Kaapo Kakko's strong start for the Rangers helps his chances of making Finland's 4 Nations Face-Off roster

When The Athletic posted an article this week projecting the rosters of the teams in February’s 4 Nations Face-Off, they included Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko on their version for Finland.

To which Kakko said, basically, that’s nice.

“I mean, that's not the Team Finland head coach, so, I don't know,’’ he told Newsday Wednesday. “There's still a lot of games before that (the tournament runs Feb. 12-20), and I mean, I just try to play as good as I can. I'm not thinking about it… Always, when I get out there, I try to do my best.’’

But whether or not Kakko ends up actually making the Finland roster, the idea that he could is a testament to the fact that the 23-year-old is having a strong start to the season. Entering Thursday’s home game against the Buffalo Sabres, Kakko had one goal and six assists through 11 games. But his play has been noticeably more forceful, more impactful, more effective than at any time last season.

“I feel it’s an OK start for me for the season,’’ he said. “It's still only 11 games played. There’s a lot of games left. But easily, it’s a better start than last year, so I’m happy about that.’’

In the first 10 games, his line, with his longtime center Filip Chytil and second-year left wing Will Cuylle, outscored opponents 9-0 in 101 minutes, 27 seconds together, according to the analytics site Natural Stat Trick. For the last game, Sunday’s 5-2 win over the Islanders, Cuylle was moved off the line and replaced by Chris Kreider, and in that game the line of Kreider, Chytil and Kakko didn’t score or concede a goal, and outshot their opponents 6-5.

Still, Kakko insists that as good as he feels this season, he doesn't believe he’s doing anything different than last season, when he started out on the top line with Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, but eventually was dropped to the third line, got injured, and had a disappointing 13 goals and 19 points in 61 games.

“When you're not playing well, your confidence is kind of – it's not good, you know? So I think that was kind of the problem,’’ he said. “But right now we've been scoring goals. Maybe I’ve been a little more lucky.’’

“I think sometimes you come into camp and maybe you are a little bit more motivated,’’ coach Peter Laviolette said when asked about the difference between Kakko this year and last. “You might not think about it that way, or you might not think there's anything different. But… we both said at the end of last year, (the challenge was) just trying to -- for him to come in and understand that he can take charge of that. And I think he has.

“He came into training camp and he was trying to play a more direct game, with more speed, and more pucks on the net,’’ Laviolette said. “I do think that having to Fil back, healthy, and as a complement to him, I think that helps the line. And then when you're finding positive shifts, and you're in the offensive zone, and you're contributing offensively, I think that helps build your confidence a little bit. So maybe there is a difference from that from last year.’’

Kakko, whose plus-8 rating was tied with defenseman Braden Schneider for second-highest on the team, behind Chytil and Cuylle’s plus-10, said recently that not getting scored on has been a bigger focus for him.

But Chytil, who’s been Kakko’s centerman for most of his six years in the league, said he hopes Kakko doesn’t begin to think of himself as a checking forward, but continues to press his offense, as well.

“I think he should keep doing the things that brought him here, and get better at them,’’ Chytil said. “He's playing very good, even defensively. And otherwise he just keeps growing as a player.’’

Notes & quotes: Igor Shesterkin made his fourth straight start in net … Forward Jonny Brodzinski and rookie D Victor Mancini were the scratches for the second straight game.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.