Kaapo Kakko thriving with Kraken in expanded role after Rangers tenure ended with trade

Kaapo Kakko stepped right into a role in Seattle that he always hoped for in New York.Before being held scoreless in the Kraken’s 4-3 loss to the Canucks on Thursday night, Kakko had collected a goal, two assists and 10 shots on goal through his first five games with his second NHL team.The 23-year-old Finn is skating on the right wing of the Kraken’s top line with fellow second-overall pick Matty Beniers (2021) and Jaden Schwartz.Averaging 15:13 of ice time, just four seconds shy of a whole two-minute bump from his 13:17 average in New York this season, Kakko recorded more minutes on Dec.

28 (18:18) than he ever did under Rangers coach Peter Laviolette.He’s on the second power-play unit, recording 2:20 and 2:37 of man-advantage time in the last two games, respectively.And Kakko has already participated in the Kraken’s home win tradition of “yeeting the fish” into the stands as the second star of the game.“Yeah, especially after these last two games,” Kakko told reporters of his confidence level after the Kraken’s 5-2 win over Utah.

“The start was kind of hard, all three games we lost.That’s never a good thing, but I felt pretty good [Monday], the first period especially.

I think we got a lot of good chances.Power play, also.

There can be [a] couple goals.”The loss of Kakko and the losses that have piled up even more since his departure have had head coach Peter Laviolette toying with the Rangers’ middle six at times.From dropping Mika Zibanejad down to the third line for a few games to plugging and chugging different wingers in different spots, there hasn’t been much continuity for the Rangers, who did snap their losing skid with a 2-1 win over the Bruins on Thursday night.The third line of Kakko, Filip Chytil and Will Cuylle was one of the Blueshirts’ most effective lines, but even it had to be broken up because of the team’s need for a different look.Kakko was a healthy scratch in St.

Louis after his last game with the two afo...