The Devils as expected went with Jack Hughes at #1, leaving the Rangers Kappo Kakko. New York fans, almost to a man, have been on the Kakko bandwagon ever since the Rangers moved from 6 to 2 in the draft lottery to the point where many wanted him over Hughes. Kakko deepens the New York system, especially on the wing, and could – and the hope likely he is he will be able to - break camp with New York this season.
Scouting reports from Future Considerations, Recruites and McKeens:
Future Considerations:
Kakko closed the gap between No. 1 and No. 2 considerably over the past 12 months, so much so that him getting selected ahead of Hughes remains a very real, tangible possibility. The powerful forward was a force to be reckoned with all season long in Finland’s top professional league, and he carried that play internationally as well, suiting up for his home country at both the World Juniors and the World Championships.
A deceptive presence who’s really slippery for a player of his build, Kakko doesn’t have any major flaws to his game. His speed is an underrated feature, considering it’s his hands and overall goal-scoring abilities that most scouts rave about. A very noticeable player every time he hits the ice, he skates very well and shows flashes of up-tempo speed. His top speed has improved a lot and his mobility is great for guy his size. He does a good job of shifting his body to change attack angles and although he sometimes shows some naive tendencies to overhandle the puck, he has the ability to put an accurate touch on his passes. Displaying spectacular puck skills, he’s strong in the corners and has shown that he’s a beast physically. His ability to do lots of small things right with the puck is a tremendous asset. He can
take hits and keep his balance, which is why he wins a lot of puck battles. He likes to use his size to his advantage and he’s tremendous when protecting the puck. He needs to improve his overall consistency to be a difference maker shift to shift and fill out a bit to play a heavier game. There hasn’t been a stage that has been too big for him this season, flourishing at essentially every event. Having put in a lot of work in on his game over the past year, he’s more than ready to take his game to the next level.
Recruites:
The Rangers are starting Year 3 of their rebuild, and will once again be making two selections in the first round. Three of their four top 30 selections in the past two drafts were forwards, and the rebuilding of their forward corps will continue with their first-ever top-two pick as Kakko will be impossible to pass on. Kakko and last year’s top-ten selection Vitali Kravtsov are decent bets to develop into first-line wingers, and Kakko has the upside to quickly become New York’s premiere forward. He will play next season and contribute.
A big Finnish winger who is eligible for the draft has a great liiga playoff, gets invited to the world championships and is a sensation, closing the once-wide gap between himself and a highly-touted American center for the top overall pick. Sound familiar? Three years ago scouts went through the same scenario regarding Patrik Laine and Auston Matthews. For the most part, though, that’s where the comparisons end. “Kakko is more of a boards guy than Laine,” noted one scout. “He’s more likely to be cycling the puck down low and looking to set up teammates or beat a defenceman and goalie with a power move. Laine is more about finding the scoring lanes and waiting to unleash his deadly one-timer.” Any minor concerns some scouts had with Kakko’s speed were alleviated by the end of the season. “I had some concerns about his skating early on but he's been building all year. It's not going to be an issue.” No issue indeed after seeing him create several breakaway opportunities with his speed.
“He is legit,” said one scout who thinks New Jersey now has a tough decision on who to choose first overall. “He’s going to bring you more of a power game than Hughes, but there’s no lack of skill or creativity here either. It’s tough to get the puck from him, and he knows what to do with it whether it’s passing or shooting. He’s no one-trick pony.” More like a horse...a Finnhorse if you will. “He’s the most NHL-ready player by a fair margin,” noted one scout. “He will play next season and contribute right away. I wish we could draft him.”
McKeen’s Hockey:
Kakko (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) earned the next highest OFP score at 64.00 (Jack Hughes was at 64.50). The Turku, Finland native will go to the New York Rangers with the second pick, their highest draft position since taking Brad Park in 1966 before expansion (1967-68). Kakko led Finland with six goals while winning gold at the 2019 World Championships at just 18 years, 102 days old to become the youngest player in IIHF history to win gold at the Under-18, Under-20, and WM (World Men) levels, supplanting Connor McDavid of Canada (19 years, 130 days) from the record books.
Skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ, physicality – these are the attributes measured for skaters using the 20/80 grading system to arrive at an Overall Future Projection (OFP) score.
This is the easiest decision in the draft for any team. If Hughes is a lock for one, Kakko is an absolute lock at two. One of the best draft eligible seasons in Finland ever, Kakko is an elite finisher with size and skill. The Finns are consistently producing top end talent these days and Kakko is the next ‘one’.
The strength of Kaapo Kakko’s draft season is not that he ends ranked second on this list (as well as many others), but that he made many evaluators consider the possibility that he should be ranked first ahead of Jack Hughes. Of course, we must make obligatory mention of his spectacular production at such a young age in a high-end league such as Liiga. Not only was his 38 points for TPS exactly double that of the next best U18 player this year, but in the history of Liiga, only Aleksander Barkov (48 points in 53 games in 2012-13) and Mikael Granlund (40 points in 43 games in 2009-10) produced more at a similar age. Furthermore, his 22 goals scored were a record for U18 players in Liiga.
He is so advanced for his age, that he skipped participation in the WU18 tournament to play in the Men’s World Championships instead. His six goals in nine games at that stage outshone his solid showing at the WJC, where he had five points for the Gold Medal winning Finns. In any case, he was one of Finland’s three best players at the 2018 WU18 tourney, where he was tied for the scoring lead in another Gold Medal winning performance.
So, what kind of player is he, that he is so dominant? Well, there isn’t anything he does that isn’t at least at (or projects to) an above average level at the NHL. His weakest attribute, his physicality, is still pretty good, and it is the least important facet in his game, as well as the modern sport as a whole. Even there, he is quite good, regularly winning puck battles in the corners against far more experienced opponents. Everything else that he does suggests that he can be a superstar in the NHL in short order.
Kakko is a very strong skater, including his raw speed, footwork, and agility. His ability to change directions at speed is especially impressive as he gains tremendous power from his crossovers. As quick as his feet are, his hands are at least their equals. He excels at taking the puck out of his own zone and creating entries into the offensive end. His hands really shine when he finds himself in traffic and then, before you know it, he has maneuvered his way into a shooting lane or passing lane.
Those hands are also rather strong. He digs in the corners like a fourth line grinder and protects the puck like a man 35 pounds heavier. And good luck trying to move him from the front of the net. He needs the bare minimum of room to make things happen with the puck and his stick is a lethal weapon whether he has the puck or not. When he doesn’t have it, he understands how to use the blade for maximum advantage by pressuring opponents, taking away their time and space and eliminating passing and shooting lanes.
As his draft year has progressed, he has begun to be more assertive about shooting the puck and the results have followed accordingly. On the other hand, he typically uses a very short stick, which may impact the quality of his shots. That might be something to watch for when he plays in the NHL next year. Speaking of playing in the NHL, there is no doubt that he is ready for the Big Time. Mostly a winger in Finland, he has spent some time playing up the middle, and there is some thought that he can be shifted to center on a more regular basis down the road.
Finally, if we were sure he could have the same type of impact up the middle that he already does on the wing, the question of who should be first overall would be more pressing. For now, we take the natural center, but they are incredibly close.
Hughes vs Kakko
Moving forward:
With Kakko now in the fold, the Rangers have hopefully added a first line sniper on the wing. With Vitali Kravtsov also pushing for a spot this year, New York potentially has two new dynamic players on the outside. Their addition could result in New York deciding not to sign Chris Kreider to a long-term extension and move him now or before the trade deadline, though you know my view here. In here, the rumors that Pavel Buchnevich might be on the block could prove to accurate, seeing him get dealt elsewhere.
Following the addition of Kakko, New York still has to fill their 2c role. Kevin Hayes would have been that player and he could have been signed long-term last season for much less than he got in Philly, but the two sides couldn’t agree to a contract, resulting in him playing on a one year deal and heading to Winnipeg at the deadline. Ryan Strome, the current holder of that spot, could be moved to free up cap room, or if he remains, may be moved back to wing, where he is less effective. But with one year left on his deal, New York can live with that situation. Filip Chytil could shift back to center and see if he can fill that second lie pivot role, though the possibility exists that he remains at wing. Matt Duchene is an outside option, but seeing the $ and years he may want, I don’t see the Blueshirts pursing that avenue, but the possibility does exist. The third line role is earmarked for Brett Howden or Lias Andersson, though one of the two could be moved in a deal, or the other play on the fourth line. I would stick with Boo Nieves there, though that is not set in stone.
With New York adding Kakko, the Rangers may still be all in on Artemi Panarin, though Florida is a major suitor and could offer more money since the Blueshirts need to sign Jacob Trouba and free up cap room (see below). In addition, as noted above, New York may view center as a more pressing option, though some believe Kakko could succeed playing in the middle. For now, though, he will play wing, leaving New York decisions on where to go in terms if lineup construction both in terms of the current roster and in free agency.
This was my view of the salary cap in the comments after the Trouba trade (updated slightly):
Cap Friendly:
PROJECTED CAP HIT : $63,963,609
PROJECTED LTIR USED : $0
PROJECTED CAP SPACE : $19,036,391
CURRENT CAP SPACE : $19,036,391
TODAYS CAP HIT : $63,963,609
To be signed: Trouba, Buchnevich, Brendan Lemieux, Fredrik Claesson and Tony DeAngelo. If bridge Buch, Lemieux and ADA, estimate around $5.5 plus or more (maybe even closer to $7 mil). Trouba will be in the $6-7 mil range if only one season and no LT extension is signed and likely $7-8.5 range on a long-term deal. That's conservatively 11.5 million and probably more, potentially up to $14 million, not including Kravtsov and Hughes, leaving anywhere from $2.5-5 mil, depending on your view.
Figure Beleskey gets buried in the minors, saving about a million. Jimmy Vesey (2.275 mil), Vlad Namestnikov (4 mil) and Strome (3.1 mil) are all at risk. Kevin Shattenkirk (6.65 mil), Marc Staal (5.7 mil) Brendan Smith (4.35 mil) are buyout candidates, though Staal may be kept to be a veteran presence opposite one of the young blueliners (Adam Fox or Libor Hajek) while Shattenkirk’s savings next year is minimal and his advanced metrics are better than what the eye test has shown, leaving Smith as the likely candidate if one has to go. NY would need to clear about 5-6 mil to be safe in order to afford Panarin or others.
The Rangers, as of right now, also pick 49, 58, 68, 112, 130, 161, and 205 tonight.
The addition of Kakko broadly bolsters the prospect base. His talent is undeniable and personality may end up a perfect fit for the Rangers. The Lights on Broadway just got a bit brighter thanks to his addition.
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