Kaapo Kakko reveals unique sauna twist about Rangers trade with Kraken
At least Kaapo Kakko was in a relaxed state when he found out that the New York Rangers traded him to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday night.
The 23-year-old forward revealed he was in the sauna at the Rangers hotel in Dallas and missed three calls from general manager Chris Drury. One look at his phone when he exited the sauna clued him in that something was up.
Kakko was traded to the Kraken for defenseman Will Borgan and two draft picks.
So, a relaxing evening turned into a series of phone calls and packing up to head out to Chicago to meet the Kraken, who play the Blackhawks on Thursday.
“Fresh start. I feel that’s what I need right now,” Kakko told reporters on a Zoom call Thursday. “I liked my time in New York … Many years over there, great team, but I think I’m waiting for a little more from myself. The team was waiting also, and it never worked out the way we wanted.”
Kakko had 131 points (61 goals, 70 assists) in 330 games with the Rangers, who made the native of Finland the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft behind Jack Hughes of the New Jersey Devils. Kakko’s game never took off in New York, topping out with 18 goals and 40 points in 2022-23.
Just this past Sunday, he was scratched for New York’s 3-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues. Tuesday morning, Kakko flashed his anger about that decision, basically saying he was a scapegoat for the spiraling Rangers (15-15-1), who’ve now lost 11 of their past 14 games.
However, Kakko didn’t believe that’s why he was traded.
“I don’t know. I don’t think it’s because of that,” he said. “The team was playing not well enough. There are a lot of good players over there, (but) they need to do something. I kind of knew something was going to happen, and I knew it might be me.”
Kakko had four goals and 14 points with the Rangers this season. He got off to a good start on the third line with Filip Chytil and Will Cuylle, but struggled to maintain that level. He had 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 61 games last season and one goal in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He was also scratched one game in the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers, just as he was in the 2022 conference final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
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‘Frustrated’ Kaapo Kakko happy to start over in Seattle after trade from Rangers
Trade rumors have followed Kakko for years, and really intensified after the Rangers lost to the Panthers in the conference final last spring. But Kakko signed a one-year, $2.4 million contract and Drury didn’t sell low on him this past offseason. Kakko came in to training camp promising to have a better season. Then the good start was followed by a decline and a healthy scratch and his public complaint. Then the trade Wednesday.
“I was frustrated. Everyone wants to play. That’s what I wanted, also,” Kakko explained. “That doesn’t matter anymore. It’s a new team for me, I’m not thinking about it. A lot of good guys over there. New chance for me.”
Kakko took part in Seattle’s morning skate Thursday and is expected to make his Kraken debut later in the evening against the Blackhawks. The Kraken are 15-16-2 and sixth in the Pacific Division. With right wing Jordan Eberle sidelined by injury, Kakko could get a good look in the Kraken’s top-six forward group.
Of course, Kakko did receive numerous chances in the top six with the Rangers, including early last season alongside Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. It didn’t go well, and when the season ended Kakko lamented a failed opportunity.
“It never worked out that well,” he said last June. “If you’re playing those minutes, you have to score some goals, also. We never scored that much. So I can’t say I didn’t get the chance with those guys.”
That’s in the past now. The future begins now for Kakko. With the Seattle Kraken.
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