Kaapo Kakko is hoping for “a recent begin” with the Seattle Kraken after five-plus inconsistent and, at instances, tumultuous seasons with the New York Rangers.
The Kraken acquired Kakko, the 23-year-old ahead in his sixth NHL season, from the Rangers on Wednesday for defenseman Will Borgen, and a third- and sixth-round choose within the 2025 NHL Draft.
Kakko, chosen by the Rangers with the No. 2 choose within the 2019 NHL Draft, will make his Kraken debut towards the Chicago Blackhawks at United Center on Thursday (8:30 p.m. ET; CHSN+, KHN, KONG).
“I hope I’m going to get an opportunity over right here,” Kakko mentioned after Seattle’s morning skate Thursday. “I feel that’s what the coach is telling me right here, simply play your sport and so they’re going to belief me. That’s all that I want. What I’m going to do out there’s on me. I’m enthusiastic about that and able to get on the market and get issues going.”
It’s been a attempting week for Kakko.
On Sunday, he was a wholesome scratch for the primary time this season in what was a 3-2 loss towards the St. Louis Blues at Enterprise Center. Kakko was additionally scratched as soon as within the Stanley Cup Playoffs final season.
The benching on Sunday annoyed Kakko, who had 14 factors (4 targets, 10 assists) and was a plus-9 in 30 video games with the Rangers this season after struggling to supply and play with consistency final season, when he had 19 factors (six targets, 13 assists) in 61 video games.
On Tuesday, Kakko expressed his frustration at being a scratch previous to getting again in New York’s lineup towards the Nashville Predators at Bridgestone Arena.
He mentioned he was stunned that he was singled out, saying, “it’s simple to choose the younger man and put him out,” and “I’ve not been the worst.”
The Rangers (15-15-1) misplaced 2-0 in Nashville, their eleventh loss previously 14 video games. Kakko performed a game-low 10:14 and had three pictures on aim.
On Wednesday, after leaving the lodge sauna in Dallas, Kakko discovered from New York normal supervisor Chris Drury that he had been traded to the Kraken (15-16-2).
Seattle normal supervisor Ron Francis mentioned he had been discussing a commerce for Kakko with Drury for a few week however talks escalated after Kakko was scratched.
Francis mentioned he wasn’t positive if Kakko’s feedback had something to do with the timing of the commerce.
“I might suppose when he was wholesome scratched that Chris received plenty of calls, not simply from me,” Francis mentioned. “That tends to be the character of the beast in our enterprise. We had already began having conversations when the feedback got here out. It’s type of an ungainly scenario, proper. You’ve received a disgruntled man in your locker room. So did that velocity issues up? It in all probability did, however on the finish of the day I feel Chris wasn’t simply going to do one thing to do one thing.”
Kakko mentioned he doesn’t suppose his feedback, which he admitted have been out of frustration, received him traded. The Rangers have mentioned privately one had nothing to do with the opposite.
“I feel the crew was enjoying not nicely sufficient,” Kakko mentioned. “A whole lot of good gamers over there. I feel (they) must do one thing over there. I used to be type of ready for one thing to occur. I knew additionally it may be me.”
