Rangers' Kaapo Kakko wants to help top line produce more offense

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Life should be pretty good for Kaapo Kakko right now.

He is playing on the Rangers' top line and coach Peter Laviolette so far has followed through on his commitment to giving big minutes to Kakko and his former Kid Line buddies Filip Chytil and Alexis Lafrenière. Plus, the team is winning games – five of the first seven, including three in a row heading into Saturday night’s game at Rogers Arena against the Canucks.

So why is the 22-year-old Kakko still feeling so uneasy?

“I think we played better together last year,’’ he said a few days ago of his line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad. “Especially me. I feel like I can be better with those guys. I mean, there's good things on forecheck – the forechecking is pretty good. But still, it's the top line, so I think we need to get more chances in the ‘O’ zone. That's what we need to do.’’

According to Laviolette, he is satisfied with Kakko’s play, even if the young Finn isn’t.

“I think it's a good start for him and for that line,’’ Laviolette said after the 3-1 win over Calgary on Tuesday, a game in which Kakko was limited to 12:50 of ice time due to all the power plays and penalty kills. “I think he's done a good job. He brings size and speed to that line. They had a couple of chances to score on one shift. He made a really smart, quick play on the backhand to fit it down to ‘Kreids’ and they got a quick two-on-one at the net. And that's the type of vision and hockey sense that he brings to that line.’’

The analytics say the line is playing well. According to Natural Stat Trick, in its 77:07 on ice this season, the trio outshot its opponents 38-28, outchanced them 36-22, and had 18 high-danger chances while allowing nine. They had outscored their opponents 2-1.

Still, Kakko, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft, is bothered by the fact he had just one goal and one assist in the first seven games.

“Playing with those guys on the first line, you want to score some goals [and] stay in that spot,’’ he said. “There's all the other things, like [winning puck battles] on the boards, and in the ‘D’ zone, getting the pucks out. I think those are things I've been getting better and better at … But the next thing is scoring goals.’’

The top line has struggled to score at even strength. Kreider had five goals going into Saturday, but three were on the power play and one was shorthanded. Zibanejad, who had 39 goals last season, has not scored in the first seven games.

The second line of Artemi Panarin, Chytil and Lafrenière had more than picked up the slack, the power play (fifth in the league at 30.4% efficiency) had been a weapon, and the team defense and goaltending had been good, allowing the second-fewest (13) goals in the league.

But their 22 goals scored before Saturday was 18th in the 32-team league. And that’s what Kakko wants to improve.

“I’m just trying to get some chances for [Kreider and Zibanejad], and also for me,’’ he said. “I feel we’re forechecking a lot. But then after that, when we get the puck, we need to make . . . something. We need to make the plays behind the net, where I'm good, [and] Kreids is good. And [we need to] try to find Mika in front of the net. Those are the things I think we did better last season when we started.

“But I think it's coming,’’ he said. “I hope so.’’

Kreider is convinced, too.

“It’s the law of averages,’’ he said. “Just give ourselves a chance to consistently generate chances and pucks will start going in.’’

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.