Rangers' Kaapo Kakko showing he can thrive at both ends of ice
The Rangers' Kaapo Kakko practices at training camp on Sept. 22 in Tarrytown, N.Y. Credit: Corey Sipkin
NEWARK — When new Rangers coach Peter Laviolette looks at young right wing Kaapo Kakko, he sees a lot of possibilities.
“He's a guy I feel that can really possess the puck and make things happen,’’ Laviolette said last week of Kakko. “He has a big frame and high skill level. He uses his body well to protect it in the offensive zone and to make things happen. I do think he's a good two-way player. I think he's smart. And so, that for me is a lot of options to think about him in both directions — on the defensive side of things and the offensive side of things.’’
On the first day of practice at training camp, Laviolette had Kakko on what looked like a checking line, with Vincent Trocheck in the middle and Barclay Goodrow on the left. On Wednesday night, in the Rangers’ 5-2 loss to the Devils in penultimate game of the preseason, he had him on the top line, with Mika Zibanejad in the middle and Artemi Panarin on the left. Kakko had an assist, though it came while he was double-shifting on the third line, with Will Cuylle and Barclay Goodrow.
Kakko agreed with Laviolette’s assessment of him as a two-way player, and generally, the analytics support that. The 22-year-old Finn has played with a lot of different linemates in his four NHL seasons, and whatever line he’s been on generally has been better with him on it, as opposed to without him.
“I think I've been good . . . in the ‘D’ zone,’’ Kakko said after Wednesday’s morning skate. “I [was] better last year, also, in the ‘O’ zone. So I think it's true.’’
Kakko admitted that getting a chance to play with the team’s top two offensive forwards clearly represented an opportunity for him to showcase what he can do with increased responsibility and ice time. But he also acknowledged that playing with Panarin and Zibanejad might require some adjustment.
“Yeah, I mean, sometimes I try to keep the puck . . . but those two guys are good at that, and they like to do it also,’’ he said. “I think ‘Bread’ [Panarin] usually keeps the puck, and, maybe then for me [the role is] just try to find the open space and get ready for a good pass . . . If I were playing with [Alexis Lafrenière] and [Filip Chytil] last year, it's more like everyone used to keep the puck a little. We all can do that.’’
The 6-2, 206-pound Kakko is especially good at winning the puck on the boards and holding it in the offensive zone, though. Zibanejad, who’s played with him in the past, knows that.
“He's done it a lot of times where he kind of just puts a guy on his back for 20 seconds and then the guy, eventually, [can’t] defend for that long against the one guy,’’ Zibanejad said.
Blue notes
Rangers F Tyler Pitlick left the game after the first period with an upper-body injury. Laviolette called him “day-to-day right now,’’ and said he will be evaluated Thursday … The Rangers, who fell to 1-4 this preseason, host Boston on Thursday ... Cuylle and Adam Fox (5-on-3 power play) scored the Rangers’ goals. The Devils, who were 3-for-5 on the power play, got goals from Jesper Bratt, Luke Hughes, Dawson Mercer, Jack Hughes and an empty-netter from Nico Hischier … Jonathan Quick played the entire game in goal and allowed four goals on 19 shots. Dylan Garand backed him up . . . C Filip Chytil missed his eighth day with an upper-body injury, but Laviolette seemed optimistic about his progress. “The reports this morning were really good, that he had a really good skate, really good workout with the coaches, and is just progressing in the right direction,’’ Laviolette said. The coach wouldn’t promise Chytil will be ready for the regular-season opener Oct. 12, but said “that’s the plan.’’
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.
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