Kaapo Kakko still looking to make Rangers impact without top-six role

Kaapo Kakko burst onto the world scene with powerful performances to lead Team Finland to the gold medal in both the 2018-19 World Junior Championships and 2019 World Championships that preceded his second-overall selection by the Rangers that June.Five years later, five years into an NHL career that has been as study of starts and stops and frustration, there is no guarantee at all that Kakko will be selected for Team Finland for next February’s Four Nations tournament that also will include Team USA, Team Canada and Team Sweden.At best, he is on the bubble.“I feel that everyone who is playing in the NHL is on their list,” Kakko told The Post following Friday’s practice ahead of Saturday’s off day.

“We had one meeting over the summer, but I’m not thinking about that at all.“That’s not [motivation] for me.The season here, all the games I play, I have to be a s good as I can be.

That’s what is important.”What is most important for No.24, as he repeatedly said, is to stay healthy this season.

Kakko missed 21 games last year with a leg injury two years after missing 39 games with, first, a wrist injury then a lower-body matter.Just when the Finn seems to be gaining traction, he is going through rehab.“To be honest, I just want to play as good as I can and try to stay healthy,” Kakko said.

“I missed a lot of games last year.But then we’ll see how it goes.

I try to do my best, it doesn’t matter how much I get the ice time.“I mean, that’s all I can do.”It feels like a time warp, doesn’t it? Kakko on the third line with Fil Chytil in the middle, though instead of Alexis Lafreniere on the left, it’s Will Cuylle, except that neither the center nor the right winger are kids anymore.“I know what Fil can do out there, he’s a good player,” said Kakko, who has been on the ice with Chytil for just about a third of his career five-on-five ice-time.“But I feel I had very good games last year with Brodzy [Jonny Brodzinski] and B...