It appears to be only a matter of time until Kaapo Kakko is on his way out of New York, and now he's been linked to a huge trade with the Minnesota Wild as Kakko's days in New York are clearly numbered.
After a 2-0 loss to the Nashville Predators, things seemingly couldn't get any worse for the New York Rangers, and after the drama surrounding Kaapo Kakko's healthy scratch, something big is brewing in the Big Apple.
For the past year, it has appeared only a matter of time until the Rangers move on from Kakko, as he has failed to live up to the expectations of a former No. 2 overall pick, and now he's gaining more and more interest.
After the comments made over the last few days, ESPN's Emily Kaplan has revealed that Kakko is drawing plenty of trade interest from teams in the West, with the Minnesota Wild standing out as a top landing spot.
On top of that, Adam Herman of Bleacher Report has now noted that the Rangers would be interested in top prospect Charlie Stramel, the Wild's first-round pick from the 2023 NHL Draft.
The 20-year old center has tallied 12 points in 16 games with Michigan State this season, and while some believe the Rangers could look to add a veteran to help them compete right now, getting back a top prospect down the middle like this would be a solid move.
Ultimately, Kakko has been solid in New York, but given that the team is trying to compete for a Stanley Cup, it needs someone much more productive and experienced in the lineup, so while Stramel would be a good target for the Rangers, expect them to push for a veteran than can help them win now more than anything.
