Kakko needs to step up his game. Very young, bright future ahead, so no over the top craziness, but it's time for him to start playing like the # 2 pick in the draft. Hughes clearly stepped up his game this season, now it's time for Kakko to do the same. Outside of glimpses here and there, we have not seen # 2 overall type play from Kakko.
I also must say I don't love the lines right now. Di G on the 3rd line doesn't excite me. I would rather have Gauthier there. I might give Kakko another shot with Panarin and give him a full game to see if it gets him going. I thought the Lafreniere/Chyil/Gauthier line looked okay in game 1, and Lafreniere looked better on LW than he has on RW.