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Joined: Jun. 2018
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The Hughes vs Kaapo debate is gonna get a real comparable tonight around 8pm EST.
From what I have seen on both teams at IIFH, Hughes is a star Kaapo is a piece. But that's because team USA runs their offense through Hughes in a modern style of hockey where it almost looks like the NBA. Every other pass is to Hughes in roughly the faceoff circle, who is expected to dictate what happens next. The whole ice shifts to his side, where he either picks 1 pass to a shot or shoots himself. The 5 v 5 looks like a power play at times with the other team frozen.
Everyone else not standing in front of the net only standing there waiting for Hughes to do something with the puck or an outlet pass to the other side only to come back to Hughes giving him a little more space.
When the offense isn't on the attack, Hughes is gone on the bench and they are counting on other players to hold down the fort and play defense. Like at the end of the Russia game where you didn't hear his name because he wasn't on the ice much.
Kaapo on Finland looks like a piece. That's it. Not a focus of a offense, but just a piece of the puzzle. It's more team oriented play, he gets his chances.
I think the problem drafting Hughes is he gets a lot of space now. He won't get as much space in the NHL where they Elias Pettersson players. Not saying it was intentional but you know what I mean. He's also a smaller player so it's not like his physical size will help him deal with it, aka a Matthews or even McDavid. He's smaller than Crosby and most people know what kind of crap he's put up with and lable him a cry baby etc when they are mad he roasts their team. I don't see the crap Hughes is going to have to put up with being any different in a league that does little to protect it's players. No one is gonna stand there and let him play like you see in the IIFH in the NHL. No one is going to give him that kind of space he's gonna have to earn it.
That doesn't mean he won't be a good player but that's what you are dealing with if you get him. Where Kaapo is ready to bend in shoot the puck some and try to score a few goals.
A player like Kaapo isn't gonna change a team over night. But Hughes might. So if you are picking first I would recommend to pick Hughes. But I guess we'll see after tonight's game. If I'm Kaapo I want the Hughes line to prove it. So maybe we get to see them go as head to head as it can get.