The New York Rangers were lucky enough to score the second overall pick in this year’s NHL Entry Draft and that means they have a shot at one of two potential elite NHL players.
The New York Rangers had another season of missing the playoffs in their first full rebuilding season. It was a tough season for Rangers fans who went in with little expectation for their team. The excitement coming into this season was to watch the young players grow and develop as the season moved on. The Rangers and their fans patience through the season has paid off has they were one of the three teams to win a top lottery spot in this year’s NHL Entry Draft.
The Rangers will have the luxury of picking second overall in the NHL entry draft in June. The New Jersey Devils with the first pick will have the choice of selecting either Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko. For months, Hughes was the consensus first overall pick, but Kakko’s stock has been steadily rising making this a tough choice. It’s easy for the Rangers as they will just pick the player the Devils don’t select.
Jack Hughes
The American born Jack Hughes racked up 23 goals, 63 assists, 86 points in 42 games played for the U.S. National U18 team. He also tallied 12 goals, 36 assists, 48 points in 24 games played for the USNTPD juniors. Jack Hughes is said to be the best skater in the draft by most scouts. He has a smooth skating stride and it isn’t unusual for him to skate through an entire team.
Scouts say Hughes does not have the most powerful wrist shot but he does have a great release. Hughes is an outstanding passer, so confident that he often looks at the opposing defender as he is making a pass. He is very quick to react to positional changes from his linemates and reads the plays really well. His ability to read plays is his biggest strength along with his skillful puck handling and his ability to go around defenders.
Scouts believe defense isn’t his strong suit as he played a very offensive-minded game. He also lacks physicality due to his 5’10” 160 lbs. frame. The expectation is, despite his small frame he will play in the NHL next season. With his tremendous upsides he has been touted as as one of the game’s next great centers and has been compared to Patrick Kane and Auston Matthews.
Kaapo Kakko
The Finnish born Kaapo Kakko put up 22 goals, 16 assists, and 38 points in 45 games while playing for TPS in Liiga, a mens league in Finland. According to experts, Kakko is a good skater he is fast and has long and powerful strides. Kakko has a very accurate wrist shot, he creates space for himself and he is able to pull off the best shot he can, even in traffic he can still pull off a hard and accurate shot. His snapshot and one-timer are very powerful and he is said to be the best goal scorer of the 2019 draft, getting most of his goals due to his great stick handling moves and skating abilities.
Scouts say Kakko is a very good passer due to his great vision and ability to find his linemates in rushes. He is a very skilled puck handler and can use a toe drag that is able to fool defenders. Kakko is said to have the best puck protection in the 2019 NHL draft due to his 6’2″ 194 lbs frame, he is also excellent on the forecheck where he usually wins his board battles. He has a good hockey IQ as he can outsmart the goalie and defensemen with his fake shot or pass.
Scouts believe, as with most young players, his weakness is his defensive game but he can still get the job done. He is more NHL ready than Hughes at this moment. His player comparisons are Aleksander Barkov and Andrei Svechnikov.
In Conclusion
Hughes or Kakko, whomever the Rangers draft they will be getting an elite player to fit into their lineup and be able to build around during their rebuild. It’s hard to tell who will go first, though it looks like Jack Hughes might be one step ahead. No matter what, don’t be surprised to see these two lead the battle of Hudson for years to come.