Nov 19, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; New York Rangers forward Kaapo Kakko (24) skates against the Vancouver Canucks during the third period at Rogers Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Frid-Imagn Images
Kaapo Kakko has been far from a glaring issue that has fueled the New York Rangers' alarming start to the 2024-25 season. Yet head coach Peter Laviolette put the 23-year-old winger down as a healthy scratch for Sunday's loss to the St. Louis Blues.
Now, tensions are starting to rise.
"I haven't been on the ice too much when [the opposition] score a goal," Kakko told reporters down in Nashville on Tuesday. "I have not been the worst guy, but that was me out of the lineup."
The former No. 2 overall pick is not wrong. His plus-10 rating is second on the team, behind only Will Cuylle's plus-11. His offensive production has yet to come around, though. In 29 games, he has four goals and 10 assists, which puts him on pace for a career-high in helpers but far off a personal-best 18 goals scored in 2022-23 as a 21-year-old.
Still, the Rangers have been plagued by some of their most important, veteran players struggling to find any semblance of consistency. Mika Zibanejad has just six goals in 30 games and has a minus-14 rating. Chris Kreider has 10 goals but only one assist.
"I was surprised," Kakko said when learning he was benched. "I know we're losing games, but I think it's just easy to take the young guy and put him out. That's how I feel."
It has gotten to a point where trade speculation is approaching an all-time high for the Finnish forward, who admitted that he has not talked with Laviolette all that much. In fact, he revealed that Rangers coaches told him that he simply needed to "do something" after he was scratched.
A move elsewhere might be a blessing for Kakko, as the Rangers are reeling with three wins out of their previous 10 entering Tuesday night's action. Amidst a 15-14-1 start, general manager Chris Drury has already shipped captain and defenseman Jacob Trouba out of town and more appears to be on the way -- a remarkable fall from grace for a team that won the Presidents Trophy last year.
Dealing Kakko would end a tumultuous relationship riddled with a lack of communication that has been brewing with Laviolette since at least the summer -- and Kakko appears to be done trying to extend the olive branch.
"I'm not going to [talk to management about what needs to be done when I get back in the lineup]," Kakko said (h/t Mollie Walker, New York Post). "They're going to say it if they have something to say, but I'm not going there."