Kraken Appreciating Kaapo Kakko For Who He Is, Not What He Can Be

Don't laugh; a few of us shed a few crocodile tears when Kappo Kakko's jet flew off to Seattle.

Okay, okay, they were more like gerbil tears if you really want to know. But, still in his own Finnish way, there was something likeable about The Flying Finn.

Granted, he didn't produce the offense the Rangers envisioned when they chose KK second overall in 2019. Then again, his name is not – nor ever will be – Jack Hughes.

Now that he's landed in America's Great Northwest, Kappo is being welcomed as a subdued yet conquering hero. Already he's being loved in Seattle in a manner New Yorkers never figured.

Producer-director-Kraken beat writer Glenn Dreyfuss immediately appreciated what Cup-hungry New Yorkers never could grasp.

"How can you not love a guy who can spell his full name of ten letters using just four different ones," asks Dreyfuss, "four 'K's, three 'A's, two 'O's and one 'P'."

That's how they think in Seattle; and I love it. And d'ya know what? I think KK will succeed in America's Great Northwest.

"He will," says Dreyfuss, finishing his alphabet soup, "as long as the Kraken have a more realistic definition of success than the Rangers had. The Blueshirts had every reason to believe they'd picked a scoring machine.

"But when he didn't turn out to be that, the Rangers never appreciated the skills he did bring. His line was one of the best the Rangers had this season.

Unlike Peter Laviolette, Seattle's coach Dan Bylsma has had "The Touch" when mentoring high Draft picks such as Shane Wright and Ryker Evans. He'll do the same with KK.

Dreyfuss: "Seattle will fit Kakko better because it's a smaller and less rabid hockey market than New York. Plus, I'm a believer in the 'Change Of Scenery" theory. "Seattle won the deal but it may be a couple of years before we're sure exactly what they 'won.'"

I'll tell you what they won – a guy who can spell his full name of ten letters using just four different ones; that's what!

Pardon me while I shed another gerbil tear for our dear, excited Kappo Kakko.