Where does Kakko fit when he returns?
TARRYTOWN − True to Peter Laviolette’s word, Kaapo Kakko was skating in a different jersey color for Tuesday’s practice at the MSG Training Center.
The injured forward switched from red, which typically indicates no contact, to yellow. The Rangers’ head coach joked, “I wouldn’t go on a grading system, like a stop light.” But fittingly, the yellow did seem to represent a caution sign for teammates.
Kakko is still restricted from being hit, but he participated in every drill and was clearly mixing up more than players who typically receive a non-contact designation.
“He’s allowed to compete inside of practice,” Laviolette explained.
The 22-year-old forward has missed 19 games since sustaining a left-leg injury on Nov. 27, but he avoided a seasonending situation and looks poised to return less than two months later.
Kakko isn’t expected to play in Thursday’s 8 p.m. game in St. Louis, but he’s clearly inching closer. It’s unlikely the Blueshirts would ask him to play in backto-back games against the Washington Capitals this weekend, but a return for the second contest at home on Sunday or next Tuesday’s meeting with the Seattle Kraken could be on the table.
“There’s going to be a process for him when he does come back, when he is cleared, when he does get into games,” Laviolette said. “There might be a rampup period. He’s been out for a little bit. We’ll see how many practices he gets. We’ll see how he looks in practice. I thought he looked good today. I thought he was moving well, competed well, and so that’s a positive step.”
Will Cuylle moves to 1RW
Reintroducing No. 24 would give the reeling Rangers some much-needed reinforcements up front. But in the meantime, they’re trying something a bit different.
The lengthy experiment of playing veteran Blake Wheeler on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad has run its course. Laviolette dropped Wheeler down in the lineup during Monday’s ugly 6-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks, then rotated four different forwards in that vacant spot for the final two periods.
One player who didn’t get a turn there was rookie Will Cuylle, but he appears to be the next man up. The 21-year-old spent Tuesday’s practice in the everchanging 1RW position, despite playing every game up to this point − and throughout his pre-NHL career − at his natural left-wing position.
“It was an opportunity to pop him in there and see how he does,” Laviolette said. “He’s probably one of our more physical guys. He gets in on the forecheck, he bangs bodies. He and Kreids both go to the net front. Kreids makes a living there and Cools, he was the reason for that (Adam Fox) goal (in Montreal on Saturday) just because he provided that screen. For me, he’s a guy that can jump up there and make some noise. He’s also scored seven goals, so he’s put the puck in the back of the net.”
Cuylle was all smiles about the chance to play with “a couple of Rangers’ legends” and didn’t seem concerned about making the switch to RW.
“I’ve never really played right, but I don’t really see much difference in it,” he said. “In the (defensive) zone, it’s just the side you’re on. Pretty much getting passes from the (defensemen) is the only difference. And then in the offensive zone, there are really no positions.”
Where does Kaapo Kakko fit?
That move left Wheeler feeling a bit out of place on what had been a checking line with Barclay Goodrow and Jimmy Vesey. But once the Rangers decided to bump him down, their options were limited.
Clearly, the 37-year-old didn’t click with Kreider and Zibanejad the way they were hoping. In 228:06 time on ice together, that trio posted a 45.69% xGF, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Wheeler appears past the point in his accomplished career where he can consistently keep up with such a demanding role, but he’s also become an easy scapegoat for a line that’s underwhelmed for long stretches. Kreider and Zibanejad have combined for 28 five-on-five points through 39 games played, which is the same amount that Artemi Panarin has produced on his own.
Now Cuylle will get a chance to provide a boost, but he could also be keeping the seat warm for Kakko.
“Sometimes it gets lost in there that we have players missing from the lineup, so that changes things,” Laviolette said. “If you’re healthy, I’m not sure that would be the move. But we’re not. When you don’t have all your assets available to you and you have to fill in different spots, at times you can try things, you can give it a little bit of time, you can look at things – but you may change it, as well.”
There’s no denying the Rangers’ forward depth is in a precarious state due to the ongoing absences of Kakko, Filip Chytil (concussion) and Tyler Pitlick (lower-body injury).
They won their first three games without Kakko but have gone 8-7-1 in their last 16. A low point came in Monday’s loss to the Canucks, highlighting the defensive issues that have cropped up post-Thanksgiving.
Kakko was having his own struggles prior to the injury, particularly offensively. The No. 2 overall pick from the 2019 NHL Draft was stuck on just three (two goals and one assist) through 20 games, despite playing most of them alongside Kreider and Zibanejad.
The production was lacking, but the interesting part is that their underlying numbers suggest they were doing just fine. That trio posted a 58.29% xGF and 55.56% shot share, which indicates they had the advantage when it came to possession and generating quality scoring chances. They only cashed in for two goals in 120:57 time on ice together but allowed just one. Defensively, they were rock solid, with reasons to believe the goals would eventually come.
Will Laviolette turn back to that combination once Kakko is healthy? Perhaps not right away as he eases the young Finn back into action, but don’t be surprised if that’s where he ends up. It beats the current alternatives, unless Cuylle does enough to change his coach’s mind in the next few games.