Injury Report Kaapo Kakko Out with UBI; Considered "Weak, Too Weak"

[BrooksBurner]

2 minutes ago, ThirtyONE said:

 

For me, Vatrano and Copp are both playing higher up the lineup then they should be. Vatrano moreso than Copp. He had a great start here but he's not going to sustain those point totals. 

 

I agree however that there's not an obvious spot for Kakko. It was 2nd line RW until Copp proved he can play there. Kakko wasn't very good on the top line so I don't think he's the answer there either. I wish he'd get back sooner rather than later so Gallant can play with the lines to see what works.

I think ideally Kakko is on the 3rd line, but Laf-Chytil-Kakko, an all kid line for the playoffs? I don’t think Gallant goes for that. Gallant also likes Chytil, so I don’t see Chytil being scratched. His size and speed may be useful in the playoffs.

 

Chytil dropping down to 4C might potentially be an option. Motte-Chytil-Rooney/Brodz could be pretty interesting.
 

Either way, we should see Kakko or one of these guys in the top 9 currently being slotted on the 4th, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. A deep 4 line team is a great thing for the playoffs.

[josh]

I think I go with a third line of Goodrow - Chytil - Kakko

 

None of them play with their teammates, so group them all together instead of a 2nd or 3rd line playing 'a man down'.

Lafreneire moves back up - as he's been cold/useless since moved down the lineup.

Vatrano/Copp fight it out for 2nd line duties on the Panarin/Strome line. The other moved to the 4th line with Rooney - Reaves/Hunt/Motte

[BrooksBurner]

1 minute ago, josh said:

I think I go with a third line of Goodrow - Chytil - Kakko

 

None of them play with their teammates, so group them all together instead of a 2nd or 3rd line playing 'a man down'.

Lafreneire moves back up - as he's been cold/useless since moved down the lineup.

Vatrano/Copp fight it out for 2nd line duties on the Panarin/Strome line. The other moved to the 4th line with Rooney - Reaves/Hunt/Motte

Hard to see Laf being moved out of his natural position again. I think that was the main reason he got moved back there. I also kinda feel like Vatrano might go from useful supporting piece to useless on the 4th line. He has one of the better shots on the team, but he probably wouldn’t even get to use it on the 4th. Wasted

[Ozzy]

37 minutes ago, Pete said:

Lafreniere/Goodrow/Kakko

 

This looks really good to me.

[josh]

34 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

Hard to see Laf being moved out of his natural position again. I think that was the main reason he got moved back there. I also kinda feel like Vatrano might go from useful supporting piece to useless on the 4th line. He has one of the better shots on the team, but he probably wouldn’t even get to use it on the 4th. Wasted

Laf playing with Goodrow and/or Chytil is worthless. It's a dead line. You have to avoid that more than potentially seeing a bottom 6 acquisition play in the bottom 6.

[BrooksBurner]

44 minutes ago, josh said:

Laf playing with Goodrow and/or Chytil is worthless. It's a dead line. You have to avoid that more than potentially seeing a bottom 6 acquisition play in the bottom 6.

 

I don’t think Lafreniere is currently better than Vatrano or Copp.

[Cash or Czech]

I've seen Laf come up the right side playing with Chytil and Goodie more than when he was with Zib and Kreider. I think the off-handed thing is overblown. He was putting up points on the right as well.

[Scott]

Kakko still hasn't earned anything I hate the thought of having to force him in anywhere in the top 9 especially after bring out so long. 

 

Moving chubby back up just because makes me shake my head too. They will get their chances again next season when some/most of the trade deadline guys aren't here or other guys are moved. Right now most of them are definitely out playing our underachievers. They will get their chances for sure if for no other reason than their cheap next season, but don't mess up something that's working better without them being in higher up spots. 

 

Is the expectation a totally different Kakko is going to comeback after all this time off and suddenly actually produce something? 

Edited April 7, 2022 by jsrangers

[josh]

46 minutes ago, rmc51 said:

 

I don’t think Lafreniere is currently better than Vatrano or Copp.

That’s not what I said.

[BrooksBurner]

4 minutes ago, josh said:

That’s not what I said.

 

If that’s not what you are implying, then why are we moving one of them out of the top 6 (a top 6 that is working) and sticking them on the 4th line in favor of Lafreniere?

[josh]

Laf playing with Goodrow and/or Chytil is worthless. It's a dead line. You have to avoid that more than potentially seeing a bottom 6 acquisition play in the bottom 6.
 

Improves the 3rd line and the 4th line while the top 2 lines don’t suffer. 

[ThirtyONE]

6 minutes ago, josh said:

Laf playing with Goodrow and/or Chytil is worthless. It's a dead line. You have to avoid that more than potentially seeing a bottom 6 acquisition play in the bottom 6.
 

Improves the 3rd line and the 4th line while the top 2 lines don’t suffer. 

 

I agree with this. The guys we got are 3rd and 4th liners. Laf - Chytil - whoever isn't a playoff caliber 3rd line. You can use Laf on the 1st line effectively and not lose anything. You can use Kakko on the 2nd line effectively and not lose anything. if you put them both on the 3rd line, you don't have a 3rd line.

[Pete]

2 minutes ago, ThirtyONE said:

 

I agree with this. The guys we got are 3rd and 4th liners. Laf - Chytil - whoever isn't a playoff caliber 3rd line. You can use Laf on the 1st line effectively and not lose anything. You can use Kakko on the 2nd line effectively and not lose anything. if you put them both on the 3rd line, you don't have a 3rd line.

You do if Goodrow is centering.

[LindG1000]

I mean, is Goodrow-Copp-Vatrano really a third line any of us are angry with? That line is a fucking pain in the ass to play against.

 

The hard part of this equation is Chytil, and at least over the past few games, we're glad that he's done enough to make it hard. 

[Long live the King]

It's gonna be:

 

CK - Zib - Vatrano

Panarin - Strome - Copp

Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Motte - Rooney - Goodrow

 

Everyone thinking they are taking Chytil out of the lineup is dreaming.

[BrooksBurner]

7 minutes ago, josh said:

Laf playing with Goodrow and/or Chytil is worthless. It's a dead line. You have to avoid that more than potentially seeing a bottom 6 acquisition play in the bottom 6.
 

Improves the 3rd line and the 4th line while the top 2 lines don’t suffer. 

 

Based on what? This is pretty easily the best the top 6 has looked all year.

[RJWantsTheCup]

8 minutes ago, Long live the King said:

It's gonna be:

 

CK - Zib - Vatrano

Panarin - Strome - Copp

Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Motte - Rooney - Goodrow

 

Everyone thinking they are taking Chytil out of the lineup is dreaming.

Kakko and Vatrano might get switched. 

[josh]

1 hour ago, Long live the King said:

It's gonna be:

 

CK - Zib - Vatrano

Panarin - Strome - Copp

Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Motte - Rooney - Goodrow

 

Everyone thinking they are taking Chytil out of the lineup is dreaming.

I agree with that.

 

but Lafreniere-Chytil doesn’t work. Not at ES, not during the regular season … don’t think it’s working in the post season, either. 

[The Dude]

I'd like to see what Lafreniere can do with Copp as his center instead of Chytil. Too bad they really want to force Chytil at center.  

 

Kreider- Zibanejad- Vatrano

Panarin- Strome- Chytil

Lafreniere- Copp- Kakko

Motte- Rooney- Goodrow 

 

Can always swap Copp and Chytil around later in games if need be. 

[ThirtyONE]

5 hours ago, Long live the King said:

It's gonna be:

 

CK - Zib - Vatrano

Panarin - Strome - Copp

Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Motte - Rooney - Goodrow

 

Everyone thinking they are taking Chytil out of the lineup is dreaming.

 

I don't think it can be. This line has never worked. They're not a playoff line and they weaken the rest of the team.

[Scott]

5 hours ago, Long live the King said:

It's gonna be:

 

CK - Zib - Vatrano

Panarin - Strome - Copp

Laf - Chytil - Kakko

Motte - Rooney - Goodrow

 

Everyone thinking they are taking Chytil out of the lineup is dreaming.

 

5 hours ago, rmc51 said:

 

Based on what? This is pretty easily the best the top 6 has looked all year.

 

Playing a rusty Kakko who is already unproductive in the top six weakens the combinations we are throwing out there now that Hunt has been removed from the 2nd line.

 

We're living and dying on Igor, the PP and the top two lines scoring in the playoffs in my opinion.  The Turd Line, Resusci Anne line (you choose the name) is just there and hopefully the 4th line can bring some energy and pressure.  

 

I wouldn't waste this playoff season trying to breath life into the other two. 

[BrooksBurner]

22 minutes ago, jsrangers said:

 

 

Playing a rusty Kakko who is already unproductive in the top six weakens the combinations we are throwing out there now that Hunt has been removed from the 2nd line.

 

We're living and dying on Igor, the PP and the top two lines scoring in the playoffs in my opinion.  The Turd Line, Resusci Anne line (you choose the name) is just there and hopefully the 4th line can bring some energy and pressure.  

 

I wouldn't waste this playoff season trying to breath life into the other two. 

 

Agreed on Kakko for sure. He's a 30 point player. It's wild how much of a difference Rangers fans seem to be expecting out of him coming back, and from what seems like a pretty serious wrist injury given all the time missed.

 

I think Gallant needs to keep the current top 6 together unless it starts to go stale, and he should be willing to try any and everything for the bottom 6. Maybe throw away the "line 3 and line 4" construct. Mix and match an energy guy with the others a little more, then play the lines equally. There's some time here for Gallant to play around with the combinations to find the right one that works.

[Keirik]

10 hours ago, Pete said:

Lafreniere/Goodrow/Kakko

 

 

That ot me is exactly what it should be. If for nothing else but to see what life is like after we trade Chyil this offseason. Playoffs wise, I’d prefer Chytil in the black aces anyway. 
 

 

[Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc]

I'm not interested at all to watch Laf - Chytil - Kakko in a playoff game. I wouldn't trust them in any situation against any opponent. They're slow, weak, not good forecheckers, none of them produce and zero experience. They'll also lose 70% of the faceoffs so they'll be chasing the puck all the time. Hard pass.

 

Goodrow or Copp in for Chytil and it might be something, but I'm no fan of Laf and Kakko together (because they're both painfully slow and soft).

[jsm7302]

3 hours ago, Zuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc said:

I'm not interested at all to watch Laf - Chytil - Kakko in a playoff game. I wouldn't trust them in any situation against any opponent. They're slow, weak, not good forecheckers, none of them produce and zero experience. They'll also lose 70% of the faceoffs so they'll be chasing the puck all the time. Hard pass.

 

Goodrow or Copp in for Chytil and it might be something, but I'm no fan of Laf and Kakko together (because they're both painfully slow and soft).

If you mean physical appearance, okay but Laf has shown a proclivity while playing with an edge and I wouldn't call his play soft.

 

But I do agree, I dont want that line together either.

 

Laf- Chytil- Goodrow 

Motte- Brod- Kakko

 

That would be my bottom 6.