Kaapo Kakko, the young right winger for the New York Rangers, expressed his disappointment and surprise after being made a healthy scratch in the team’s recent game against the St. Louis Blues. Reflecting on the decision days later, Kakko shared his feelings with Mollie Walker of the New York Post, saying, “I was surprised, yeah. I know you got to do something as a coach when you are losing games, but I think it is just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out. That is how I feel, to be honest.” Kakko’s comments highlight the frustration he felt after being singled out, especially since he believes his performance didn’t warrant the benching.
At the time of the scratch, Kakko had played 29 games this season, registering four goals and 10 assists, totaling 14 points. This placed him seventh in scoring among the Rangers’ forwards. Furthermore, the 23-year-old Finnish player had a strong plus-10 rating, which ranked second on the team. Kakko felt his contributions had been solid, noting that he had “not been on the ice too much when [opponents] score a goal” and that he hadn’t been one of the team’s weakest performers. Despite this, he found himself out of the lineup.
The Rangers ultimately lost 3-2 to the Blues in that game, marking their second consecutive loss and extending a troubling streak that saw the team go 3-8-0 since general manager Chris Drury informed his counterparts across the league that defenseman Jacob Trouba and forward Chris Kreider were available for trade. Following this, Trouba was traded to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for depth defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round pick in the upcoming NHL Draft. The Rangers, who had been last season’s Presidents’ Trophy winners with the best regular-season record in the NHL, were struggling at 15-14-1, just one point behind the Ottawa Senators for the second wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
After the loss to the Blues, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette explained the decision to scratch Kakko by stating that the team needed “fresh legs” in the lineup. This reasoning, however, didn’t sit well with Kakko, who felt that he had been performing at a level that should have kept him on the ice. He also questioned why a young player like himself was chosen to be taken out of the lineup, especially when older or more established players might have been struggling just as much.
Kakko’s career thus far has shown steady improvement, and his performance this season had been better than in previous years. Selected second overall in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kakko has now played in 329 career games, recording 131 points, including 61 goals and 70 assists. Last season, he set a personal best with 40 points, and this season, he’s on pace to surpass his 19-point performance from the 2023-24 campaign. These stats highlight that Kakko’s development has been promising, and despite being a relatively young player, he has proven capable of contributing at a high level.
Despite the setback of being scratched for one game, it appeared that Kakko would be back in the lineup for the Rangers’ next home game against the Nashville Predators. Ahead of that game, during the pregame skate, Kakko participated with the team’s second power-play unit and skated on the third line alongside forwards Mika Zibanejad and Reilly Smith, suggesting that he would indeed return to action. This quick return indicated that the team may have been giving Kakko a brief rest, rather than sending a message about his overall performance or role on the team.
For Kakko, being made a healthy scratch was a reminder of the challenges young players face in the NHL, where decisions are sometimes made based on short-term performance rather than long-term potential. The decision to scratch a young player like Kakko can often be easier for coaches, who may feel the pressure to make changes to turn the team’s fortunes around. However, Kakko’s strong early season performance suggests that he may be one of the Rangers’ better contributors, and his frustration with being benched is understandable. While he didn’t necessarily feel the decision was justified, he remained hopeful that his work ethic and performance would keep him in the lineup moving forward.
Looking at the broader picture, Kakko’s comments also underscore the challenges facing the Rangers as a team. After an excellent regular season last year, the team had struggled early this season, which led to changes in the lineup and roster. With a playoff spot not guaranteed, the Rangers’ management and coaching staff are making decisions to try to spark improvement. For Kakko, however, it remains clear that he wants to prove he deserves to be a key part of the Rangers’ success as the season progresses. Despite the occasional setbacks, he continues to work hard to maintain his position and earn his place in the lineup.
