Kaapo Kakko plays on top line in debut with Kraken after trade from Rangers
Kaapo Kakko played his first game in a Seattle Kraken jersey Thursday night in Chicago, one night after being traded by the New York Rangers. The 23-year-old Kakko was traded to Seattle on Wednesday in return for defenseman Will Borgen and third- and sixth-round picks in the 2025 NHL Draft. Kakko played his first game with Seattle on the top line with Matty Beniers and Jared McCann.
Beniers, who, like Kakko, was a No. 2 overall pick, has gone 16 games without a goal, and the Kraken seem to hope that Kakko’s new blood will get the 2023 Calder Trophy winner going. In the Kraken’s 3-1 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks, Kakko played 13:25 and was credited with two shots on goal — not counting the one he rang off the post in the second period.
One of the bright spots from Kakko comes off the ice, as he is reunited with fellow Finland native, Eeli Tolvanen. The pair played together when Finland won the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship, but so far have not played on a line together in Seattle.
Kaapo Kakko’s Future Still Unclear in Seattle
With Kraken captain Jordan Eberle expected to be out for several more weeks after having surgery for a pelvic injury last month, it’s unclear where Kakko will continue to slot in — and if he’ll remain in Seattle’s top six. Eberle hasn’t played since Nov. 14 and has missed 17 of the Kraken’s 34 games. Kakko may have to fight to stay on the top line, as Eberle will likely look to slot in at right wing when he returns, though that’s not likely to happen until February.
The Kraken are also looking to improve their power play, which currently sits 25th in the league at 17.5 percent. Though Seattle’s first power-play unit got the majority of ice time against the Hawks, Kakko saw time on the second unit alongside Brandon Montour, Shane Wright, Andre Burakovsky, and Jaden Schwartz.
It’s not surprising that Kakko didn’t make that big an impact in his first game with Seattle, as he joined the team Wednesday night and had his first and only practice with the team Thursday morning. The Kraken hope they’re bolstering their offense with Kakko; they’ve now scored just two goals in their past three games, all losses.
Kakko, the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft, had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 30 games with the Rangers before the trade. His NHL career high is 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists), set in 2022-23. Kakko, who was in his sixth season with the Rangers, totaled 61 goals and 131 points in 330 games with New York. While he was always a solid depth player, he never really lived up the hype of being the second player taken in his draft year — something Kraken GM Ron Francis says he hopes will change in Seattle.
The Kraken are sixth in the Pacific Division, ahead of only the Anaheim Ducks and San Jose Sharks, and 12th in the Western Conference, six points out of the second wild card. Ironically, the Rangers were involved with both of those teams, with Barclay Goodrow getting claimed off waivers by San Jose during the summer and former Rangers’ captain Jacob Trouba getting traded to Anaheim two weeks ago.
Rangers fans won’t see Kakko with his new team until 2025-26; they’ve already finished their two-game season series, with each team winning on the road. However, fans can watch him on TV when he represents Team Finland at the 4 Nations Face-off in February.
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