Quinn wants look at Kakko on top line
David Quinn insisted there is nothing to read into the fact that his announced top line has a different right-winger for the first preseason game, Wednesday night at the Garden against the Devils.
The Rangers’ head coach made it very clear that Pavel Buchnevich was going to get the first crack at the right side of the top line next to Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad. But Buchnevich is not set to play on Wednesday, and taking his spot next to Panarin and Zibanejad will be Kaapo Kakko, the No. 2-overall pick from June’s draft.
“Over the course of a lot of exhibition games, there are a lot of different line combinations,” Quinn said after Tuesday’s practice. “We all want to read into all of it. But, no, Butchie is going right back with those two guys.”
Kakko has spent the early part of camp on another impressive line, the presumed second line with Chris Kreider and Filip Chytil. That is likely where he will return after this game — but Quinn just couldn’t wait to see him on the ice in a real game.
“I’m curious to see [Kakko] in a NHL game, especially playing with those two guys,” Quinn said. “There’s nothing wrong with playing with Chytil and Kreider, either. ... It’s just trying people in different positions. Not everybody is playing in all the exhibition games.”
Kakko continued wearing No. 45, but he said he hasn’t decided if he’ll wear that or No. 24 when the season starts.
“We’ll see before the first game,” he said.
Boo Nieves wore No. 24 this past season, but switched to No. 15 to give Kakko the option to switch.
The goaltending duties Wednesday are set to be split between Alex Georgiev and Igor Shesterkin.
Vitali Kravtsov, the No. 9overall pick from 2018, is set to start at right wing on a line with center Lias Andersson (No. 7overall in 2017) and Kreider on the left.
Behind the presumed opening-night first pair of Brady Skjei and Jacob Trouba, the second defensive pair on Wednesday is set to be Libor Hajek and Adam Fox, followed by Brandon Crawley and Brendan Smith.