Kakko feels more comfortable playing wing, but he's also experienced at center, a position he played at least eight times when TPS was dealing with injuries this season. He went 52-for-107 on face-offs (48.6 percent), including 51.1 percent in the offensive zone (24-for-47) and 65.2 percent in the defensive zone (15-for-23).
"I don't think he prefers center, but I don't think he minds it either," Niittymaki said. "You get more out of him offensively if you play him on the wing, but that's my opinion. ... I was surprised how defensively responsible he was for an offensive player. We never had to worry about his defensive game all year.
"I don't think he prefers center, but I don't think he minds it either," Niittymaki said. "You get more out of him offensively if you play him on the wing, but that's my opinion. ... I was surprised how defensively responsible he was for an offensive player. We never had to worry about his defensive game all year.