Kaapo Kakko is just where he wanted to be right now — at training camp with the New York Rangers after signing a one-year, $2.4 million contract in mid-June following a disappointing 2023-24 season.
The second player chosen in the 2019 NHL Draft is trying to rebound after finishing last season with 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 61 regular-season games and two points (one goal, one assist) in 15 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He was scratched for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Florida Panthers but returned to play the final four games of the series, which the Rangers lost in six.
Kakko could have become a restricted free agent on July 1; instead, he wasted little time signing his qualifying offer. But as he said Saturday at training camp in Tarrytown, New York, he had no interest in playing for anyone else.
“New contract, one year, hopefully it’s going to be good,” the 23-year-old forward from Finland said. “I wanted to come back here."
Kakko entered 2023-24 coming off his best NHL season (40 points; 18 goals, 22 assists in 82 games, the first time he’d played more than 68 in a season). Instead, he struggled to generate offense and missed 21 games with a lower-body injury.
Now he’s trying to put those memories behind him as he enters his sixth NHL season.
“I try to just think about the next (season),” he said. “I try to just forget the last year. I feel I always come here ready to go. I feel pretty good. I try to give the best that I can. That’s all I can do.”
He has 117 points (57 goals, 60 assists) in 300 regular-season games, all with the Rangers, as well as nine points (four goals, five assists) in 44 playoff games.
Kakko looks to rebound with Rangers after disappointing season
Kakko said he spent most of the summer in his home country, working out with some of his fellow Finnish NHLers. But he demurred when asked if he expected to have the kind of breakout season that former linemate Alexis Lafreniere had last season.
“I feel that’s the question every year when I come back here,” he said. “Two years ago, I had my best season. I was ready to do that last year also. I feel that’s been the question after every summer.
“Maybe this time it’s better not to think about it,” he said with a smile. “I’ll do my best and hopefully it will come.”
One thing that might help Kakko is being paired again with center Filip Chytil, who missed all but 10 games last season with an upper-body injury that was widely suspected to be a concussion. Kakko’s 2022-23 numbers came mostly while playing with Chytil and Lafreniere (who’s now on right wing with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck). The two have spent time on a line with Will Cuylle in camp, and Kakko is optimistic the threesome can be productive.
“I’ve been playing a lot with Fil,” Kakko said of Chytil. “It’s a new season. We’ve had only a couple of practices together. I feel we all know what we can do out there. I think we can be a good line. I played with Will last year too, and I know what he can do.”
Coach Peter Laviolette has liked what he sees with Kakko and Chytil playing on the same line.
“They’ve played well together in the past,” he said Saturday. “I’m aware of that, even being from on the visiting bench and playing against them. They were a really good line when they were together. It’s changed a little bit and it’s training camp and there will be a lot of combinations. But I do think there’s a little bit of chemistry between those two.”
Kakko “ready to have a good year for us,” GM says
General manager Chris Drury said Tuesday he’s also optimistic about Kakko.
“He dealt with an injury last year, and admittedly he didn’t have the best year … Another guy that had a terrific offseason and in early testing just looks great,” Drury said. “I think he’s out to prove that last year was a fluke, and he’s ready to have a good year for us.”
Even with Kakko’s struggles, the Rangers set team records for wins (55) and points (114) last season while winning the Presidents’ Trophy as the NHL’s regular-season champion. He’s optimistic that having most of last season’s cast back should lead to another opportunity to end a Stanley Cup drought that dates to 1994.
“We have a lot of the same guys from last year,” he said. “I feel we know what we can do out there. We had good games last year; we played pretty good. A couple of new guys also.
“I think we’re going to be good this year.”
