The New York Rangers have added a major piece for their rebuild, drafting Finnish superstar Kaapo Kakko second overall.
Kaapo Kakko
Position: Right wing
Height: 6-foot-2
Weight: 190 lbs
Age: 18
Club: TPS Turku
Nationality: Finnish
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 22 | 16 | 38 |
(Stats courtesy: Eliteprospects.com)
Jack Hughes has been the focus during the buildup to this draft from the beginning, but Kakko made a significant case to be considered at No. 1 with his dominant season.
Kakko set a Finnish league record for goals by a player age 18 or younger, but his Liiga stats don't tell the entire story. He scored the golden goal to lead Finland to a championship at the world juniors, then dominated the World Championship in Slovakia against NHL-level talent. Finland won gold there, too, with Kakko collecting six goals in 10 games.
With such an impressive resume, Kakko predictably entered the draft as the top-ranked European skater, and he's expected to make the jump to the NHL immediately. Kakko is naturally gifted offensively, possesses a hard and accurate shot, and has showcased plenty of creativity to manufacture plays for his linemates.
What they're saying
"Kakko is that rare blend of power and creativity. He can use his strong, extended stride to build momentum and drop his shoulder to drive the net but he can also feign the net-drive play only to make a deft pass to a teammate. Kakko is also lethal from the right-wing circle (where TPS used him on the power play) and gets low to leverage his one-timer and extend through pucks, which gives him a different kind of game-breaking talent than Hughes, even when he's not playing well." - The Athletic's Scott Wheeler
Highlights
Click here to watch Kakko's highlights.
