An interesting trade possibility is forming between the Vancouver Canucks and New York Rangers.
The Canucks are looking for a winger, per earlier reports today, and the perfect situation may be unfolding on the east coast for them to get an exciting player in Kaapo Kakko who fits their needs.
This year has been a disaster for the Rangers. Expected to be Stanley Cup contenders, they’re barely above .500, and new drama seems to be unfolding every day.
The latest was Kakko going on a mini rant after being healthy scratched. He was clearly unhappy and puzzled by the decision.
“I was surprised, yeah. I know you got to do something as a coach when you’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out,” said Kakko per the New York Post’s Mollie Walker. “That’s how I feel, to be honest.”
The 23-year-old is disgruntled, and as the losses pile up, the pressure mounts on the Rangers to make a move.
Enter the Canucks, who can provide the perfect solution.
The Pacific Division team wants a winger, and Kakko offers the rare opportunity to bring in a young player who still has his best years ahead of him.
He’s a big winger at 6-foot-1 and more than 200 pounds, has impressive defensive awareness for his age, and has shown flashes of offensive potential. The Finnish forward had 18 goals and 40 points during the 2022-23 season, although he also got some puck luck as he shot a career-high 14.4%.
While those are solid numbers, they’re not what you expect from a top pick in their sixth NHL season. Kakko hasn’t done much since being taken second overall to live up to that billing. He had 19 points in 61 games last season and has just 14 points in 29 games so far this year, and for this reason, the Rangers may not stress too much about moving on.
If they do explore a Kakko trade, the Rangers want to win and thus will not be interested in prospects or draft picks. They want to get better, and there’s a convincing case to be made that Nils Höglander can help them do so.
The Swedish winger scored 24 goals last season, all at even strength. That’s more goals than Kakko had points last year.
Höglander has also been an excellent play-driver ever since entering the NHL, consistently posting some of the best possession numbers on the Canucks. He’s just about two months older than Kakko and has arguably proven more at the highest level.
While he has just two goals and five points in 30 games this year, those struggles can be somewhat explained. The 23-year-old has not meshed perfectly with head coach Rick Tocchet and is playing a career-low in ice time this season. Kakko seems closer to the archetype Tocchet appreciates, so the swap may be supported by the coach.
Both players have fallen out of favour in their respective markets, and a fresh start could be mutually beneficial. While the Canucks might have to add something small to push the deal over the finish line, there are positives for both sides, and it could be a rare win-win trade.
Kakko makes $2.4 million this season and will be a restricted free agent next summer. That’s not much more than Höglanders current $1.1 salary. The Canucks winger also has a $3 million AAV, three-year deal kicking in next season.
The NHL’s holiday roster freeze begins on Friday and lasts until December 27. The Canucks are known for being aggressive, so a move before that date would surprise no one. We will just have to wait and see if Kakko is the player involved in that move.