There was a lot of negative attention placed on New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafreniere during the preseason, and with good reason.
Lafreniere, 21, was given top six minutes throughout the exhibition season and did not show enough progress, hustle, offense, or good play to warrant more playing time with the team’s top guys. If anything, his play showed that despite the new regime trying to put him in the right position to succeed, Lafreniere did not display enough results.
Instead of continuing to harp on Lafreniere’s poor play, it is time to focus on the team’s other top pick, Kaapo Kakko, who was taken second overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Based on the last several practice updates from various team beat writers, it appears that Kakko, 22, will be given a shot to play on the team’s top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider when the team’s season opens up on Thursday night, October 12th in Buffalo against the Buffalo Sabres.
It is not like the team has not tried this before with Kakko. They have used him on the top two lines, and while he was not bad, he certainly did not do anything that was eye-popping.
There is a good chance that things will be different this time around. For starters, he has chemistry playing with Zibanejad and Kreider.
During the preseason, these guys looked comfortable together. They were able to move around the puck quickly, were able to set up a few scoring chances, and Kakko managed to score one in their last preseason game against the Boston Bruins back on Thursday, October 5th.
Secondly, Kakko’s game below the has marks can be a game changer. He knows how to hold onto the puck, creates space for his linemates, goes hard to the net, and will certainly win many battles along the boards, thanks to his size.
Kakko also has a very quick release. Yes, there have been a lot of times in the past where he would pass instead of shoot the puck, but something tells me that he is going to be doing the opposite this season if he gets to play on one of the top two lines on a consistent basis.
He is someone who is very responsible on the other side of the puck. This is a player who can create and force turnovers, which could not only end up creating scoring opportunities for himself but also for the likes of Kreider and Zibanejad should he end up playing on a line with them.
Lastly, his confidence is growing. This will be his fifth season in the NHL, and up to this point, he has shown some steady progression in his game.
Just take a look at the numbers below:
- 2019-20: 10 goals and 13 assists for 23 points in 66 games
- 2020-21: 9 goals and 8 assists for 17 points in 48 games
- 2021-22: 7 goals and 11 assists for 18 points in 43 games
- 2022-23: 18 goals and 22 assists for 40 points in 82 games
What people have to remember is that Kakko is still very young despite this being his fifth year in the league. With that said, this season presents a big opportunity to grow into and become the player that the team drafted, which is a guy who plays with size, skill, and someone who can produce.
The time is now for Kakko.
