Kraken Acquire Kaapo Kakko Via Trade With Rangers

Kraken Acquire Kaapo Kakko Via Trade With Rangers

Yesterday Kaapo Kakko said this after the Rangers healthy scratched him…

“I was surprised, yeah,” said Kakko, who looked as dejected as he’s ever been since the Rangers drafted him second overall in 2019. “I know you’ve got to do something as a coach when you’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out. That’s how I feel, to be honest.” 

It felt like only a matter of time before the Rangers moved on and that’s exactly what happened today. The Rangers have struck a deal with the Seattle Kraken to send the former second overall pick in 2019 to the Western Conference.

Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was the first to report the news:

.@FriedgeHNIC breaks down the Kaapo Kakko trade 👀 pic.twitter.com/XXo5r8vcqK

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) December 19, 2024

The Rangers will get Borgen and a couple of draft picks. It would appear that Borgen will get a shot in the lineup on the third pair after Jacob Trouba was sent out of town. He’s also a UFA at the end of the season so the Rangers will get a strong look at him if this is the long term direction they want to go down.

The Kaapo Kakko konundrum

Borgen, 27, has one goal and one assist in 33 games this on defense.

Kakko, 23, has 14 points in 30 games.

For anyone who cares to see the underlying metrics here, here you go.

Will Borgen, acquired by NYR, is a third pair defenceman who kills penalties, throws hits, and takes shots from the perimeter. #NYR pic.twitter.com/PY2ukdFdEn

— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) December 19, 2024

At the end of the day, Rangers fans should really blame the ping pong gods here. Imagine if they just landed the first pick that year and got the chance to draft Jack Hughes. How things would be different right now. Instead, Hughes is tearing it up with New Jersey in the same division.

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