Kaapo Kakko Takes A Shot At The New York Rangers After Being Traded to the Seattle Kraken
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The 2nd overall pick in 2019 Kaapo Kakko, who was recently traded to the Seattle Kraken, took a shot at his former team, the New York Rangers, in a recent interview.
Back in December, only a few weeks after trading their captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, the New York Rangers pulled off a surprising move by sending their 2nd overall pick in 2019 Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken in return for Will Borgen and two draft picks.
A few days after being traded to Seattle, Kakko made his feelings about the trade very clear, saying he hoped to get a real chance to make it while being himself and showed excitement about his new start:
"I hope I'm going to get a chance over here. I think that's what the coach is telling me here, just play your game and they're going to trust me.
That's all that I need. What I'm going to do out there is on me. I'm excited about that and ready to get out there and get things going."
That's all that I need. What I'm going to do out there is on me. I'm excited about that and ready to get out there and get things going."
In a recent interview, over a month after the trade, Kakko shared an update on his situation, saying that he got his confidence back, partly due to the coach's different approach and how he gets more chances in the offensive zone.
By saying this, he took a shot at the Rangers, as he criticized the fact he didn't get much chances to bring his skillset to the table in New York:
"The confidence is something you can have, or you can lose it. And then it's going to look pretty bad, you know?
And I feel it's getting more and more right now. I feel I'm making plays, getting chances in the [offensive] zone. I'm trying to find my game again, kind of like before I got to the NHL."
"Over here, I feel there's a good chance for me. I mean, I can already say, like, confidence is way better than it's been for a long time.
Even the coaches said, like, 'You're going to make mistakes sometimes, but keep trying to make plays. If you make a mistake, it's going to happen.
Somebody else is going to help you out. Just try to be yourself and make plays.' And I feel that's what I'm doing right now, and that's all about the confidence."
And I feel it's getting more and more right now. I feel I'm making plays, getting chances in the [offensive] zone. I'm trying to find my game again, kind of like before I got to the NHL."
"Over here, I feel there's a good chance for me. I mean, I can already say, like, confidence is way better than it's been for a long time.
Even the coaches said, like, 'You're going to make mistakes sometimes, but keep trying to make plays. If you make a mistake, it's going to happen.
Somebody else is going to help you out. Just try to be yourself and make plays.' And I feel that's what I'm doing right now, and that's all about the confidence."
Since being traded, Kakko, 23, scored 13 points, including four goals, in 16 games. In the first stretch of the season, with the Rangers, he had 14 points, with four goals, in 30 games, showing he gained confidence and rhythm in Seattle.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 24 | 310 ANSWERS Kaapo Kakko Takes A Shot At The New York Rangers After Being Traded to the Seattle Kraken Do you think the New York Rangers made a mistake by trading Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken? | ||
| Yes | 199 | 64.2 % |
| No | 111 | 35.8 % |
| List of polls | ||
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