There was no doubt defenseman Ryan Lindgren would be in the Kraken lineup — one night after having some of his old teammates over to his house for dinner. In addition, forward Kaapo Kakko, who was traded to Seattle by the Rangers for defenseman Will Borgen and two draft picks last Dec. 18, made his season debut by facing his former team.

Kakko missed Seattle’s first 10 games because of a broken hand sustained during training camp. He was injured when slashed by Edmonton Oilers defenseman Beau Akey in the first period of the Kraken’s 4-1 win on Sept 24 and placed on injured reserve. Kakko returned to practice earlier this week and was a full participant when the Kraken took the ice on Friday and again at the morning skate Saturday.

Coach Lane Lambert said Kakko would be a game-time decision, but he took line rushes during warmups.

Lindgren is also facing his former team for the first time since being traded. The Rangers sent Adam Fox’s longtime regular partner and a pending unrestricted free agent, to the Colorado Avalanche on March 1. He had three points (two goals, one assist) in 18 regular-season games for the Avs, then chipped in three assists in seven games during Colorado’s loss to the Dallas Stars in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The Kraken signed Lindgren to a four-year, $18 million contract ($4.5 million average annual value) on July 1. He has one assist and 23 penalty minutes in 10 games for the Kraken, who are off to a surprising 5-2-3 start.

While Lindgren and his old teammates will be on opposite ends of the ice Saturday, many Rangers were guests of the veteran defenseman on Friday night.

“It will be fun to see them and then play against them,” Lindgren said after practice when asked about facing his old team. “It will be nice to see a couple of the guys — I’m having a few of them over for dinner tonight. Obviously some best friends over there.

“Obviously it will be my first time against the Rangers. It might be a little weird. It will be exciting, for sure.”

Ryan Lindgren looking forward to facing former Rangers teammates

When asked if he had any particular ex-teammates who meant a lot to him, Lindgren was quick to cite his old partner.

“Adam Fox would be the one guy,” he said. “We kind of went through everything together. We lived together for two years. I was best friends with him in high school, and it was kind of cool that we were able to reconnect in New York and able to play together for a long time.

“He’s definitely a guy I feel very close with. He definitely means a lot to me.”

New York and Seattle split their season series in 2024-25, with the road team winning each time. The Rangers won 2-0 on Nov. 17, but the Kraken got even with a 7-5 victory at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 8, 10 days before the Kakko trade was made.

Kakko never blossomed the way the Rangers had expected him to. His best season in New York was 2022-23, when he finished with 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists), and he had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 30 games with the Rangers last season before the trade.

He said after the trade was completed that he was hoping for a fresh start in Seattle.

“That’s what I’m hoping,” Kakko said. “It’s a new chance for me. I played there for a long time, just one team. I’m happy to be here and that’s what I’m thinking also.”

Expectations for the 24-year-old have increased in Seattle. He played 49 games with the Kraken after the trade, scoring 10 goals and finishing with 30 points while averaging a career-high 17:03 of ice time, almost four minutes per game more than he was seeing with the Rangers. That was enough to earn him a three-year contract extension that carries an average annual value of $4.525 million — making him the sixth-highest-paid forward on the team.

“Getting a contract done with Kaapo was a top priority this summer,” general manager Jason Botterill said after the signing on July 22. “We knew quickly he’d be a big part of our team moving forward. He’s got size, skill and tremendous playmaking ability, and isn’t afraid of going to the net. He fit in immediately with our group, and we’re thrilled to have him under contract.”

From the date he was acquired through the end of the regular season, Kakko was tied for second on the Kraken in points, third in assists (20) and power-play goals (3), and sixth in goals. He was tied for the team lead in even-strength points (24).

The 6-foot-1, 215-pound forward has 161 points (71 goals, 90 assists) in 379 regular-season games with the Kraken and Rangers. 

The 24-year-old sustained the injury when slashed by Edmonton Oilers defenseman prospect Beau Akey in a preseason game Wednesday. Akey was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for slashing on the play.

Here's the slash from Beau Akey that injured Kaapo Kakko: https://t.co/QjdMVQwq8N pic.twitter.com/b4ccmoy9Sq

— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) September 25, 2025

This is a big blow for the Kraken. Key forwards Jared McCann and Chandler Stephenson each are dealing with undisclosed injuries and remain out of the Kraken lineup as well.

The Kraken seek a fast start under new coach Lane Lambert in hopes that they can return to the Stanley Cup Playoffs after falling short the past two seasons. Seattle made the playoffs with 100 points in 2022-23, the second season in franchise history. But they missed out the next two years, including last season, when they dropped to 76 points and 27th overall in League standings.

Kakko is expected to play a big role in the top six and on the power play for the Kraken this season. He signed a three-year, $13.575 million contract with the Kraken this past summer, avoiding salary arbitration, and started the preseason strong with a pair of assists in their opener against the Vancouver Canucks last weekend.

Related: Rangers stock report: Who’s trending up, down halfway through preseason

Former Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko out 6 weeks with broken hand

Kakko, the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft, had a rocky and frustrating tenure with the Rangers. He never quite lived up to the high expectations. though he was a reliable third-line forward. But that’s not exactly what the Rangers hoped when they selected him after Jack Hughes went No. 1 overall to the Devils in 2019.

In 2019-20, his rookie season, as an 18-year-old, Kakko had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 66 games. Playing on the Kid Line with Alexis Lafreniere and Filip Chytil three seasons later, Kakko topped out at 40 points (18 goals, 22 assists), playing all 82 games. The following season, he dealt with injury and decreased ice time, plummeting to 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 61 games.

Things came to a head with the Rangers last season, when Kakko complained about being a scapegoat for the team’s dysfunctional play after he was a healthy scratch for a game in December.

“I have not been the worst guy, but that was me out of the lineup,” he told reporters at the time.

The Kraken acquired Kakko from the Rangers on Dec. 18 in a trade for defenseman Will Borgen. They immediately handed him a bigger role, and Kakko responded with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games. His average TOI jumped to a career-high 17:03, nearly four minutes more per game than what he got with the Rangers (13:17) earlier in the 2024-25 season, when he had 14 points (four goals, 10 assists) in 30 games.

Kakko played just three shifts totaling 1:59 TOI before leaving the Seattle Kraken’s 4-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers with an upper-body injury.

The 24-year-old forward was slashed on his left hand by Oilers defenseman prospect Beau Akey as the pair battled for the puck along the boards. Kakko hunched over in pain, skated off the ice and didn’t return.

“Upper body, being evaluated, we’ll see what happens when we get back to Seattle,” is all Kraken coach Lane Lambert offered up about Kakko’s injury postgame.

Here's the slash from Beau Akey that injured Kaapo Kakko: https://t.co/QjdMVQwq8N pic.twitter.com/b4ccmoy9Sq

— Emerald City Hockey (@EmeraldCityHky) September 25, 2025

Akey, a 20-year-old who was selected by the Oilers in the second round of the 2023 NHL Draft, was assessed a two-minute minor penalty for slashing.

Even if this is just a temporary setback for Kakko, it’s a bad break. Kakko views this season as a fresh start after six unfulfilling seasons with the Rangers.

The Kraken acquired Kakko from the Rangers last December in a trade for defenseman Will Borgen. They handed him a a spot in the top six and on the power play, and Kakko responded with 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games. His average TOI jumped to a career-high 17:03, nearly four minutes more per game than what he got with the Rangers (13:17) earlier in the 2024-25 season.

Related: Why Rangers coach believes Gabe Perreault ‘an NHL player in the making’

Ex-Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko sustains upper-body injury with Kraken

This past summer, Kakko avoided a salary arbitration hearing and landed a three-year, $13.575 million contract with the Kraken. The good vibes carried over into Seattle’s preseason opener, when Kakko dished out a pair of assists in a 5-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks.

JANI – KAAPO🔥

Jani Nyman iski viime yönä kaksi häkkiä! Tämä toinen oli siisti. Molemmat alusti tietenkin Turun Kaapo. Aiai. Jani on nälkäinen. 🥅

Tästä hyvä jatkaa harjoituskautta. Krakenille 5-3 voitto Canucksista.

Niklas Kokko pelasi 3. erän.#NHLfipic.twitter.com/3NRWOJS7hF

— Heikki Mannonen (@HMannone) September 22, 2025

This season has all the makings of a breakout for the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft. His tenure with the Rangers was frustrating, and he never fulfilled high expectations. Kakko wound up a third-line staple, though solid in a limited role.

When things went south for the Rangers in their dismal, dysfunctional season a year ago, Kakko believed he was a scapegoat for their collective woes, and spoke out after he was a healthy scratch in December.

“I have not been the worst guy, but that was me out of the lineup,” he complained to reporters.

Days later, the Rangers shipped Kakko out west.

Playing up in the Kraken lineup, mainly with Matty Beniers, the 2023 Calder Trophy winner as NHL rookie of the year, Kakko scored a goal in his third game. He had a five-game point streak in January, including a two-goal game against the Buffalo Sabres and a three-assist effort vs. the Los Angeles Kings. Kakko had another two-goal game in March against the Oilers.

So, expectations are high for Kakko heading into the 2025-26 season. Let’s see if he’s derailed by this unfortunate injury.

That’s because Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, enters his first full season with the Seattle Kraken after showing signs that he could be a more productive player following a trade with the Rangers in mid-December. Additionally, Vitali Kravtsov, the No. 9 overall pick in 2018, signed a one-year contract with the Vancouver Canucks after a successful run in the KHL.

Including Kakko and Kravtsov, three of the four top-10 selections the Rangers made over that four-year stretch are no longer with the organization.

Former general manager Jeff Gorton salvaged his misfire on bust Lias Andersson (No. 7 overall in 2017) by turning him into the second-round pick in 2020 that became rising power forward Will Cuylle, who scored 20 goals last season.

Alexis Lafreniere, the No. 1 overall selection in 2020, is the lone top-10 Rangers pick from 2017-20 remaining on the Rangers roster. He’s been inconsistent, but hope remains that the soon-to-be 24-year-old can recapture his 28-goal form from two seasons ago.

Related: How Rangers could best help Gabe Perreault be Calder Trophy candidate as NHL rookie of year

Traded by Rangers, Kaapo Kakko more productive with Kraken

When it comes to Kakko and Kravtsov, however, there’s nothing current GM Chris Drury can do other than sit back and watch. Drury, it should be noted, had little choice but to deal away both players when it became clear that their time on Broadway passed its expiration date.

Drury did manage to bring back valuable right-shot defenseman Will Borgen in the Kakko trade. So, there’s that.

At 24 years old, though, Kakko’s potential ceiling remains high. And the Kraken appear more willing to feed into that potential. He averaged an NHL career-high 17:03 TOI after the trade last season, nearly four minutes more per game than with the Rangers.

KAAPO KAKKO
KAAPO KAKKO
KAAPO KAKKO
KAAPO KAKKO
KAAPO KAKKO pic.twitter.com/CREZxOhxMY

— Seattle Kraken (@SeattleKraken) January 11, 2025

Kakko also averaged 0.6 points in 49 games with the Kraken after averaging 0.4 with the Rangers in 330 games over six-plus seasons. The Rangers received plenty of criticism over Kakko’s lack of development during his time on Broadway, though it’s not exactly like he thrived when given a chance to play up in the lineup with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider. Kakko’s tenure in New York, however, was spent largely on the third line with minimal power-play opportunities.

Seattle wasted little time in finding out what it had, placing Kakko on a top-six line with Matty Berniers and Jaden Schwartz and giving him significant power-play time. The result? Ten goals and 20 assists in 49 games, including three power-play goals – a career high.

Kakko still doesn’t shoot the puck enough – he didn’t have more than two shots on goal in any of his final 16 games last season – which is a problem that dates to his Rangers tenure and might prevent him from ever becoming a top offensive player in the NHL. Yet that problem remains correctable.

Again, it was clear that Kakko’s time with the Blueshirts was up. He had grown frustrated with the organization and publicly complained that he was being scapegoated after being scratched from a game Dec. 17 amid an ugly stretch for the Rangers. The Rangers traded Kakko the next day, receiving Will Borgen, whose steady, physical play helped stabilize the defense corps, along with third- and sixth-round picks.

Where the Rangers didn’t see a player worth investing in anymore, the Kraken signed Kakko to a three-year, $13.575 million contract this summer.

The danger for the Rangers is that the light goes on for a player who was regarded as a near-equal prospect to eventual No. 1 pick and current New Jersey Devils star Jack Hughes going into the 2019 draft. The Rangers signed Borgen a five-year, $20.5 million contract extension last season, but he’ll be a footnote if Kakko breaks out in the Pacific Northwest.

Related: Why Rangers could turn to Urho Vaakanainen as under radar lineup regular

Vitali Kravtsov’s unexpected NHL return with Canucks followed his best KHL season

While Kakko has actually shown that he can produce some in the NHL, Kravtsov is a much bigger wild card. Like Andersson in 2017, the Rangers’ selection of Kravtsov at ninth overall in 2018 failed miserably. The talented forward from Russia proved to be a sullen enigma, who appeared immature and mentally and emotionally unprepared to succeed in North America.

His decision to leave the Rangers and play in the KHL instead of accept an assignment to Hartford of the American Hockey League never sat well with the organization. Kravtsov played just 48 games over two seasons with the Rangers before they traded him to the Canucks on Feb. 25, 2023, for the underwhelming return of undersized forward Will Lockwood and a seventh-round pick.

He played 16 games with the Canucks and headed back to Russia to play the past two seasons. It appeared his NHL career was over after 64 games, six goals and 12 points.

Crafty KHL goal Vitaly Kravtsov scored two years ago. #Canucks pic.twitter.com/EdNgUPxwHi

— Grady Sas (@GradySas) February 25, 2023

So why should the Rangers worry about a player who inked a one-year, two-way contract for $775,000? For the same reason why Kakko could burn the club that drafted him: raw talent. With a powerful shot, outstanding hands and strong skating, there was a reason why the Rangers grabbed Kravtsov where they did in 2018. He’s coming off his best season in the KHL, with career highs of 27 goals and 31 assists in 66 games for Traktor in 2024-25.

The KHL isn’t the NHL, of course, but it’s also possible that Kravtsov has grown up, having seen how his shot at playing in the best hockey league in the world was slipping away.

The 25-year-old appears considerably less likely to make the Rangers regret dealing him away, but if he does develop into an effective player, they’ll essentially have nothing to show for it. But GM Chris Drury can’t be blamed for offloading the troublesome winger for pennies on the dollar. There was little to no market for Kravtsov at that time.

The reasons that led to the Rangers trading Kakko and Kravtsov were legitimate, and could end up being barriers to both players becoming highly-productive NHL forwards with any team. Kakko has yet to show the high-end scoring touch that he exhibited in Finland’s Liiga in 2018-19, his 18 goals in 2022-23 remain an NHL career high. And Kravtsov’s played one full NHL season to date.

Untapped ability, though, remains for both 20-somethings. Either player ascending to above-average status in 2025-26 will add fuel to longstanding perceptions that the Rangers struggle to develop young players (non-goaltenders, that is) into roster mainstays. That will be especially so if Lafreniere again struggles to completely break out in his sixth NHL season.

Yet despite their having played only 30 combined NHL games, the Rangers will be counting on a significant step forward from Brennan Othmann and/or Gabe Perreault in 2025-26. Without that happening, chances are the depth problems up front that have plagued the Blueshirts for the past few seasons will continue to drag them down.

The two first-round draft picks are young. Othmann is 22 and Perreault is just 20; he played five games with the Rangers at the end of last season after turning pro following the conclusion of Boston College’s season. Neither has scored an NHL goal, and only Othmann has recorded a point; he had two assists in his 22 games on Broadway last season.

The Rangers, however, need a lot more from both players — and in short order.

Related: Are the Rangers’ offseason moves over, or is the real work just beginning?

Mike Sullivan might look to form another Kid Line

The Blueshirts have less than $800,000 salary-cap space remaining, according to Puckpedia, after taking care of offseason business, which was highlighted by the signing of free-agent defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov and the re-upping of young forwards Will Cuylle, Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom and Juuso Parssinen — along with the necessary trade of defenseman K’Andre Miller. Despite all of that, the bottom-six forward corps will again be a giant question mark going into the new season. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the third line, which has the potential to remain a season-long puzzle.

Depending on what new coach Mike Sullivan sees at training camp, the fourth line could again be a good one. Sullivan could easily stay the course set by predecessor Peter Laviolette and employ the Twin Towers alignment with Rempe and Edstrom flanking veteran center Sam Carrick. That would keep together the huge, physical trio that forechecks, battles in the corners and in front of the net, and mixes it up with opponents while setting a tone the Rangers so desperately crave.

Where Sullivan seems sure to be challenged like the coaches that preceded him on Broadway is in attempting to forge a productive third line — one with identity and purpose that can get the best of its matchups on a regular basis.

If Sullivan succeeds, it will be impressive. The assignment has amounted to a revolving door for forwards since Gerard Gallant put together the “Kid Line” of Alexis Lafreniere, Kaapo Kakko and Filip Chytil late in the 2021-22 season. The Rangers haven’t come close to duplicating that level of effectiveness on their third line since.

With Othmann and Perreault in the fold, maybe Kid Line 2.0 — with Parssinen, 24, possibly in the middle — is exactly what Sullivan should be looking for from the unit this season.

In a familiar refrain, the Rangers don’t have many options to build out the line beyond their promising youth. Veteran free-agent add Taylor Raddysh doesn’t exactly generate buzz. Old friend Jonny Brodzinski is still around and is coming off a career-best 12-goal season. The hard truth, though, is that if Brodzinski is playing a significant number of games, it’s because the Blueshirts don’t have higher-level talent to take those minutes.

Othmann, who’s facing the biggest opportunity of his young career, represents one of those higher-level talent options. The 16th player taken in the 2021 NHL Draft looked good at times last season and seemed to gain confidence as his ice time increased. Even better, he plays the style that general manager Chris Drury and the front office are trying to instill throughout the organization: Othmann’s chip-on-his-shoulder, straight-ahead approach manifests itself in a player who attacks the net and pressures the puck all over the ice.

In theory, it’s his time to grab a wing spot on the third line. Rangers fans have been eagerly awaiting Othmann’s arrival as a regular since 2021-22, when he piled up 97 points in 66 games for the Flint Firebirds of the Ontario Hockey League.

Othmann almost certainly won’t approach that level of production in the NHL. However, his throwback style and obvious offensive skills should give him the chance to begin making an impact this season — if, of course, he can win the job the Rangers presumably want him to win.

Related: Vincent Trocheck viewed as most likely to slot in at 3C on Rangers roster: poll

Rangers hope to see Gabe Perreault play his way into the lineup

While the Rangers wouldn’t be upset if Perreault appears better-suited to starting the season at Hartford, their AHL farm team, after training camp, they also wouldn’t be upset if he plays his way onto the big club. Perreault profiles as a future top-six forward because of his skills and offensive creativity.

Perreault might just prove ready for such an assignment as soon as this season, and if Sullivan decides to move Mika Zibanejad back to the middle from the right-wing spot he appeared to embrace late last season, Perreault could receive a training-camp audition for the plum job. More likely, though, is that the 23rd overall pick in 2023 — who many talent evaluators felt was only selected that low because of the loaded nature of that draft — could start his NHL journey by joining Othmann as part of the third-unit solution.

After all, this path has worked for the Rangers multiple times in recent years. Lafreniere eventually graduated from the third line to what became the unquestioned top unit for the 2023-24 season, teaming with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck on one of the most productive lines in the league. Lafreniere delivered 28 goals and 29 assists that season, though he took a serious step back in 2024-25 and will need to regain what looked like an upward trend to his career.

Cuylle made the leap last season after spending a good part of 2023-24 on the third line, becoming a top-six mainstay and turning in a 20-goal, 25-assist, 301-hit effort. He’s expected to remain fully ensconced on one of the top forward units again this season.

The Rangers would certainly love to see marked development from Othmann and Perreault with an eye toward the future, more or less following Cuylle’s path, but they also need it for the present. The Blueshirts’ hopes of returning to the postseason and championship contention depends in large part on whether they can match the depth of their competitors in the Eastern Conference. With their minimal cap space, it’s hard to see a realistic avenue to substantially improving their bottom six from outside the organization.

That means the kids are going to carry the weight of some pressure to produce in 2025-26. There are other potential youngsters who could make an impact, of course — Brett Berard, Noah Laba, Casey Terrance and Adam Sykora, among others, might surprise by competing for a spot on the roster at some point this season.

But Othmann and Perreault are the ones who possess the first-round pedigrees. Given that, it’s probably fair for the Rangers to begin to expect more from at least Othmann, and perhaps Perreault, sooner rather than later.

Who says all hockey news is done by mid-July? Although I’m sure the Rangers folks are happy to be out of the headlines after spending the last six months squarely in the eye of the storm.

Call this the Mike Sullivan effect. Having covered him for the last decade, I will attest that the new Rangers’ bench boss detests outside noise and has borrowed a few pages from Bill Belichick (minus a controlling 20-something girlfriend) on running a tight ship.

And, enjoy a smoother crazy train, Ozzy. It was only fitting to go out with a bang.

New York Rangers

Forever Blueshirts: It was a brutal 2024-25 season for Chris Kreider. The Rangers stalwart sank amidst the internal strife. Teammates also admitted he was playing through significant injuries and personal disappointments. It’s a good read as Kreider is dealing with his new reality in Anaheim and no longer being part of the Rangers roster.

The annual Shoulder Check Showcase is this week, and we will be all over it. Ahead of the event, youth mental health has been a big focus, and former Blueshirts defenseman Kevin Shattenkirk spoke up as he wore a hat for his late former teammate Jimmy Hayes.

NHL Trade Talk & News

You may have noticed we’re spending a little more time with our new colleagues at the Hockey Now network. We haven’t made any public announcements yet, but it will be a fruitful partnership.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: There’s no direct evidence or report, but the circumstantial evidence surely looks like the holdup in the rest of the NHL offseason, and the team gumming up the works is the Rangers’ Metro Division rival, GM Kyle Dubas and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

ESPN: How much would you have paid Kaapo Kakko? Count us as a little surprised that the Seattle Kraken ponied up a three-year extension worth $13.575 million. If you’re counting, that’s an average annual value of $4.525 million. Kakko had 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games after the Rangers traded him to Seattle on Dec. 18.

TSN Video: Changes to Team Canada despite winning the Four Nations Face-Off? Frankie Corrado said there could be some real changes to the Team Canada roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Sportsnet: Speaking of the Penguins, they’re holding on to a unique trade chip. How often is it hard to trade a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman? Yet the Penguins are finding it tough. The Canadian giant put pen to paper for five potential landing spots.

Puckprose: Just think of Connor McDavid on the market. How about Jack Eichel? The league-changing effects of the star-laden list of 2026 UFAs could reshape the balance of power for a decade.

DFO podcast: The Athletic’s Minnesota Wild beat writer Michael Russo dropped some big contract updates. First on Kirill Kaprizov wanting a mega payday, but also the increasingly icy lack of negotiations between the team and Marco Rossi. It’s a drama summer in Minnesota.

Philly Hockey Now: I’ll admit, I love this kid, Matvei Michkov. He’s got the right outlook. Since the 2023 NHL Draft in Nashville, the brash Russian forward has set high expectations for himself, and he also has some strong views on how hockey should be played. He absolutely shredded boring dump-and-chase hockey yesterday. The Philadelphia Flyers have a gem.

New Jersey Hockey Now: It seems the Columbus Blue Jackets are less than eager to trade Yegor Chinakhov, despite his agent’s very public trade request. It’s been a week, and colleague James Nichols tees up Chinakhov as a perfect fit for a New Jersey Devils trade.

After all that stability in New York, the heart-and-soul defenseman has been part of three organizations in the past five months or so.

This latest transition, after he signed a four-year, $18 million contract with the Seattle Kraken at the start of NHL free agency July 1, should be somewhat easier for Lindgren. A big reason is that he is now reunited with good friend and former Rangers teammate Kaapo Kakko.

“He is one of my favorite guys I played with in my career, just such a good dude,” Lindgren said earlier this week. “Everyone loves him, such a hard-working, great player. As soon as he went to Seattle last year, he really took off and played well. I’m excited to be back playing with him and really excited to see him again.”

Though Lindgren played five games with the Rangers in the second half of the 2018-19 season, he and Kakko were rookies together on Broadway in 2019-20, after the Rangers selected Kakko with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Each played important roles helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final in 2022 and 2024.

They were teammates for nearly six full seasons in New York, until Kakko was traded to the Kraken in December for a package that included defenseman Will Borgen. Less than three months later, the Rangers traded Lindgren to the Colorado Avalanche along with forward Jimmy Vesey in exchange for forward Juuso Parssinen and defenseman Calvin de Haan.

As Lindgren said, Kakko’s production improved in Seattle, where he averaged nearly four minutes more TOI per game (17:03) and had 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists) in 49 games after the trade. The 24-year-old is a restricted free agent and filed for salary arbitration with a hearing date still to be decided.

Related: How Adam Fox helped 2 former Rangers teammates get ‘overpaid’ in NHL free agency

Ryan Lindgren was ‘sad’ to leave Rangers, but appreciates new NHL opportunities

Lindgren spent most of his six seasons with the Rangers skating on the top defense pair with Adam Fox. Over 18 games (and another seven in the Stanley Cup Playoffs) with the Avalanche, Lindgren played in the top four of their defense corps, and averaged about a minute less TOI than with the Rangers at 19:00 per game.

His role with the Kraken should be similar as it was with the Avalanche. Lindgren’s expected to be in the top-four, though Vince Dunn likely will remain on the left side of the top pair along side Adam Larsson. That means Lindgren should be on the left side of 2024 Stanley Cup champion Brandon Montour on a shutdown pairing.

Lindgren said he understands that the preseason will be an important time for him to create chemistry with his new teammates. And that’s a far cry of how he and Fox played off one another with the intimate knowledge they had for each other’s tendencies, and strengths and weaknesses.

“I played with ‘Foxy’ for the majority of my NHL career; that was a lot of fun,” Lindgren explained. “Now it’s time to move on and play with someone new. It starts right in training camp. Everyone kind of seems like they play with everyone throughout camp. You just try to build chemistry, see what works with guys, try to figure it out, whether it’s in practices or games. I’m really excited for that opportunity.”

Lindgren never wanted to leave the Rangers, and hoped he’d work out a new contract to avoid free agency. Instead, the Rangers traded the 2022-23 Steven McDonald Extra Effort Award winner and embarked on a major shakeup of their defense corps, which culminated this week when they signed free agent Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-year, $49 million contract and then traded K’Andre Miller.

“At first, you’re very sad to leave a team, but you go to another team and realize, just meeting everyone and we start playing games, it’s a blast,” Lindgren offered. “It was a lot of fun to do that in Colorado. Now finding out I get to go to Seattle to start that journey all over again, meet a bunch of great, new people and start fresh, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Kakko was scratched for Finland’s first game, a 6-1 loss to the United States on Thursday. But he was in their lineup Saturday for a thrilling 4-3 overtime win against arch-rival Sweden.

Not only that, Kakko played alongside Aleksander Barkov and Mikko Rantanen, two star players, after the first period. And he assisted on Barkov’s goal that tied the game 3-3 at 17:05 of the second period.

“Kaapo, he started really well, so that was the one reason why we needed to put him on the first line,” Finland coach Antti Pennanen said. “Some fresh legs and he can win the battles, and as we saw he can go to the net. That was one change we needed.”

Kakko got to the net on the tying goal and, in fact, it appeared that perhaps he was the one who scored it. The 6-foot-1, 215-pound forward bulled to the net after Finland’s zone entry and got his stick on a hard pass from defenseman Olli Maatta. Apparently, Barkov also got his stick on the puck as it deflected over the goal line.

TIE GAME AGAIN!

Aleksander Barkov makes it 3-3! 🇫🇮#4Nations | @FlaPanthers

pic.twitter.com/VeTnmqzIbM

— NHL Media (@NHLMedia) February 15, 2025

It didn’t matter who scored it. Finland carried that tie through a scoreless third period before Mikael Granlund netter the winner at 1:49 of overtime. Rangers center Mika Zibanejad, Kakko’s former teammate, opened the scoring for Sweden with an unassisted goal at 8:35 of the first period.

Kakko earned an assist and had two shots on goal in 13:13 TOI, all but five seconds at even strength.

Related: Why Rangers’ Chris Kreider could get first opportunity at 4 Nations Face-Off

Kaapo Kakko making most of second opportunities after being cast off by Rangers

To Kakko’s credit, there were no complaints from him when he was scratched against the U.S. Perhaps his up-and-down tenure with the Rangers helped prepare him to handle the scratch with the right attitude.

“I get it. It’s a lot of good players. I’m happy to be here. I’m just trying to enjoy my time,” Kakko told Mollie Walker of the New York Post last week. “I’m also ready all the time. If they need to change something, I’m ready to go.”

Kakko proved that Saturday. And now he’s an important piece for Finland, which plays a must-win game Monday at TD Garden against Canada. The United States secured a spot in the 4 Nations championship game, set for Thursday. But Finland, Canada and Sweden each have two points. So Monday is a massive day.

The 24-year-old forward is ready for the challenge. His confidence is much higher now after the Rangers traded him in December to the Seattle Kraken as part of a deal where the Blueshirts landed defenseman Will Borgen.

Kakko has 17 points (five goals, 12 assists) in 24 games playing in the Kraken’s top six. His 17:35 average TOI with the Kraken is more than four minutes per game higher than what he averaged this season in 30 games with the Rangers. He had four goals and 14 points with the Rangers before the trade and never had more than 18 goals and 40 points on Broadway.

“They really want me there,” Kakko said about the Kraken. “They’re going to give me a chance; that’s what they told me.”

But before he returns to Seattle to keep building on his new opportunity, there’s a chance to make incredible memories this week at the 4 Nations. And he’s already making the most of this latest opportunity on the international stage.

Miller’s first shift featured him in the middle of a mini-melee in front of the Finnish net. Though he didn’t have a shot on goal in the game, Miller did finish with three hits and was solid on the perfect United States PK.

J.T. Miller is causing a ruckus already. #NYR pic.twitter.com/W3vXzqBqmV

— Snark Messier (@SnarkMessier) February 14, 2025

Trocheck also played a big role on the PK, especially when he and Miller teamed up front to kill the majority of a 4-on-3 disadvantage in the third period. Oh, and Trocheck delivered an absolute bomb of a hit early in the first period. You know, just to let the Finns know that the U.S. was there and serious about this tournament.

It felt like the two Rangers forwards were playing tone-setting playoff hockey. If the Rangers can actually make the final cut into the Stanley Cup Playoffs this spring, these two wrecking balls will be fun to watch.

As for Adam Fox, it didn’t feel like he was a difference maker over his 18-plus minutes for Team USA. Maybe he was more feeling his way. Perhaps he’s getting used to not being head-and-shoulders better than every other defenseman on his own team. Still, the U.S. power play picked up steam with Zach Werenski running point rather than when Fox did.

Fox did nothing to hurt Team USA, that’s for sure. He just wasn’t a standout. But in the end, that’s OK in a 6-1 victory, when the U.S. pulled away with four goals in the third period.

On the other side, Urho Vaakanainen logged the least ice time — just north of 13 minutes — of any Finnish defenseman. He was minus-2, on ice when Matt Boldy’s perfect deflection make it 2-1 U.S. late in the second period and again when Brady Tkachuk scored his second of the game three minutes into the third period off a feed from Auston Matthews.

Already looking ahead to Saturday, which should be a fun day of great hockey at the 4 Nations Face-Off. First, Sweden and Finland meet in the afternoon at Bell Centre. Then the United States and Canada hook up in the evening.

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New York Rangers news

Brennan Othmann — photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack

Former Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko was scratched by Finland. Current Rangers forward Chris Kreider was scratched by the United States.

Since we are at a break in the NHL schedule, we handed out report cards for each of the Rangers forwards.

And in case you missed it, earlier in the week, we graded each of the Rangers goalies and defensemen.

Brennan Othmann is on a heater with the Hartford Wolf Pack. The key Rangers forward prospect has seven goals in his past nine games, including the tying and winning goals in a 4-3 OT win Wednesday.

How about Dave Maloney explaining to us why Jacob Trouba was the “spiritual leader” of the Rangers before he was traded to the Anaheim Ducks?

NHL news

Vegas Golden Knights defenseman Shea Theodore is week to week with an upper-body injury that he sustained in Canada’s 4-3 overtime win against Sweden at the 4 Nations.

Travis Sanheim will replace Theodore in Canada’s lineup moving forward. Here’s a look at what the Philadelphia Flyers defenseman brings.

Since Canada is down to six healthy defensemen, the Canadians reportedly have Thomas Harley of the Dallas Stars flying to Boston to be on standby if needed later in the tournament. Per the rules, Harley is not allowed to practice with Canada unless they have fewer than six healthy d-men.

After Juuse Saros allowed six goals Thursday, Finland is mulling a switch to Vancouver Canucks goalie Kevin Lankinen for their clash with Sweden on Saturday.

On the trade rumors front, former Rangers forward Vladimir Tarasenko could be on the move again, this time with the Detroit Red Wings looking into trading the two-time Stanley Cup winner.

The Boston Bruins need to figure out their plan ahead of the trade deadline, with queries reportedly coming in about defenseman Brandon Carlo and forward Morgan Geekie, plus the non-stop Brad Marchand rumors.

Watch the Tkachuk brothers combine to score four goals — two each — for the United States on Thursday.

It appears New Jersey Devils center Erik Haula landed the final lineup spot over Kakko, who has played some of his best hockey since being traded by New York to the Seattle Kraken on Dec. 18. Kakko has five goals and 17 points in 24 games with the Kraken after scoring just four goals and totaling 14 points in 30 games with the Rangers this season.

Even so, he’ll be sitting out for Finland’s first game of the tournament against the United States.

Kakko slated to be healthy scratch for tonight’s Finland-USA match. pic.twitter.com/nepf7XGlnD

— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) February 13, 2025

Joining Kakko in the press box will be current Rangers forward Chris Kreider, who’s being scratched by the United States in their tournament opener.

Earlier in the week, Kreider praised his former teammate.

“I really enjoyed playing with (Kakko),” Kreider said Wednesday. “The more he opened up, I realized just what a funny guy he was. When he came over as an 18-year-old, came over as a kid, I feel like he’s just grown up so much. The way he went about he business every single day, he was a pro right from the get-go.”

Kreider and Kakko played together with the Rangers for each of Kakko’s five-plus seasons in New York, and on multiple occasions were paired on the same line. Despite being a healthy scratch in the first game of the tournament, Kreider knows that Kakko can provide a lot to the Finnish squad.

“What can he bring to a tournament like this? I mean I think the skill kind of speaks for itself,” Kreider stated. “When he’s got the puck, you can’t take it off of him. He’s a bull, he can create offense by himself, he can beat guys by himself. He’s a heck of a player.”

Related: Grading Rangers forwards at 4 Nations break in NHL schedule

Ex-Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko scratched for Finland at 4 Nations Face-Off

Yet Kakko, who railed against the Rangers after he was a healthy scratch for one game shortly before he was traded, will sit and watch Thursday. Kaako has represented Finland with honors previously on the international level, including 2019 when he scored the Golden Goal in a 3-2 win against the United States at the World Junior Championship.

Kakko then helped Finland capture the gold medal at the 2019 World Championships, when he scored six goals in 10 games at just 18 years old.

So impressive was Kakko that the Rangers selected him with the No. 2 overall selection in the 2019 NHL Draft after the Devils chose Jack Hughes. Kakko never scored more than 18 goals or 40 points with the Rangers.

Even with Kakko, Finland has a formidable lineup.

Here’s the projected lineup for Finland against the United States:

Artturi Lehkonen – Aleksander Barkov – Mikko Rantanen
Roope Hintz – Senastian Aho – Patrik Laine
Eetu Luostarinen – Anton Lundell – Mikael Granlund
Teuvo Teravainen – Erik Haula – Joel Armia

Niko Mikkola – Esa Lindell
Urho Vaakanainen – Nikolas Matinpalo
Olli Maatta – Henri Jokiharju

Juuse Saros
Kevin Lankinen

Rangers’ defenseman Urho Vaakanainen will slot in on the second defense pair for Finland, and former Rangers defenseman Niko Mikkola will play on the top pair. Jusse Saros gets the nod in goal.

While it seems like a tall task at hand, Finland should draw inspiration from the performance put up by Sweden on Wednesday night against Canada. Sweden rallied from two goals down twice to force overtime, though they lost 4-3.

Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad nearly cashed in the overtime winner for Sweden, but it was Mitch Marner of Canada who eventually scored the winner at 6:06 of OT.

Other Rangers in action Thursday night for the United States are defenseman Adam Fox, and forwards Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller.