New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes Faces Kaapo Kakko at Worlds
The two top prospects for the New Jersey Devils to select first overall in the NHL Draft faced off at the 2019 IIHF World Championships.
The New Jersey Devils are a team that is certainly interested in the IIHF World Championships as a whole, but there was one particular game that everyone circled right when the schedule was announced. The United States of America vs Finland. In other words, Jack Hughes vs Kaapo Kakko.
The Devils are going to take one of these young men and the other will fall to the New York Rangers who have the second-overall pick. This is potentially the last time they will face off before they become Metropolitan Division Rivals. There is a chance they play in a Worlds playoff, but this was the guaranteed matchup.
Jack Hughes is protected in the American lineup behind centers Jack Eichel and Dylan Larkin. He doesn’t get as much ice time as those guys, but in his limited role with the team he has certainly shown his ability to create chances. Kakko on the other hand is so clearly Finland’s best player and he gets lots of opportunities to go out there and try and make an impact. That has shown in his production.
Hughes versus Kakko was the major headline in this game, but a great 24 save performance by Devils goalie Cory Schneider and an overtime winner by Detroit Red Wings forward Dylan Larkin sealed the 3-2 overtime win for the Americans.
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Neither Hughes or Kakko registered a point. They both had their opportunities to collect a goal or an assist, especially Kakko who had a dominant shift in overtime before Larkin ended it. He also had a play in regulation where he had an easy tap in if it wasn’t for an incredible play by Minnesota Wild defenseman Ryan Suter.
It was nice to see that despite neither having a point, they both were able to go out there and look like they belong with NHL talent. Especially Hughes, who has a very limited role with this team and doesn’t even see much power play time. Kakko has been great at creating offense in different ways and although pointless in this one, he has dominated this tournament so far.
Hughes and the United States are back at it on Wednesday when they take on Great Britain while Kakko and the Finnish are now off until Thursday when they play Denmark. Both of these guys want to be a part of a team that makes a deep run in the tournament so look for them both to keep it going.