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Is Kaapo Kakko really a disappointment?

By Steve Paulus

Dec 15, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) scores a goal against Arizona Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood (31) during the third period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 15, 2021; Glendale, Arizona, USA; New York Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) scores a goal against Arizona Coyotes goalie Scott Wedgewood (31) during the third period at Gila River Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /
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ELMONT, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 24: Kaapo Kakko #24 of the New York Rangers skates against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena on November 24, 2021 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
ELMONT, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 24: Kaapo Kakko #24 of the New York Rangers skates against the New York Islanders at the UBS Arena on November 24, 2021 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Deployment

When the Rangers won the lottery in 2019, it resulted in one of the more unusual debut seasons in the NHL for a top pick. The Blueshirts had been slated to pick 6th overall so they moved up four  slots to get the second pick.

When Kakko came to training camp in September 2019, it was a vastly different team from the one that had finished in seventh place the prior season. The Rangers had added Artemi Panarin, Jacob Trouba, Adam Fox and Ryan Lindgren.  Not only that, but Ryan Strome, Pavel Buchnevich and Tony DeAngelo were ready to take the next step in their careers.

As a result, whereas most forwards picked in the top five are thrust into important roles on their teams and get a lot of power play time, that was not true for Kaapo Kako.

Between 2015-16 and 1019-20, 53 forwards played over 50 games in their rookie season.  34 of them averaged more ice time per game than Kaapo Kakko.  The numbers are even more dramatic when you look at the top two forwards taken in the draft like Kakko.   Of the ten forwards taken first or second, the only one who played fewer minutes than Kakko was Montreal’s Jesperi Kotkaniemi.  19 of the 53 rookies averaged more power play time per game than Kakko.

Deployment and scoring

In his first two seasons, Kaapo Kakko played 207:45 minutes on the power play in 114 games.  He scored four goals and 12 assists for a total of 16 points. He played 1,377 minutes 5v5 with 13 goals and 22 points.

That’s the fewest minutes on the power play compared to other top two forward draft picks.  Here are the numbers for the first two seasons in the NHL for the top forwards going back to the 2014 draft.  The order is determined by power play minutes:

  • Sam Reinhart (158 games):  462 minutes, 17 goals, 10 assists, 27 points
  • Patrik Laine (155 games):  445 minutes, 29 goals, 16 assists, 45 points
  • Jack Eichel (142 games):  429 minutes, 18 goals, 27 assists, 45 points
  • Connor McDavid (127 games):  382 minutes, 6 goals, 35 assists, 41 points
  • Nico Hischier (151 games):  369 minutes,  4 goals, 13 assists,  17 points
  • Andrei Svechnikov (150 games):  359 minutes,  6 goals, 19 assists, 25 points
  • Auston Matthews (144 games):  336 minutes, 13 goals, 21 assists, 44 points
  • Nolan Patrick (145 games):  254  minutes, 6 goals, 4 assists, 10 points
  • Leon Draisaitl (109 games): 252 minutes, 6 goals, 5 assists, 11 points
  • Kaapo Kakko (114 games):    208 minutes, 4 goals, 12 assists, 16 points

It’s important to note that most of these players played on the first power play unit.  Kakko was relegated to the second unit and as Ranger fans know well, the second unit would often get on the ice with barely 30 seconds left on the penalty, hardly allowing any time for the unit the get set up in the offensive zone.

Despite playing the fewest power play minutes of any of these players, Kakko’s production would be similar to if not better than the numbers for players like Reinhart, Hischier, Svechnikov, Patrick and even Leon Draisaitl if he had played more minutes.   The only players he doesn’t compare to are superstars McDavid, Eichel, Matthews and Laine.

It’s certainly not Kakko’s fault. He just had the misfortune to be drafted by a team with a top power play and there was no way that he would crack a first unit that featured Artemi Panarin, Mika Zibanejad, Chris Kreider and Ryan Strome.

So, what does it mean for the future?

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