Todd Cordell: On Hughes, Kakko, and the World Hockey Championships

Great article and I think Todd was clearly on the Nico train vs Nolan so there isn’t much to argue with. The track record says Todd picks the right guy 100% of the time. Small sample sure, but Nico wasn’t the favorite and it was a great call.

Hughes is younger then Kakko and as he grows the physical gap will close a little. Plus Kakko looked good on European size ice. Hughes will have no problem adjusting to North American style of play since that’s what he’s done his whole life.

It’s nit picking and think Kakko will be an outstanding player. But I’m in the Hughes camp and hope Ray Ray is too.

Seeing this kid as a Ranger would blow monkeys.

Shero has to pick Hughes no matter what Kakko did in the tournament. Hughes just might be the first player they will ever have that will sellout season tickets quickly...and thats no slight against Brodeur,Stevens,Niedermayer or the several other great players we have had. An American kid who is capable of consistently putting over 100 points a year is a dream come true for our franchise. It will be great to see Hughes-Kakko as the cornerstone of the Devils Rangers rivalry for years to come!

Hughes is our Bure. By that i mean everytime he as the puck our asses will be off the seats ready to jump up. He def will sell tickets probably like we have not seen in Jersey before. The two other times I was excited was Kovy and Mogilny, but Hughes is a different animal.

Both are busts

An american kid that played his youth hockey in Toronto. The best youth hockey league in the world.

Both are busts
- shvingter88

Agreed

Everything is nice; everything is beautiful.

I know it doesnt mean anything to anyone, but the thought of turning on a Devils game to watch Hughes develop and fly on the ice excites me more than the thought of kakko doing his thing. That center position is so vital, and Hughes' numbers over the past few years are just incredible. I'm not going to want to miss a game next year.

I know it doesnt mean anything to anyone, but the rhought of turning on a Devils game to watch Hughes develop and fly on the ice excites me more than the thought of kakko doing his thing. That center position is so vital, and Hughes' numbers over the past few years are just incredible. I'm not going to want to miss a game next year.
- MartysBetter88

Til it turns bad. One 18 year old kid isn’t turning us into a contender. Winning the lottery was great help and I’m excited too, but Shero has a lot of work to do besides picking between Hughes and Kakko.

Til it turns bad. One 18 year old kid isn’t turning us into a contender. Winning the lottery was great help and I’m excited too, but Shero has a lot of work to do besides picking between Hughes and Kakko.
- Queenie_5_hole

Even when its bad. This is our diamond. He's not Crosby, but out of the gate he's a tier above Hischier, who will be fun to watch in his own right.. plus Smith and maybe Boqvist. I know its going to take time and I honestly wouldnt cry if we're in the lotto again next year, unless Hall leaves as a UFA.

Even when its bad. This is our diamond. He's not Crosby, but out of the gate he's a tier above Hischier, who will be fun to watch in his own right.. plus Smith and maybe Boqvist. I know its going to take time and I honestly wouldnt cry if we're in the lotto again next year, unless Hall leaves as a UFA.
- MartysBetter88

If Hall leaves it better not be as a free agent. Seems like he likes it here and they're on the right track but as many have said, Ray has a lot of work to do. To lose Hall for nothing would set them back substantially. On the other hand, if Blackwood is the real deal or Corey can be close to the old Corey, a higher end RW and a pair of D-men that excel in their own zone puts them right in the thick of things. Maybe it even makes NJ a place that other free agents will consider.

just hope Hughes develops into the bearded Capt America and doesn't end up being "prince America". Idk his personality at all. Does he have a pretty-boy streak? A habit of whining? Short fuse? Too calm? Is he going to win the Lady Byng? the King Clancy? The Mark Messier? What's this guy like?

Before the tournament started the majority opinion was because of Kakko's size & having significant experience playing vs men that he would have the better tournament. The time to judge Hughes was after a few games. Going from Jr's to NHL caliber is a huge difference. That's why if he plays in the NHL this season he will be the first player to ever go directly from the USNTDP to the NHL. It took Hall & Nico to their 7th NHL game to score their first goal.

So Kakko had a great start with 5pts in the first 2 games. Added 2 more in his 4th game for a total of 7. Then 6 games, including all 3 playoff games, with zero points.

Hughes had some great set ups the first few games but wasn't rewarded. Broke thru with an assist in what I believe was his 5th or 6th game. Healthy scratch in the last round robin game. In the quarter final game, when it really counts, he was our best player with 2 assists. Earned the American player of the game.

So basically the guy expected to have a better tournament did for the first 4 games & the guy that should've improved throughout did. Hughes had 3pts in his last 3 games to Kakko's zero while Hughes played significantly lower minutes with no PP time. In my opinion that translates to Hughes had the better tournament. He was stronger at the more critical time. Take the 2 empty netters away & they are almost even in pts per game. Once Hughes fills out his body & is basically on the same playing field he's going to be scary good. Don't expect it but don't rule out McDavid good either.

Before the tournament started the majority opinion was because of Kakko's size & having significant experience playing vs men that he would have the better tournament. The time to judge Hughes was after a few games. Going from Jr's to NHL caliber is a huge difference. That's why if he plays in the NHL this season he will be the first player to ever go directly from the USNTDP to the NHL. It took Hall & Nico to their 7th NHL game to score their first goal.

So Kakko had a great start with 5pts in the first 2 games. Added 2 more in his 4th game for a total of 7. Then 6 games, including all 3 playoff games, with zero points.

Hughes had some great set ups the first few games but wasn't rewarded. Broke thru with an assist in what I believe was his 5th or 6th game. Healthy scratch in the last round robin game. In the quarter final game, when it really counts, he was our best player with 2 assists. Earned the American player of the game.

So basically the guy expected to have a better tournament did for the first 4 games & the guy that should've improved throughout did. Hughes had 3pts in his last 3 games to Kakko's zero while Hughes played significantly lower minutes with no PP time. In my opinion that translates to Hughes had the better tournament. He was stronger at the more critical time. Take the 2 empty netters away & they are almost even in pts per game. Once Hughes fills out his body & is basically on the same playing field he's going to be scary good. Don't expect it but don't rule out McDavid good either.
- Gio's Devil's

That's a great way of putting it

The people saying Kakko had the better tournament didn't even watch the damn thing. They just watched the highlights and saw a couple of plays he made. Who cares, we're taking Hughes.

I know it doesnt mean anything to anyone, but the thought of turning on a Devils game to watch Hughes develop and fly on the ice excites me more than the thought of kakko doing his thing. That center position is so vital, and Hughes' numbers over the past few years are just incredible. I'm not going to want to miss a game next year.
- MartysBetter88

Yeah but if he would just grow 4 inches and put on 50lbs

The people saying Kakko had the better tournament didn't even watch the damn thing. They just watched the highlights and saw a couple of plays he made. Who cares, we're taking Hughes.
- Pomegrant

Are you saying that because you saw a fair amount of the games? I saw very little. Just curious if you saw things you liked. I’m hoping for Hughes but because I believe he has the more elite skill level; but I do not claim to know anything and was sold on Nolan Patrick.

Are you saying that because you saw a fair amount of the games? I saw very little. Just curious if you saw things you liked. I’m hoping for Hughes but because I believe he has the more elite skill level; but I do not claim to know anything and was sold on Nolan Patrick.
- Queenie_5_hole

I did watch some of the games. Kakko played all the time and was a difference maker but as Todd pointed out his production is comparable. He is definitely going to be a very good to star player. I'm just saying that a lot of these people don't actually know the whole picture and just saw Kakko score a couple of goals that looked good and are saying he's it.

I think overall Kakko had objectively a better tournament than Hughes, but not by nearly as much as a lot of people have made it seem, and ultimately not enough to change anything in the Devils' mind. It's one short tournament and as many people have pointed out for a variety of reasons Kakko was more setup to succeed in it than Hughes was.

If the Devils pick Kakko, which would surprise me, I would hope that it was because he was their #1 guy before the WC, or at least it was legit 50/50 between the two players and they decided the WC slightly tipped things in Kakko's favor.

But I fully expect them to draft Hughes.

I did watch some of the games. Kakko played all the time and was a difference maker but as Todd pointed out his production is comparable. He is definitely going to be a very good to star player. I'm just saying that a lot of these people don't actually know the whole picture and just saw Kakko score a couple of goals that looked good and are saying he's it.
- Pomegrant

Cool. Thanks.

I have to think the Devil scouting department is going to make their pick based on a larger performance window then one tourney and look at the analytics and overall play more then the score sheet. So I feel like they're taking Hughes; but with their history of taking Nico over Nolan it seems anything could happen...