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Kaapo Kakko

Combine Notes: Hughes, Sogaard, Kallionkieli

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Today is the last day of the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, with fitness testing, final measurements, and media availability for all invitees. An unexpected omission from the fitness testing portion though was none other than presumptive No. 1 overall pick Jack Hughes. Hughes was schedule to undergo the numerous fitness testing programs, but opted out instead. Speaking with the media, including The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington, Hughes simply said that after a long season he didn’t feel the need to further prove himself. The phenom forward just wrapped up a World Championship tournament that came after a full season with the U.S. National Team Development Program and stints at the U-20 and U-18 World Junior Championships. While Hughes has been busy playing hockey this last month, the vast majority of combine participants have instead been preparing for the specific fitness tests. Hughes accurately compared undergoing fitness testing without preparing to taking a test without studying. There is little question as to where Hughes will be selected later this month and thus no upside to his participation today. It also helps his case that Kaapo Kakko, the only player who could push Hughes from the top spot in the draft, skipped the combine entirely to celebrate his World Championship victory with Finland back home.

  • The minor deviations of height and weight recorded at the combine generally don’t make much of difference to NHL teams putting together their draft boards. However, sometimes those numbers are worth noting and one top goalie prospect in particular turned some heads this year. Danish keeper Mads Sogaard of the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers received an official height measurement of 6’7 1/2″. As The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler notes, that would make Sogaard the tallest goalie in the NHL if and when he reaches that level. Devan Dubnyk, Ben Bishop, and the like all pale in comparison to Sogaard, who NHL Central Scouting ranked as their No. 2 goalie prospect. Size is a trait all teams value in their net minders, but combine Sogaard’s 99th-percentile height and his substantial talent, and you likely have a second-round pick in the upcoming 2019 NHL Draft. One last fun fact about Sogaard’s measurement: he is officially more than a foot taller than fellow top prospect Cole Caufield; the USNTDP sniper came in at 5’7 1/4″.
  • Forward Marcus Kallionkieli was a popular player for the gathered media today – and likely for teams as well this week – as there are still so few answers about his future. Kallionkieli came over from Finland this season to play in the USHL, in hopes of eventually landing in the NCAA. However, a year has passed and he is still without a college commitment. It certainly is not due to a lack of talent, as Kallionkieli was considered the top uncommitted player in the league this year, but for one reason or another, Kallionkieli lacks an NCAA team to play for next season. As such, Wheeler relays the news straight from Kallionkieli today that his plan for now is to return to the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers next season, which would keep the possibility of following the collegiate route open. So too would a return to Finland, albeit a less helpful choice if he is trying to land a long-term fit stateside. Yet, Kallionkieli also mentioned that he would consider playing in the CHL for whoever selects him in the CHL Import Draft. That decision would put an end to his NCAA hopes, but would be a just as acceptable developmental path. There are likely more details about Kallionkieli’s decisions that are not available to the public, but have been disclosed to teams, as the Finnish forward does not want to come off as being indecisive or malcontent. As for what his performance on the ice says, Kallionkieli was a near point-per-game scorer this season and has great hands and offensive instincts. He continues to be pegged as a third-round pick at worst, despite the mystery surrounding his future.

Kaapo Kakko Pulls Out Of Scouting Combine

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Though he had previously been expected as part of the top group of prospects attending this week’s Scouting Combine in Buffalo, Kaapo Kakko will no longer be participating at all. No official reason was given for his absence, according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com, but the top 2019 draft prospect recently won the gold medal at the IIHF World Championship and traveled back to Finland for the celebrations yesterday. Other players that were invited but will not attend include Semyon Chystyakov, Vladislav Firstov, Daniil Gutik, Daniil Misyul and Kirill Slepets.

Kakko’s absence will certainly be disappointing for the teams in attendance, but there is really nothing for him to prove at this point. His best chance at surpassing Jack Hughes for the first-overall selection was at the Worlds, and he did his best by posting six goals and seven points in ten games. Kakko did seem to fade in the back half of the tournament when the games became tougher, but still was noticeable when the puck ended up on his stick. The 6’2″ forward is already a dangerous player below the goal line, able to protect the puck against NHL defenders and create room for himself and teammates.

The other names that have turned down invitations are almost more interesting. Misyul, for instance, was ranked eighth among international skaters by the NHL’s Central Scouting, but is still signed with his KHL team. The combine would have given teams a chance to speak with him in person to get a better read on whether or not he plans on coming over to North America down the road, something that will greatly affect his draft position.

Still, the combine will have 103 prospects taking part in the fitness testing this week. That includes Hughes, who still seems destined to be the next member of the New Jersey Devils, selected first overall this year.

Snapshots: World Championships, Reinhart, Ceci

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The World Championships are over with Finland capturing the gold medal with a 3-1 win over Canada behind the play of a team-oriented roster, which included 18-year-old Kaapo Kakko, who will be a top-two pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. However, the MVP of the tournament wasn’t from Finland as Canada’s Mark Stone was named the MVP. Russian goaltender Andrei Vasilevskiy was named the top goaltender, while fellow countryman Nikita Kucherov was named the top forward at the World Championships. The Czech Republic’s Filip Hronek was named the top defenseman. Vasilevskiy, Hronek, Mikko Lehtonen, Jakub Voracek and William Nylander rounded out the All-Tournament team.

Meanwhile, Kakko along with teammate Henri Jokiharju, have already won the U18 World Championships, the U20 World Championships and now the Men’s World Championships. In fact Kakko and Jokiharju are the seventh and eighth players in IIHF history to win all three titles.

  • The Buffalo Sabres are thrilled to see one of their own having a dominant World Championships as winger Sam Reinhart continues putting up impressive numbers since signing a two-year “show me” bridge deal last offseason. He answered that by putting up a career-high 65 points last season and is beginning to develop into that impact forward the team envisioned when they drafted him second-overall in 2014. Reinhart had three goals and five points in 10 games for Canada, which won the silver medal. The Buffalo News’ Mike Harrington adds that it was important for Reinhart to play well, especially with general manager Jason Botterill being a part of the management team and a new head coach in Ralph Krueger to impress. If he can continue his offensive success, he should be able to cash in next summer.
  • Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun writes that the Ottawa Senators have already begun discussions with restricted free agent defenseman Cody Ceci and his agent, J.P. Barry, on a long-term contract. Ceci, who can be an unrestricted free agent in 2020-21, has expressed interest in returning to the team, but Garrioch writes that if the two sides fail to hammer out a deal, the team intends to trade Ceci before the start of the season. Ceci has been a key part of their defense as he averaged 22:34 of ATOI last season, but the team needs to know that he will be part of their long-term plans. Garrioch also mentions that the team is likely to move defenseman Ben Harpur as it doesn’t look like he fits into their defensive plans and is no longer waiver-exempt.

Poll: Who Will Win The IIHF World Championship?

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The IIHF World Championship held their quarter-final games today and they didn’t disappoint for the fans in attendance. Three of the four contests ended up as one-goal games, with fireworks in the last few seconds of the Canada-Switzerland game taking the highlight of the night. New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson scored with just 0.4 seconds left on the clock in regulation to tie the game, before Mark Stone put Canada through to the semi-final in overtime.

Finland shocked the tournament by knocking off the Swedes in a back and forth game, which needed a tying goal from their captain with the goaltender out of the net. Finland would complete the comeback in overtime, sending Sweden—who many considered a favorite given their star-studded lineup—home without a medal of any color.

Team USA will suffer the same fate, as they were knocked out by the powerhouse Russian squad in a matchup they would’ve avoided if possible. The American squad finished in fourth in Group A during the preliminary round thanks to an unfortunate loss to Slovakia in their first game. Potential first-overall pick Jack Hughes ends his tournament with two assists today (three total) and was named the best player of the game for the USA.

Canada will move on to take on a Czech squad who easily dispatched Germany in the fourth quarter-final game, thanks to a three-point effort from Jan Kovar. While Canada is always a dangerous country in international hockey, their team this year didn’t look dominant on paper. That was shown by them barely squeaking through against Switzerland, meaning the Czech should feel just fine about their chances at this point.

There is no shortage of talent on the Russian squad, including Mikhail Sergachev and Nikita Gusev who both had three points in the game today.  That’s not what people were saying about Finland before the tournament started, who have only a handful of players with any NHL experience at all. Still, the Finns are extremely well coached and have a 18-year old star in the making in top draft prospect Kaapo Kakko that can create offense at any moment.

This is the last high level hockey for NHL stars out of the playoffs, meaning they can give their all before having a summer of recovery. Sunday will bring with it the gold and bronze medal games, so get your vote in now for who you think will win!

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Record 16 Players From USNTDP To Attend NHL Scouting Combine

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The annual NHL Scouting Combine is set to take place next week, with 109 – approximately three-and-a-half rounds worth – of top prospects in attendance. Of those participating, NHL.com’s Mike Morreale reports that 16 will belong to the U.S. National Team Development Program. Admittedly, the USNTDP is unique; an effort to bring together some of the top American junior-age players for a hybrid junior and collegiate schedule creates a very loaded lineup. Still, never before have so many players – nearly 15% of the group – from one team been invited to the same draft combine, highlighting what promises to be an exciting class of U.S. players.

Beyond just presumptive top pick Jack Hughes, forwards Alex Turcotte, Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Cole Caufield, John Beecher, Judd Caulfield, and Patrick Moynihan, defensemen Cam York, Alex Vlasic, Henry Thrun, Marshall Warren, Domenick Fensore, and Drew Helleson, and goaltenders Spencer Knight and Cameron Rowe are expected to be in attendance. Of that group, many rankings and mock would suggest at least Hughes, Turcotte, Zegras, Boldy, Caufield, York, and Knight are near locks as first-round picks, with the others not far behind. Several other USNTDP standouts not invited to the combine will nevertheless still be drafted as well. It is a truly incredible class that may stand the test of time.

The combine kicks off on Friday, May 31st with media availability for the “Top Prospects”, as designated by the league and Central Scouting. The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler reports that this group of six includes Hughes, Turcotte, presumptive second overall pick Kaapo Kakko, top defense prospect Bowen Byram, and Canadian centers Dylan Cozens and Kirby Dach. On Saturday, June 1st, all combine participants will undergo fitness testing throughout the day, while teams will have an opportunity to meet with prospects one-on-one as well. With the World Championships and Memorial Cup both wrapping up this coming weekend, the Scouting Combine will be the final time that teams can evaluate draft prospects in a live setting before the NHL Entry Draft on June 21st.

Morning Notes: Bruins’ Long Wait, Kapanen, Kakko, Svechnikov

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During his press conference on Saturday, Boston Bruins general manager Don Sweeney said the team would go outside the organization for advice on how utilize their time correctly considering they don’t play again until May 27, which is still eight days away. The Athletic’s Joe McDonald (subscription required) adds that Sweeney was talking about consulting the New England Patriots of the NFL, a team that has spent quite a bit of time playing in Super Bowl games.

In fact, Boston’s four major franchises have combined for 12 titles this century, but with six Super Bowl Championships, the Patriots may know how to stay sharp more than anyone. The team hopes to take some of Bill Belichick’s tips to heart. “Hopefully they’ll be able to share some information with us,” Sweeney said.

There was initially some talk of an intra-squad game, but there is no real way to simulate a Stanley Cup Finals game, nor is the team thrilled about opening up their players to possible injury. In the end, rest might be the best course of action.

In the short term, it’s really beneficial for our group. We’ve been pedal to the metal here, mentally and physically, for a while. I do believe in the short term it will help us a lot. Then it’s incumbent upon us to simulate the best we can with what’s going to be required going forward.

  • TVA Sports (translation required) suggests that while there are plenty of rumors surrounding the Montreal Canadiens being interested in putting together an offer sheet to pry Mitch Marner away from the Toronto Maple Leafs, the writer suggests instead the team should use an offer sheet instead to get Kasperi Kapanen, which would have a much higher chance of success. If the Canadiens offer Kapanen a deal anywhere from $4.23MM to $6.63MM for at least three years, the compensation would only be a first and a third-round pick, which would likely be worth the acquisition.
  • The New York Post’s Joseph Staszewski reports 2019 draft prospect Kaapo Kakko said that his goal is to become the No. 1 pick in the NHL draft to the New Jersey Devils. Kakko is currently expected to be the second-overall pick in the draft, slated to go to the New York Rangers with prospect Jack Hughes expected to end up in New Jersey. However, an impressive showing so far at the World Championships for Finland might be enough to push him one notch higher. “This is a big thing for me for the draft,” Kakko told NHL.com through a translator. “I think I can be the first [pick]. “I’ve played well. I haven’t paid much attention to Jack Hughes and his game, but I’m confident I’ve been able to let everyone see my skills and the level of my game. It’s not going to be an easy choice for the teams.”
  • Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press looks back at the Detroit Red Wings’ 2015 NHL draft, analyzing its success. The team drafted Evgeny Svechnikov that year, who lost some valuable development time last season when he was forced to undergo ACL surgery in September. While the team still has a few pending prospects from that draft, the key to the draft will be Svechnikov, who so far has just two goals in 16 games and needs a bounce-back season if they don’t want to look at that draft as a failure.

Draft Notes: Blackhawks, Avalanche, Golden Knights

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While the first two picks of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft are considered simple enough for the New Jersey Devils and the New York Rangers who have to claim the top two players in the draft in Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko, the real draft gets started at No. 3 where the Chicago Blackhawks must wade through a bevy of prospects and decide who is the best of the rest.

Many scouts have suggested the next obvious player to be taken could be defenseman Bowen Byram, who Chicago head scout Mark Kelley compared to Paul Coffey. However, would the Blackhawks take a defenseman in the first round after selecting Adam Boqvist and Nicolas Beaudin in the first round last year and Henri Jokiharju in the first round in 2017 (plus taking Ian Mitchell in the second round that year as well).

Even if Chicago is willing to take the plunge to draft another defenseman in the first round, The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus (subscription required) writes that the team is banking on success as quickly as possible while Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are on top of their game, leaving little time to sit around and develop their first-rounders. Lazerus writes that the team needs the most NHL-ready player to take over and defenseman rarely fit that bill as forwards develop much quicker and produce more quickly than defensemen.

  • Ryan S. Clark of The Athletic (subscription required) writes that the Colorado Avalanche will find themselves watching what the Blackhawks will do at the draft. The Avalanche, who own the No. 4 pick in the draft, also would be interested in drafting Byram, but could have more pressing needs as well. The team has a number of top defensemen in Tyson Barrie, Cale Makar, Samuel Girard and Connor Timmins, which would make Byram a luxury, especially considering they could have a bigger need on offense. While the team has a number of young NHL players in Tyson Jost, J.T. Compher and Alexander Kerfoot that could fill the team’s second line, none of them have taken that next step in their development. All have done well, but none look like top-six players yet. That could still happen, but the team also has interest in Alex Turcotte, who could help the team out quickly as well.
  • With a need to bring in a future franchise goaltender and the top goaltending prospect, Spencer Knight, likely to be available when the Vegas Golden Knights pick at No. 17, it would look to be a great fit. Even his last name fits perfectly in Vegas. However, Sinbin.vegas’ Ken Boehlke writes that while Marc-Andre Fleury was a major success when he was drafted in the first round back in 2003, there have been 18 goaltenders selected in the first round and few of those have been successful as only five of them have made more than 10 starts in the NHL with only two of them having become franchise goalies for the teams that drafted them in Carey Price and Andrei Vasilevskiy, suggesting the team would be better off going after a skater than taking a major risk with their first-round pick.

Draft Notes: Turcotte, Podkolzin, Broberg

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With the 2019 NHL Entry Draft now less than six weeks away, a more clear picture is starting to form at the top of the first round. It’s long been assumed that American center Jack Hughes and Finnish winger Kaapo Kakko would be the 1-2 punch to open the draft, but what about after that? Over the course of the season, another pivot from the U.S. National Team Development Program has moved up the board and is beginning to get close to the consensus pick at third overall. Alex Turcotte has been a hard player for many to peg this year as injuries have kept him out for large periods of time, but now that scouts have begun to look at his season in totality, they are impressed. In his latest “31 Thoughts” column, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman relays an opinion formed from speaking with several teams that Turcotte and OHL defenseman Bowen Byram have separated themselves from the rest of the pack behind Hughes and Kakko. This would also seem to align with recent draft rankings from Friedman’s colleague Sam Consentino, who listed Byram third and Turcotte fourth, and The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler, who ranks Turcotte third and calls him “arguably the most complete player in the draft.” Turcotte brings a balanced offensive game and an aggressive two-way style that all teams covet in a future franchise player.

So will Turcotte be the pick for the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 3? There are factors working in his favor, the greatest of which might be that Turcotte is a Chicago-area native. Born and raised in Illinois, Turcotte would be an easy player to market to the fan base as the heir apparent to Jonathan Toews, especially with the stylistic similarities between the two. The other major influence, as noted by Friedman, is that the Blackhawks have used three first-round picks and a second-round pick on defensemen in the last two years alone. Unless they are infatuated with Byram, Chicago will go with a forward at third overall. If it is indeed Turcotte, playing for his hometown team right out of the gate may be enough to make him walk back his commitment to the University of Wisconsin, that is if the Blackhawks think he is ready for the NHL right away.

  • Friedman opines that this year’s draft will really begin when someone selects Russian winger Vasili Podkolzin. One of the more polarizing players in this draft class, Podkolzin’s draft stock depends not only on how teams view his ability, but also on how soon they expect him to contribute. Friedman reports that Podkolzin is locked into two more years on his current KHL contract, meaning anyone using a top pick on him will have to wait until at least 2021-22 to see any return. That guaranteed absence only boosts the “Russian factor” fear, that Podkolzin will take his time or potentially may never make the jump to the NHL. On ability alone, Podkolzin is easily a top-ten talent this year, but scouts differ on where in that range he should land. Add in the number of teams drafting in the top ten who want to improve immediately and Podkolzin’s draft slot becomes a complete mystery. Although this deep and talented class provides little consensus, even on early picks, Friedman’s take that the Podkolzin pick will truly shift the draft board is more than fair.
  • Another top draft prospect seemingly not expecting to rush across the Atlantic is defenseman Philip Broberg. Once considered the surefire second-best defender in the draft class, Broberg’s stock has fallen somewhat this season as scouts have begun to realize that his size, strength, and skating mask some holes to his game in the skill and IQ departments. Broberg very well may still be second defenseman off the board and is a lock as a first-round pick, but he no longer has the top-five or even top-ten guarantee he may have anticipated at this time last year. As such, Broberg is clearly expecting a longer stay in his native Sweden rather than an immediate jump to the NHL. Swedish news source Norran reports that Broberg is expected to sign a contract with the Swedish Hockey League’s Skelleftea AIK. Broberg joined the AIK organization midway through last season, but had not seen any action at the highest level. That will change next season, as Broberg will stay in Sweden but venture into the top pro ranks rather than play at the junior level or in the AHL instead. The transfer agreement between the NHL and SHL means that Broberg will not be locked in to his contract the same way Podkolzin is, but it also makes it unlikely that he’ll be seen in North America next year.

Poll: Has Kaapo Kakko Surpassed Jack Hughes For The No. 1 Pick?

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Just a few weeks ago, it seemed all but settled that the New Jersey Devils intended to take Jack Hughes with the No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming 2019 NHL Entry Draft as the team pictured a combination of Hughes and Nico Hischier each centering their first and second lines.

However, after an impressive performance in his first two games for Finland, Kaapo Kakko, the consensus second-overall pick, looks to be pushing for the chance to be the first-overall pick instead. The 18-year-old Kakko scored two goals Friday against Canada to garner quite a bit of attention and then added a hat trick Saturday against Slovakia to post five goals so far. And the tournament has just started. All this is after Kakko posted 22 goals in the Liiga as a 17-year-old for most of the season. The possibility of a first line of Hischier, Taylor Hall and Kakko could develop into one of the best in the NHL down the road.

Hughes, on the other hand has been solid. He is also playing at the World Championships for the United States, but hasn’t established himself in the same way that Kakko has. Regardless, most draft experts still have Hughes, the playmaking center, at the top of draft boards and most people still have Hughes going to New Jersey with the Rangers happily taking whichever player is remaining.

However, Saturday’s performance has received quite a bit of attention, with many suddenly suggesting that Kakko should be the first pick in the NHL Draft. However, should New Jersey take Kakko at No. 1?

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Snapshots: Free Agents, Jost, Kakko

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There are now 27 NHL teams eliminated from Stanley Cup contention, and with that comes a new focus. Free agency is right around the corner and plans are starting to formulate on who to retain or who to pursue in order to improve for next season. Once considered a “Super class” of unrestricted free agents, the group for 2019 has dwindled considerably as teams are hesitant to give up their top players. Still, there is plenty of talent without a contract for next season and Frank Seravalli of TSN released an early ranking of those players today.

As expected, Artemi Panarin, Erik Karlsson and Sergei Bobrovsky occupy the top three spots, all superstars at their respective positions. The trio could change the face of any franchise in the league, but will each cost a fortune to obtain. Beyond those three though there are other impressive names on the list like Matt Duchene, Anders Lee and even Joe Pavelski. While it may no longer be the best class of free agents in history, teams are still hoping the next seven weeks pass quickly.

  • With John Tavares out of the IIHF World Championship due to an oblique injury, Team Canada suffered a defeat at the hands of Finland today 3-1. The forward group was quite unimpressive except perhaps for a few opportunities by Jonathan Marchessault and Anthony Mantha, and may have trouble creating offense at even strength in the tournament. Canada has three extra spots to add other players, and one of those will be used on Colorado Avalanche forward Tyson Jost according to Darren Dreger of TSN. Jost competed last year for the Canadians and recorded six points in nine games, and also took home a World Junior silver medal for them in the past. Update: The team will also be adding Columbus Blue Jackets forward Pierre-Luc Dubois.
  • While the Canadians struggled to create any offense, the Finnish squad had no problem thanks to the presence of top draft-eligible prospect Kaapo Kakko. The 18-year old opened the scoring on a breakaway and finished it off with an empty net goal after winning a loose puck from Marchessault while defending the lead. Kakko and fellow potential first-overall pick Jack Hughes are both competing in the tournament against other NHL stars, and have a chance to really show the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers what kind of impact they can have from day one.

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