On Wednesday Dec. 18, the New York Rangers traded forward and former second-overall pick Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken. In return, the Rangers received defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round pick, and a 2025 sixth-round pick.
DONE DEAL ✔️
— NHL (@NHL) December 19, 2024
Kaapo Kakko is now a member of the @SeattleKraken! pic.twitter.com/6zj4lyAJRE
Kakko’s time in New York was marked by inconsistency. At times, the winger showed that he could be a reliable two-way forward in the NHL and at other times he underachieved greatly. So far this season, Kakko had scored 14 points and posted a plus-nine +/- rating in 30 games.
Kakko’s career high point total was 40 which he scored during the 2022-23 season, playing in all 82 games. Kakko found chemistry with linemates Filip Chytil and Alexis Lafreniere on the ‘Kid Line’ during the Rangers’ 2022 playoff run to the Eastern Conference Final, where he scored five points in 19 games. He finished his Ranger career playing 330 games and scoring 61 goals and 70 assists for a total of 131 points.
What do the Rangers get in Return?
In return for their former second-overall draft pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Broadway Blueshirts receive 27-year-old defenseman Will Borgen and two draft picks. Borgen stands six-feet-three inches tall and weighs 204 pounds and adds size to a Rangers blueline that recently lost physical defenseman Jacob Trouba.
As far as Borgen’s stats during the current season, they do not jump off the page. The Minnesotan has two points in 33 games played this season to go along with a minus-13 +/- rating. However, Borgen has been durable, playing in all 82 games during the 2023-24 and 2022-23 seasons. His most productive year was 2023-24 where he scored three goals and 22 assists for 25 points.
By acquiring a third round and sixth round pick in the upcoming 2025 NHL draft, Ranger general manager Chris Drury has added to a draft pick stockpile that now includes two sixth round picks and one third round pick.
Why Kakko was Traded
Kakko was a healthy scratch for a game against the St. Louis Blues on Dec. 15. When he was interviewed by reporters, Kakko said that it was easy for Head Coach Peter Laviolette to single out a young guy like himself instead of an older veteran. Kakko was disgruntled and it was better for the two sides to part ways.
Despite his gripes about being scratched recently, Kakko never lived up to his draft status. During his time on Broadway, he never held a spot on the Rangers top six forward group for a long period of time.
The Finnish forward will be a restricted free agent when the current season ends and is two years away from being an unrestricted free agent, so it was better for the Rangers to get something in return for the 23-year-old rather than lose him to free agency for nothing.
Regardless of the lack of individual success Kaapo had during his time on Broadway, the Rangers went to two conference finals with Kakko playing on the Rangers third forward line. He will be missed, but the NHL is a results business and the Rangers decided to move in a different direction at this point in time.
