The New York Rangers, one of the preseason favorites to win the Stanley Cup, are slumping hard. They’ve lost six of their last seven games, and are in danger of slipping out of a playoff spot. It’s been reported that the Rangers are trying to make moves to shake up their roster, and Michael Derosa of Yahoo! Sports suggests a potential landing spot for a certain Rangers forward with some trade buzz surrounding him.
Kaapo Kakko, 23, was the second overall pick in 2019. He signed a one year, $2.4 million contract, and is set to become a Restricted Free Agent at the end of this season. With 130 points in 324 career NHL games, Kakko has largely failed to live up to pre-draft expectations. He’s off to a good start this season with 13 points through 24 games, but may become a trade casualty as Chris Drury looks to snap his team out of their losing ways.
New York’s plan for the year going forward would determine Kakko’s asking price. If they still have Stanley Cup aspirations, I could see a player like Trent Frederic going back the other way. Frederic makes $2.3 million, and will be an Unrestricted Free Agent at the end of this season. If New York decides to sell, Kakko could probably be had for a second-round pick and a lesser prospect. Despite his high draft position, his offensive contribution hasn’t been enough to warrant a bigger return.
Even if Kakko isn’t the top-six player he was projected to be, he would be a solid addition to the Bruins’ roster. He’s defensively responsible, and he brings more offense than most of the players in the Bruins bottom-six. If the Rangers are looking to make a panic move, the Bruins should take advantage of this.
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