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Why Ex-Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko not making former team regret trading him

Ahead of a game against his former team, the New York Rangers, on Saturday, Seattle Kraken forward Kaapo Kakko remains the same frustrating talent the Blueshirts traded away a couple of years ago.

Published: Friday, 6 November 2026 at 5:32 PM
Why Ex-Rangers winger Kaapo Kakko not making former team regret trading him
Key Things to Know
  • Tom Castro argues the New York Rangers do not regret trading winger Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken.
  • Kakko was traded to Seattle in December 2024 for Will Borgen and two draft picks.
  • The writer highlights Kakko's continued reluctance to shoot, noting he scored only two goals in 15 games.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Tom Castro of Forever Blueshirts argues that the New York Rangers do not regret trading Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken in December 2024. Despite recording 12 points in his first 15 games of the 2026-27 season, Kakko has managed only two goals, continuing a pass-first approach rather than developing into the dangerous goal-scorer the Rangers initially envisioned when drafting him second overall in 2019.

Castro notes that Kakko has tallied 25 goals and 57 assists across 129 games with Seattle, exhibiting the same perimeter habits and low shot volume that defined his 330-game tenure in New York. While the writer acknowledges Kakko remains an effective playmaker carving out a solid NHL career, he contends Kakko's inability to evolve into an elite scorer validates the Rangers' decision to move on.

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