The Seattle Kraken have acquired forward Kaapo Kakko from the New York Rangers in a significant trade. In exchange, the Kraken sent defenseman Will Borgen and two mid-round 2025 draft picks to the Rangers.
Kakko’s move comes after he was benched in a recent game and expressed frustration with his limited ice-time. However, the 23-year-old forward has shown promise, producing four goals and 14 points in his first 30 games this season despite reduced playing time.
Advanced statistics suggest that Kakko is averaging his best points per 60 minutes of his career, with 2.09 points per 60 minutes of ice-time. This marks a significant improvement from his previous season, where he scored at a rate of 1.73 points per 60 minutes and finished with 18 goals and 40 points.
With the Kraken, Kakko is expected to receive significantly more ice-time, which could lead to a surge in production and a fresh start for the forward. Motivated by his previous organization’s decision to bench him, Kakko will look to prove himself as an impact player on the team.
Source: https://www.si.com/onsi/breakaway/news-feed-page/seatle-kraken-kaapo-kakko-set-fresh-start