The New York Rangers have many surprising players this year, one of which is the 19-year old rookie winger and second overall pick Kaapo Kakko.
Through 63 games, Kakko has registered eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points with the Rangers after registering 38 points in only 45 games with TPS in the Finnish Elite League last season. His plus/minus rating is an awful minus 26 and the majority of his points have come on the power play.
Although Kakko’s rookie season may not be up to standards when it comes to his statistics, he has had to overcome several obstacles that has affected his game.
First, and foremost, Kakko made the switch from European hockey to North American hockey, which varies in several aspects.
The rinks in Europe are much larger and make for a more wide-open hockey game. For a player that never played a game on much smaller ice, it would make a difference.
The game in the NHL is fast, faster than any other league in the world.
The NHL is filled with the best hockey players in the world. Kakko is facing top-notch talent every night, much tougher than what he was facing in Finland as a teenager. Even teams like the Red Wings and Senators are still filled with many talented players, which was definitely not the case in Finland.
A comparison
Kappo has a high ceiling, even though he has yet to fully make an impact on the Rangers. One player to compare with Kakko is Oilers’ forward Leon Draisaitl. In his rookie season, Draisaitl registered nine points in 37 games, which is right around the pace of Kakko.
Draisaitl was 19 years old and scored only two goals and added seven assists. His plus/minus rating was minus 17. This was right after he was drafted third overall in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.
In a much-improved sophomore season, Draisaitl managed to record 51 points with 19 goals. That was also Connor McDavid’s first season in the Oilers’ lineup, but the rookie missed half the season with an injury. Draisaitl’s game eventually grew to the point where McDavid could be out long-term, and he would find a way to score goals.
It wasn’t until his fifth year in the NHL that Draisaitl topped the 100 point mark and this season he has been simply spectacular with 43 goals and 110 points already in just 68 games.
One important not in Kakko’s favor. Though from Germany, Leon Draisaitl played his junior hockey in Canada in the Western Hockey League so he didn’t have to get familiar with the smaller ice surface.
Kaapo Kakko may be able to find himself in a similar situation as Draisaitl. Although he may not be able to duplicate Draisaitl’s point totals, he can surely find himself in a much bigger role on the Rangers.
He is getting better and learning to shoot more. Just look at his work on Mika Zibanejad’s fourth goal against Washington. He led the breakout into the Capitals’ zone and took the big slapshot.
Don’t forget, he turned 19 barely a month ago. He has many years of hockey to play, and will only get better with time.