elmaco
Registered Hockey Fan
- Feb 1, 2017
- 2,719
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Granted Bread has been alright this season. Scratch Zib then, he's horrendous.
Kaapo Kakko 13 points in 14 games after getting traded from NYR to SEA
- Thread starter ijuka
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I just don't think teams realistically scratch their 1st line center and big money earners. They demoted Kreider and I think might have healthy scratched him for a game. But teams, not just the Rangers typically don't scratch these types of players. It's fun to rag on the Rangers for it, but it's just not done.
The don godfather
Registered User
Please I'm sure if seattle turns around and trades kakko now they gonna get more then a will borgen a lot more. Its early though and hopefully for rags fans he slows down a bit . I myself picked him up in the hockey fantasy league cause I think the kids talented and gonna keep a good pace of point totals up. If I were you I would be worried on the other top pick guy named laf hes not playing to that 8mil contract and might be had for next to nothing. Rags have a history of high draft pick busts it's really quite a story.
elmaco
Registered Hockey Fan
- Feb 1, 2017
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They absolutely should do that. Do you think this a charity? Sucking Zibs **** when he does jack shit and then scratch Kakko who was one of the few plus players on your roster. Mind boggling.
It's not charity but it's also not a hockey message board. That shit is never done. I'm not saying I don't want it done. But literally no hockey team or almost no hockey team operates like that.
So the Rangers have a history of high draft pick busts and Laf is a bust but somehow the Rangers should have gotten a ton for Kakko? You really can't have it both ways. Is he a bust or a talented kid that had a ton of value? You're making ZERO sense. And you're just trolling at this point.
elmaco
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ElLeetch
Registered User
- Mar 28, 2018
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100% this, always. they are terrible and worthless until they are on another team. every time.
People just can't get over their NY envy.
I always thought he was. Had great metrics on top line, bad puck luck, and was never given a shot again
Patmac40
BESTPOSTERINTHEGAME
Outside of maybe fans of the Devils and the Islanders I don’t think anyone spends much time thinking about the Rangers.
I think Kakko came into a pretty solid forward group and was always one of the odd men out of the top 6 with the wingers there. Now he gets to a place where it’s a younger group and he’s probably given a bit more grace from the coaching staff to just go play his game rather than complement his linemates. He probably would’ve had better development if he didn’t jump to the NHL right away and he could have came in a little more polished and able to play his game within the Rangers system. He was physically ready but could have been further along in his development before jumping into a roster in a role that might not yield the offensive opportunities to build his confidence.
And sometimes there’s a mental thing if you’ve struggled in the same place for years where you need the change of scenery before you can truly be in the right spot to perform well.
Senor Catface
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Lock your doors and windows KK, you may have a stalker in your midst
elmaco
Registered Hockey Fan
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superdeluxe
NAFO
Would have loved him in Colorado, he was never going to break out in NYR, but there is a good, undervalued player in there who could become a very useful player for any team.
DEANYOUNGBLOOD17
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- May 10, 2011
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Max Trowbridge wonMan I was so sure Wolski was gonna be a beast
2 prime time Emmys for best supporting actor playing Detective “Wojo” - (ski) between 1975-1982 on That TV show Barney Miller .Him and that guy who played Fish ( and was also in the original Goddather movie) carried that New York TV show (Barney miller)
There’s only one puck / on Broadway and the Big apple
!!!!!- you need stars- beasts / good supporting Actors/ players…… right down to the Towel boy 
and the retired long time Athletic therapist Jim Ramsey!They should have promoted current Winnipeg Jets Coach and past NYR Assistant coach Scott Arniel to help Run the Big City zoo (Rangers ) as Arniel only has the small town WPG Jets in first place!
Kakko would have had a different result on 30 other teams….. ( I said 30 teams as The French Montreal fans would have screwed him up as well).
cvaicunas
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This is the best the internet is going to offer me today. I can log off now
Bruce Granville
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Dead Coyote
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Damn I hope she comes to the Seattle boards lol
Kakko talks openly about his frustrations and disappointments while playing in New York.
www.is.fi
In English:
A few days before Christmas, Kaapo Kakko, 23, received a relieving phone call: he had been traded from the New York Rangers to the Seattle Kraken.
While playing for the Rangers, Kakko couldn’t openly admit it, but this was the moment he had been waiting for. He was ready to leave New York, where his passion for the game had seemingly been lost somewhere in the depths of Madison Square Garden.
"Of course, I couldn’t say it out loud, but for quite some time, I had the feeling that I wouldn’t really mind a change of scenery," Kakko admits.
"At the same time, there are mixed emotions tied to the trade. The New York organization is amazing, and everything was familiar and safe, but I wanted to see something new."
Kakko arrived in Manhattan in the fall of 2019 with high expectations. The Rangers had drafted him second overall, but the Finnish forward’s game never clicked under the bright lights. He remained a supporting player.
"I was never one of the team’s top players, always stuck in the third line with fairly limited minutes. There were nights when I felt good on the ice and had the energy to push hard, but I just wasn’t given the trust. I felt I had much more to give," Kakko reflects.
"That’s why I often thought my career might take off in another organization."
Kakko isn’t entirely convinced he got enough chances to play in the top lines during his time in New York.
"Sure, if I had been good enough, I would’ve earned more ice time from the opportunities I was given," Kakko admits.
During his six and a half seasons with the Rangers, Kakko had brief stints in the top lines, but the reality wasn’t as rosy as it might have appeared on paper.
One example Kakko points to is the 2023–24 season, which ultimately became one of the toughest of his career, partly due to injuries.
"I had scored 40 points the previous season with fairly limited ice time, so expectations were high for the next season. The new coach, Peter Laviolette, told me, Alex Lafrenière, and Filip Chytil that his job was to help us develop further. I thought, ‘This is my chance to reach the next level,’" Kakko recounts.
Things initially looked promising. Kakko started the season on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
"I got about 10 games there, but it didn’t take off at all."
In name, Kakko played on the top line, but in reality, he spent a lot of time on the bench. Zibanejad and Kreider also played penalty kill and were fixtures on the Rangers’ first power-play unit, where Kakko wasn’t included.
"My rhythm was completely disrupted because I’d sit on the bench for long stretches. Even Zibanejad and Kreider struggled at five-on-five, but they were putting up numbers on the power play."
After the 10-game trial, Kakko was demoted and spent the rest of the season in his usual spot on the third line.
"There were games where I only played about eight minutes."
One night during an away game in Anaheim, Kakko had had enough.
"I was sitting on the bench again for ages and thought, ‘How the hell did this happen again?’"
The Finnish forward’s career under the Manhattan spotlight got off to a rocky start, and he never managed to break out of his shell. The blame for Kakko’s struggles lies partly with the team and partly with the player himself. The Rangers failed to get the best out of him, but Kakko also wasn’t good enough to force his way to the top.
"When I got a chance in the top lines, I thought, ‘I absolutely have to succeed now so my linemates are happy and things work out.’ And if I happened to lose the puck, I knew I’d be back in the third line in no time. That definitely showed in my play," Kakko reflects.
And it did. Kakko played reliable, basic hockey and was defensively responsible. Advanced stats loved his game, but the spark was missing. He avoided risks, and the points didn’t come.
"The things I now dare to do in Seattle, I didn’t really do at all in New York," Kakko says.
Wearing the Kraken jersey, Kakko looks reborn. He constantly demands the puck and drives the play for his line.
"It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders as soon as I got here. I’ve been playing consistently with big minutes. There are rough shifts here and there, but they’re quickly forgotten when you only sit on the bench for a short time before jumping back on the ice," Kakko says happily.
In Seattle, Kakko has seen ice times as high as 19–20 minutes per game, a stark contrast to his 13-minute average in New York.
His coach’s first instruction caught him off guard.
"As soon as I got here, they told me that losing the puck sometimes is just part of the game. I hadn’t thought about hockey that way in years," Kakko reveals.
"That’s probably why I’ve been able to play much more boldly now. I’m no longer focused on not losing the puck at the blue line but instead feel confident making cross-ice passes. They’ve started to work, and the results have come. This is the kind of player I was drafted to be."
In New York, hockey had started to feel like a chore.
"Especially last season, there were tough times. I’d get myself ready for game day, but too often, I’d leave the rink barely even breaking a sweat. Playing started to feel like going to work. Now, it’s amazing to head to the rink," Kakko says.
Kakko has quickly noticed changes in his body since moving to Seattle.
"I’ve been playing almost double the minutes here, but my legs feel fresher," he marvels.
"In New York, my legs often felt heavy after sitting on the bench for so long. I kept wondering if I was out of shape or what was wrong because even with only 10–11 minutes of ice time, I couldn’t get going. And I trained hard every summer."
It helps that Kakko’s line with Matthew Beniers and Jaden Schwartz is currently clicking beautifully. The initial excitement likely won’t last forever.
"This probably won’t last like this all the time. But I’m enjoying it now. I feel like everything depends on me. I don’t want to complain too much about my time in New York, but the trust in me here is on a completely different level. It makes everything easier," Kakko says.
Kaapo Kakko has rediscovered his love for the game and his lost confidence in Seattle.
"I’ve noticed that the downside of our bold, puck-heavy style is that sometimes we’re a bit too daring. There are moments when we need to play smarter. That’s something I learned during my time with the disciplined Rangers," Kakko concludes.
Valmentajan ensimmäinen ohje uudessa NHL-seurassa löi Kaapo Kakon ällikällä – muutti kaiken
Kaapo Kakko on pelannut NHL:ssä jo kuusi ja puoli kautta. Ura New Yorkissa eteni tahmeasti, mutta hän on löytänyt peli-ilon Seattlesta. Kakko paljastaa nyt, mikä hänen mielestään meni pieleen New Yorkissa.
www.is.fi
In English:
A few days before Christmas, Kaapo Kakko, 23, received a relieving phone call: he had been traded from the New York Rangers to the Seattle Kraken.
While playing for the Rangers, Kakko couldn’t openly admit it, but this was the moment he had been waiting for. He was ready to leave New York, where his passion for the game had seemingly been lost somewhere in the depths of Madison Square Garden.
"Of course, I couldn’t say it out loud, but for quite some time, I had the feeling that I wouldn’t really mind a change of scenery," Kakko admits.
"At the same time, there are mixed emotions tied to the trade. The New York organization is amazing, and everything was familiar and safe, but I wanted to see something new."
Kakko arrived in Manhattan in the fall of 2019 with high expectations. The Rangers had drafted him second overall, but the Finnish forward’s game never clicked under the bright lights. He remained a supporting player.
"I was never one of the team’s top players, always stuck in the third line with fairly limited minutes. There were nights when I felt good on the ice and had the energy to push hard, but I just wasn’t given the trust. I felt I had much more to give," Kakko reflects.
"That’s why I often thought my career might take off in another organization."
Divided Opinions in New York
Kakko’s departure sparked debate among Rangers fans. Some felt the Finn was mistreated, while others believed he had been given ample opportunity to prove himself.Kakko isn’t entirely convinced he got enough chances to play in the top lines during his time in New York.
"Sure, if I had been good enough, I would’ve earned more ice time from the opportunities I was given," Kakko admits.
During his six and a half seasons with the Rangers, Kakko had brief stints in the top lines, but the reality wasn’t as rosy as it might have appeared on paper.
One example Kakko points to is the 2023–24 season, which ultimately became one of the toughest of his career, partly due to injuries.
"I had scored 40 points the previous season with fairly limited ice time, so expectations were high for the next season. The new coach, Peter Laviolette, told me, Alex Lafrenière, and Filip Chytil that his job was to help us develop further. I thought, ‘This is my chance to reach the next level,’" Kakko recounts.
Things initially looked promising. Kakko started the season on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider.
"I got about 10 games there, but it didn’t take off at all."
In name, Kakko played on the top line, but in reality, he spent a lot of time on the bench. Zibanejad and Kreider also played penalty kill and were fixtures on the Rangers’ first power-play unit, where Kakko wasn’t included.
"My rhythm was completely disrupted because I’d sit on the bench for long stretches. Even Zibanejad and Kreider struggled at five-on-five, but they were putting up numbers on the power play."
After the 10-game trial, Kakko was demoted and spent the rest of the season in his usual spot on the third line.
"There were games where I only played about eight minutes."
One night during an away game in Anaheim, Kakko had had enough.
"I was sitting on the bench again for ages and thought, ‘How the hell did this happen again?’"
Finding Joy in Seattle
Kakko’s frustrating journey in New York illustrates that sometimes, the time and place simply aren’t right for a player.The Finnish forward’s career under the Manhattan spotlight got off to a rocky start, and he never managed to break out of his shell. The blame for Kakko’s struggles lies partly with the team and partly with the player himself. The Rangers failed to get the best out of him, but Kakko also wasn’t good enough to force his way to the top.
"When I got a chance in the top lines, I thought, ‘I absolutely have to succeed now so my linemates are happy and things work out.’ And if I happened to lose the puck, I knew I’d be back in the third line in no time. That definitely showed in my play," Kakko reflects.
And it did. Kakko played reliable, basic hockey and was defensively responsible. Advanced stats loved his game, but the spark was missing. He avoided risks, and the points didn’t come.
"The things I now dare to do in Seattle, I didn’t really do at all in New York," Kakko says.
Wearing the Kraken jersey, Kakko looks reborn. He constantly demands the puck and drives the play for his line.
"It felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders as soon as I got here. I’ve been playing consistently with big minutes. There are rough shifts here and there, but they’re quickly forgotten when you only sit on the bench for a short time before jumping back on the ice," Kakko says happily.
In Seattle, Kakko has seen ice times as high as 19–20 minutes per game, a stark contrast to his 13-minute average in New York.
His coach’s first instruction caught him off guard.
"As soon as I got here, they told me that losing the puck sometimes is just part of the game. I hadn’t thought about hockey that way in years," Kakko reveals.
"That’s probably why I’ve been able to play much more boldly now. I’m no longer focused on not losing the puck at the blue line but instead feel confident making cross-ice passes. They’ve started to work, and the results have come. This is the kind of player I was drafted to be."
In New York, hockey had started to feel like a chore.
"Especially last season, there were tough times. I’d get myself ready for game day, but too often, I’d leave the rink barely even breaking a sweat. Playing started to feel like going to work. Now, it’s amazing to head to the rink," Kakko says.
Kakko has quickly noticed changes in his body since moving to Seattle.
"I’ve been playing almost double the minutes here, but my legs feel fresher," he marvels.
"In New York, my legs often felt heavy after sitting on the bench for so long. I kept wondering if I was out of shape or what was wrong because even with only 10–11 minutes of ice time, I couldn’t get going. And I trained hard every summer."
It helps that Kakko’s line with Matthew Beniers and Jaden Schwartz is currently clicking beautifully. The initial excitement likely won’t last forever.
"This probably won’t last like this all the time. But I’m enjoying it now. I feel like everything depends on me. I don’t want to complain too much about my time in New York, but the trust in me here is on a completely different level. It makes everything easier," Kakko says.
Kaapo Kakko has rediscovered his love for the game and his lost confidence in Seattle.
Room for Team Improvement
As a team, Seattle still has areas to improve."I’ve noticed that the downside of our bold, puck-heavy style is that sometimes we’re a bit too daring. There are moments when we need to play smarter. That’s something I learned during my time with the disciplined Rangers," Kakko concludes.
