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The New York Rangers made an unexpected announcement on Thursday, June 13, that they had extended the contract of restricted free agent Kaapo Kakko for another year, finalizing a one-year contract worth $2.4 million.
This agreement matches Kakko’s qualifying offer and ensures that the Finnish winger will open the 2024-25 season with the Rangers. Kakko will re-enter restricted free agency on July 1, 2025.
The $2.4 million contract provides cost certainty for the Rangers or any potential trade partners. This figure is slightly below Evolving-Hockey’s projection of $2.8 million AAV for a two-year deal. General manager Chris Drury compared Kakko’s situation to Alexis Lafreniere’s last year, expressing optimism for Kakko’s development.
Kakko’s Complicated Career in New York
The Rangers drafted Kakko with the No. 2 pick in the 2019 draft. Since then, he’s experienced an up-and-down career in Manhattan.
Kakko managed 13 goals and 6 assists in 61 regular-season games in 2024. His postseason contributions were minimal, with only 1 goal and 1 assist in 15 games in the playoffs.
The lowest of Kakko’s lows came in the Eastern Conference finals, when he was a healthy scratch in Game 2 of the series against the Florida Panthers. He’d been scratched in Game 2 of the conference finals (against the Tampa Bay Lightning) in 2022.
Kakko has amassed 117 points (57 goals, 60 assists) over 300 career NHL games. Despite a dip in production in 2024, Kakko showcased his upside in the 2022-23 campaign, scoring 40 points and appearing in all 82 regular-season games.
In 2024, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette used Kakko in the third forward line to end the year after trying to deploy him in the first line across Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider for a spell at the start of the season.
“I got the chance, first line with Mika and ‘Kreids,’ so I can’t say I never get the chance,” Kakko said during his end-of-season media availability on June 4. “I’m not saying that wasn’t a good line, but it just never worked out.
“All those games we played together, it just never work out that well. If you’re playing those minutes, you have to score some goals. That line, we never scored that much.”
Rangers’ Kakko & Laviolette End-of-Season Comments
Laviolette acknowledged his role in Kakko’s underwhelming season, taking some blame during his exit interview.
“My responsibility as coach is to unleash these players,” Laviolette said on June 4. “You hope it happens with all of them, but with some, it doesn’t and I have to figure out a better way to get him involved.”
Laviolette remains optimistic about Kakko’s potential. “I still believe Kakko can be a top-six player,” Laviolette said.
Kakko reflected on his season and discussed his future before the extension materialized and was announced on June 13.
“All the times I’ve come here for the season, I’ve been feeling good, in good shape,” Kakko said. “I think there’s not much I need to change with offseason training but maybe more skating.”
Kakko already teased his willingness to remain with the Rangers for at least one more season instead of wanting to enter the free-agent market on July 1.
“Everyone here wants to win, there’s a chance here to win … So, I like it here,” Kakko said.
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