The New York Rangers drafted Kaapo Kakko second overall in the 2019 NHL draft but he has failed to live up to expectations and his name has been involved in trade discussions.
The website PuckPedia has a new tool called PuckGM that lets users create their own trades and one user proposed a deal that would see the Rangers deal Kakko to the Seattle Kraken.
Rangers get:
- Oliver Bjorkstrand ($2.7 million retained)
Kraken get:
- Filip Chytil
- Kaapo Kakko
- 2025 first-round pick
The blockbuster deal would help bolster the Rangers’ offense as Bjorkstrand was an All-Star in 2024. He has two years left on his five-year $27 million deal, and last season with the Kraken, he recorded 20 goals and 39 assists for 59 points in 82 games.
Bjorkstrand could slide into the top line on the right wing with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad and likely have even more success offensively.
As for the return, New York does have to part away with a lot, as the Rangers move their first-round pick, Kakko and Chytil. Kakko was drafted second overall in 2019 but he has struggled in the NHL as last season he recorded 13 goals and 6 assists for 19 points in 61 games, but he could help replace Bjorkstrand.
Chytil, meanwhile, was drafted in the first round in 2017, but like Kakko, he also has struggled as last season he skated in just 10 games recording 0 goals and 6 assists. Health has been an issue and with the Rangers being a legit Stanley Cup contender, they opted to move two younger players in the proposed deal for a bonafide NHL player.
Rangers Bolster Offense With Acquisition of Reilly Smith
On July 1, the New York Rangers traded a conditional 2025 fifth-round pick and a second-rounder in 2027 to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Reilly Smith.
Smith is entering the final year of his three-year $15 million deal and projects to be the top-line right winger for the Rangers.
After the trade was made, Rangers general manager Chris Drury was ecstatic to land the winger.
“We’re very excited to get Reilly, a player we’ve been looking at and talking about for a while,” Drury said on a conference call, according to the New York Post. “Brings a lot of versatility to our lineup, has a winning pedigree having won in Vegas. A proven playoff performer and I think just fits in nicely with our entire group. We just were talking to a lot of different agents and a lot of balls in the air throughout the day, and just felt this was the best move we can make.”
Smith recorded 13 goals and 27 assists for 40 points in 76 games with the Penguins last season.
Kakko Hoping for A Bigger Role
Kakko signed a one-year $2.4 million deal extension with the Rangers this offseason as he was an RFA.
The 23-year-old has struggled to find consistent minutes in the NHL and the former second-overall pick said he wanted a bigger role in the 2024-25 NHL season.
“Of course everyone wants to play. … I was not happy I [was] not in the lineup, but I still wanted to win. I was hoping the win for the team and keep going and then get back to the lineup at some point, but I can say I was not happy and I think all the guys in this room, like everyone wants to play,” Kakko said.
Kakko has skated in 300 NHL games recording 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points.
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Trade Pitch Has Rangers Trading Former 2nd-Overall Pick for $27 Million Forward