New Jersey Devils: Kaapo Kakko A Possibility At First Overall
By Sean Jackson
Since he was 15 years old, Jack Hughes has been regarded as the consensus number-one overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. However, another name has entered the ring, vying to be the first overall pick: Kaapo Kakko. While I’m not saying this will happen, I wouldn’t put Hughes to the New Jersey Devils in Sharpie.
The 18 year old from Turku, Finland had a season for the ages in Liiga, the professional league in Finland. His 22 goals are the most in Liiga history for a players under the age of 18, breaking the record previously held by Aleksander Barkov. Not bad company.
Along with being a highly-skilled player, Kakko is a big guy, standing at 6’2 and weighing 190 pounds, and he will only get stronger. His report on Elite Prospects reads as the following: “A quick-thinking winger, Kakko never seems to be in a rush. He reads the game exceptionally well and finds himself a step ahead while the play is still developing. He is confident with the puck and capable of handling it in small spaces. With decent size for a player of his age, Kakko protects the puck well and uses his high hockey IQ to make smart offensive plays. He plays a mature game and is already strong enough to compete with men in the Finnish Liiga. Kakko excels offensively and beats opponents with smarts and skill both on and off the puck.”
He also shined at the WJC as a 17 year old, a tournament mostly consisting of players a year or two older than himself. Kakko tallied 2 goals, including the tournament winner with 1:26 remaining against Jack Hughes and Team USA, to go along with 3 assists in 7 games. He also has a U18 WJC gold medal on his resume, being named a top-three player on that team.
General Manager Ray Shero is quoted as saying “I haven’t seen Kakko as much but he’s special too. “Finland, they’ve got a great (system) too. It’s a different type of hockey, bigger ice but Kakko will have come through a great program.”
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So where would Kakko fit in with New Jersey? It is unlikely that he would return to Finland for a year, so he would make an immediate impact with the big club. Is it out of the question that he could play on the right wing alongside Hall and Hischier? No, seeing as he already has experience playing against professionals in Finland. It may be a better idea, however, to have Kyle Palmieri play on the top line and have Kakko start in a second or third line role.
A line that I believe he can thrive on would be one centered by Pavel Zacha with Jesper Bratt and Kakko on the wings. This would provide two big bodies who could forecheck well and play physical in Zacha and Kakko. It would also have two extremely skilled playmakers in Bratt and Kakko to go along with Zacha, who could serve as the finisher/shooter of the line. Zacha has proven to have a good shot and the ability to score in bunches. He also had the third highest shooting percentage on the team of players who played in more than 25 games in 2018-19. Playing alongside two deadly playmakers could finally allow Zacha to take the next step in his development.
It is likely that the Devils select Jack Hughes first overall in Vancouver this June. Nevertheless, Kakko’s superb year in Liiga opened the door for the possibility of him becoming the first ever Finn to be selected first overall. Either way, the New Jersey will get an elite talent. This is certainly an exciting time to be a Devils fan.