This season has been an utter mess for the New York Rangers. After a Presidents’ Trophy-winning campaign last season, the Rangers look like a team that will need to scrape and claw their way into a Wild Card position for the postseason — if they even make it there. Amidst their struggles, major changes could be on the horizon.
The Rangers recently scratched Kaapo Kakko from the lineup
Head coach Peter Laviolette’s recent decision to make Kaapo Kakko a healthy scratch from the lineup sparked controversy. While Kakko hasn’t been exceptional this season, his play is far from being the biggest problem that the Rangers currently face. Prior to being scratched, Kakko had a +10 rating this season (second-best on the team) and was on pace to near a career-high in total points.
Comparatively, a pair of the Rangers’ top-six veteran stars, Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, have a combined -19 rating. The bottom six has far outperformed the top six this season for the Blueshirts. Scratching Kakko amidst a solid personal campaign makes little to no sense. Unless there is an ulterior motive.
Could Kakko be the next player to get traded?
Kakko has long had his name brought up in trade rumors. Throughout the offseason, it was reported that the Blueshirts were shopping the 23-year-old in hopes of landing a more prolific talent in return. A deal never materialized, though. Now, months later, it seems like general manager Drury could be exploring the possibility once again.
Larry Brooks of The New York Post speculated that this move could be a “prelude to a deal.” Pulling Kakko out of the lineup for performance reasons doesn’t make a ton of sense. So if the move isn’t performance-related, it’s logical to assume the Rangers are scratching Kakko to keep him healthy for a potential trade.
A deal shipping away Kakko could potentially yield great returns for New York. However, it might be a bit too soon to give up on Kakko, who is still only 23 years old and among the highest performers in the lineup this season. Defense has been a problem for the Rangers this season and Kakko is among their best defensive forwards on the roster.
Teams will line up to make a trade for Kakko and see if they can acquire him and unlock his ceiling. Whether or not a deal gets done will depend on what Drury is offered. Regardless, the Rangers making such drastic changes to the lineup highlights the profound level of disappointment the organization is feeling after a 15-14-1 start to the season.
