

I disagree that year 2 to year 3 was lateral.  He got off to a slow start, scoreless in the first 10, but over the next 27 games he was pacing 15 goals and 43 points per 82 before he got hurt.  That's a decent jump from the 29 point pace the first 2 years. 

 

We know Gallant favors experience.  Kakko spent 71% of his 5v5 time in the top 6 last year.  Unless Krav absolutely lights it up in preseason I fully expect Kakko to be in the top 6 and 20 goals 55+ points is not out of the question. 

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26 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

 

I disagree that year 2 to year 3 was lateral.  He got off to a slow start, scoreless in the first 10, but over the next 27 games he was pacing 15 goals and 43 points per 82 before he got hurt.  That's a decent jump from the 29 point pace the first 2 years. 

 

We know Gallant favors experience.  Kakko spent 71% of his 5v5 time in the top 6 last year.  Unless Krav absolutely lights it up in preseason I fully expect Kakko to be in the top 6 and 20 goals 55+ points is not out of the question. 

 

The problem is we can cherry-pick stretches out of sample sizes in both directions. If you take the 7 game, 8 point heater stretch out from 11/14 to 12/01, he had 2 goals and 4 assists in 30 games pre-injury for a 5 goal 16 point per 82 pace. He broke out in the postseason with 2 goals and 3 assists in 19 games for an 8 goal 21 point per 82 game pace. Ultimately he didn’t look that much different or improved to me last year.


Hey, it’s not impossible. I hope you’re right.

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21 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

The problem is we can cherry-pick stretches out of sample sizes in both directions. If you take the 7 game, 8 point heater stretch out from 11/14 to 12/01, he had 2 goals and 4 assists in 30 games pre-injury for a 5 goal 16 point per 82 pace. He broke out in the postseason with 2 goals and 3 assists in 19 games for an 8 goal 21 point per 82 game pace. Ultimately he didn’t look that much different or improved to me last year.


Hey, it’s not impossible. I hope you’re right.

 

Hard to call 27 games, over a quarter of the season, cherry picking.  Taking out the hot streak is cherry picking.  If you're gonna take out the hot streak, then take out the 7 game drought that followed it.  After that drought he had 6 points in the next 11.  40+ point pace again.  Consistency comes with experience. 

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1 hour ago, Long live the King said:

 

Hard to call 27 games, over a quarter of the season, cherry picking.  Taking out the hot streak is cherry picking.  If you're gonna take out the hot streak, then take out the 7 game drought that followed it.  After that drought he had 6 points in the next 11.  40+ point pace again.  Consistency comes with experience. 

 

I mean, it really isn't, though. Maybe "cherry-picking" is too strong a term, but it's absolutely a small sample size, regardles of the reason why.

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1 hour ago, Phil said:

 

I mean, it really isn't, though. Maybe "cherry-picking" is too strong a term, but it's absolutely a small sample size, regardles of the reason why.

 

The reason absolutely matters.  He didn't produce at a 40+ point pace for 27 games and then go on an extended slump and finish with under 30 points in 70+ games.  Pointing to that 27 game stretch would be cherry picking.  He got hurt and missed over 2 months and had 4 points in 6 (really 5) games upon coming back.

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3 hours ago, Long live the King said:

 

Hard to call 27 games, over a quarter of the season, cherry picking.  Taking out the hot streak is cherry picking.  If you're gonna take out the hot streak, then take out the 7 game drought that followed it.  After that drought he had 6 points in the next 11.  40+ point pace again.  Consistency comes with experience. 


You axed out 10 games. I axed out 7. Both are instances of cherry-picking because you are taking out his worst performing stretch and I am taking out his best performing stretch. It doesn’t work like that.

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One possible reason for optimism is that Kakko has shown a desire and willingness to grind in the corners, cycle pucks, etc.  Power forwards need to physically grow into their body.  Kreider has got 20 pounds on Kakko.

 

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/kreidch01.html

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/kakkoka01.html

 

With Kakko it still may be what you see is what you're going to get.  But if he were to hit the weight room, add some weight, get more of an adult body, etc. he might be more effective given his playing style.

Edited by fletch
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On 7/29/2022 at 4:44 PM, fletch said:

One possible reason for optimism is that Kakko has shown a desire and willingness to grind in the corners, cycle pucks, etc.  Power forwards need to physically grow into their body.  Kreider has got 20 pounds on Kakko.

 

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/kreidch01.html

https://www.hockey-reference.com/players/k/kakkoka01.html

 

With Kakko it still may be what you see is what you're going to get.  But if he were to hit the weight room, add some weight, get more of an adult body, etc. he might be more effective given his playing style.

He’s already gained weight.

Hes close to 210 now. 
 

It’s not just about growing into the body, filling out the frame, etc.

Its also very much about the strength coming. That takes a few years. I think it’s happening though. 
 

We will see. 

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On 7/29/2022 at 2:27 PM, Long live the King said:

Gonna be this one.  Early and often.

 

Celebrate Ice Hockey GIF by NHL

 

For all the underperformance thus far, its not like he's a guy whose doggin it. You can tell he wants to be great. That's a guy you stick it out with for another two years.

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36 minutes ago, Jdog99 said:

 

For all the underperformance thus far, its not like he's a guy whose doggin it. You can tell he wants to be great. That's a guy you stick it out with for another two years.

 

Sure, because he's cheap enough to stomach it. But the end of the rope is in sight.

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1 hour ago, Jdog99 said:

 

For all the underperformance thus far, its not like he's a guy whose doggin it. You can tell he wants to be great. That's a guy you stick it out with for another two years.

 

Sounds like the words spoken by a wife or girlfriend who's trying to be nice when she sums up her man's performance in the sack.  You can tell she's already more focused on plan B as the timer winds down.

Edited by jsrangers
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8 minutes ago, jsrangers said:

 

Sounds like the words spoken by a wife or girlfriend who's trying to be nice when she sums up he man's performance in the sack.  You can tell she's already more focused on plan B as the timer winds down.


Sounds like she didn’t need Plan B if you know what I mean

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  • 2 months later...
7 minutes ago, jsm7302 said:

https://theathletic.com/3690768/2022/10/19/nhl-redraft-2019/?amp=1

 

Tough look. Of all the years to have a #2 OA. Maybe this will be his year.

Can't really argue too much with that list. Could potentially have him a few spots higher, but who cares.

 

I still believe in him, but it's do or die time. He needs to ATLEAST get close to 20g, 50p this season. Hopefully he continues to play on the 1st line with Mika and Kreids, then that shouldn't be a problem.

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39 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

The years the Rangers picked in the top two was just very mistimed. lol I'm happy with Laf and I still think Kakko will be very good, but you know what I mean. lol

It happens, but you can't blame the Rangers as anybody who picked in their position would have made the same picks.

 

You really have to wonder what they were thinking with Andersson and VK.

 

I hope they learn not to draft Russians that early anymore, unless it's a can't miss Kaprizov type. They're not coming over for 4 or 5 years, if they're even coming at all, and then when they get here, there's usually an adjustment period that no one wants to acknowledge.  

Edited by Pete
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15 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

The years the Rangers picked in the top two was just very mistimed. lol I'm happy with Laf and I still think Kakko will be very good, but you know what I mean. lol

Sometimes that’s the case.

And both those guys are going to be very good players with long NHL careers.

 

It could have been the 99 Draft for perspective. 

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