Rangers benefiting from improvements by Kaapo Kakko, Alexis Lafreniere

GREENBURGH, N.Y. -- A fellow coach recently pulled Gerard Gallant aside for a quick word.

The topic of conversation was Kappo Kakko. More broadly, his improvement as a player. 

The accolades Gallant heard reinforced his belief that both the player and organization have handled the development of the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft deftly.  

“‘This Kakko kid, he’s really taken a big step,’” was Gallant’s recollection of what the unnamed coach told him. “We know that but when another coach says that, it (is really good).”

Undoubtedly. And now the Rangers are reaping the rewards of the steady progress being made by both Kakko and Alexis Lafreniere. 

The play of Kakko and Lafreniere heretofore this season has been key to the performance of the top two lines overall.

According to the analytics site MoneyPuck.com, the top line of Chris Krieider, Mika Zibanejad and Kakko have attempted more shots than their opponents (150-99). The second line of Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Lafreniere have 48 more shot attempts than their opponents (157-109). 

“We did those things (that) we’ve been talking about,” Kakko said. “Keep the puck in their zone.” 

As a result, the Rangers have become one of the league’s top puck-possession teams. Natural Stat Trick, a website which culls data, has the Rangers as the NHL’s fifth-best Corsi For team at 54.7% and the fourth-best Fenwick For team at 56.87%. Corsi tracks the total number of unblocked shot attempts while Fenwick tallies all shot attempts.  

All of which is why Gallant is pleased with the play of his two young stars even if their individual point totals don’t necessarily jump off the page.

“You’re getting the chances,” said Gallant, in response to a question about what he tells his two young stars. Both have played in all 11 games this season. Kakko has a 2-1-3 slash line while Lafreniere checks in at 2-3-5.  “You just have to keep working and stay with it.”

Chytil full participant at practice

Filip Chytil was a full participant in the brief but up-tempo 25-minute practice. With Zibanejad and Jacob Trouba both having been given maintenance days, Chytil centered the top line between Kakko and Chris Kreider. Libor Hajek was paired with K’Andre Miller on the second defensive pair.

During his post-practice availability with reporters, Gallant said Chytil is “day-to-day but there’s definitely a possibility,” that the third-line center could rejoin the team for Thursday’s game against Boston.

If Chytil plays, it would be his first game action since suffering an upper-body injury in the first period of the Rangers’ 5-1 loss to Columbus on Oct. 23. Chytil appeared to be elbowed in the head by Blue Jackets center Cole Sillinger during his second – and final – shift of the game. 

The next day the Rangers said he was day-to-day, but he participated in last Friday’s practice but left early because, according to Gallant at the time, Chytil “didn’t feel great.” The 23-year old did not travel with the team on its weekend sojourn to Dallas and Arizona, and he was scratched alongside Vitali Kravtsov (upper-body injury) and Hajek for the 1-0 overtime win over the Flyers Tuesday night. 

Chytil was not in the dressing room when it was open to reporters after the practice session.