Trade Pitch Has Rangers Getting Hefty Return For Former 2nd-Overall Pick

The New York Rangers are in their Stanley Cup window, but one trade pitch has them acquiring prospects and picks for a former second-overall pick.

The website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool lets users create their own trades. One user proposed a deal that would see the Montreal Canadiens acquiring Kaapo Kakko from the Rangers.

Canadiens acquire:

• Kaapo Kakko

Rangers acquire:

• Owen Beck
• William Trudeau
• 2025 third-round pick (Vancouver’s)
• 2026 second-round pick

The Rangers do quite well in the proposed deal as New York adds two prospects and two draft picks for Kakko who is a former second-overall pick.

Kakko was selected second overall in the 2019 NHL draft by the Rangers. However, he has struggled to live up to the hype and has been a healthy scratch at times. Kakko skated in 61 games recording 13 goals and 6 assists for 19 points. He also signed a one-year $2.4 million extension with the Rangers this offseason.

As for the return, the Rangers get a second and third-round pick which New York could use at the deadline to acquire NHL players. Beck is the top prospect the Rangers would acquire as he projects to be a bottom-six forward and could push for minutes in the NHL this season. Beck was drafted 33rd overall in the 2022 NHL draft and has played in one NHL game.

Trudeau, meanwhile, was selected in the fourth round of the 2021 NHL draft and the defenseman has spent the last two years in the AHL.

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Kakko Signs Extension With Rangers Despite Being Frustrated With Role

Kakko was an RFA this offseason and he signed a one-year $2.4 million deal with the Rangers.

Although Kakko signed an extension with New York, his name has still come up in trade rumors. After the Rangers were eliminated in the playoffs, Kakko said he was frustrated with his role with the team.

“Playoffs was different,” Kakko said. “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 was scratched for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final but did play the final four games of the series against the Florida Panthers.

Kakko has skated in 300 NHL games recording 57 goals and 60 assists for 117 points.

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Canadiens Acquire Patrik Laine

Montreal already has made one blockbuster trade this offseason by acquiring Patrik Laine from the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Montreal acquired Laine and a 2026 second-round pick for defenseman Jordan Harris. The former second-overall pick asked for a trade and said he was eager to be dealt to Montreal.

“When you’re not enjoying whatever you do, you’re probably not going to be able to perform, and that’s where I’ve been at,” Laine said to the media on August 19. “I haven’t been enjoying myself for a while, but now I’m happier than ever, off the ice, obviously. I’ve done a lot of work on myself to to get me back to this point where I’m actually super excited about playing, in a new place, with new teammates, in a new city.”

Laine has skated in 480 games recording 204 goals and 184 assists for 388 points. Last season with Columbus, he skated in 18 games recording 6 goals and 3 assists for 9 points.

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