The Lightning Should Call On Former Rangers First-Round Pick.

Despite having career-highs in goals and points for the 2023 Rangers, A Kaapo Kakko trade could happen. A second-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, the Turku native entered the season with expectations to fill a top-six role under new Head Coach Peter Laviolette. However, less than 20 games into the season, Kakko lost the first-line right wing to veteran Blake Wheeler. While the fifth-year pro showed promise in 2023, he was disappointing in his opportunity to shine. Appearing in 61 games last season, Kakko notched 13 goals and six assists for 19 points.

Kakko’s sub-par performance ties back to another injury he suffered last season. A lower-body injury caused the Finnish forward to miss 21 games. With Jack Roslovic brought in at the trade deadline to bolster the forward depth, Kakko got demoted to a third-line role for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. With Alexis Lafreniere‘s breakout season and another disappointing playoff exit, the Rangers may move on from their former draft cornerstone.

Tampa Bay Lightning Should Target Kaapo Kakko

While the Lightning are not the first team that comes to mind in a Kaapo Kakko trade, the fit makes plenty of sense in Tampa. Two issues of the Tampa roster last season were secondary scoring and defensive play. Outside the top trio, the Lightning received minimal production from their depth forwards. Furthermore, the Bolts allowed 3.24 goals per hour in all situations, which ranked 23rd league-wide last year. Kakko is a young, affordable project for the Lightning. The team will transition into a rebuild over the next few seasons, and a 23-year-old Kakko is a potential long-term piece.