In exchange for Will Borgen and draft choices, the Rangers send Kaapo Kakko to the Kraken.
Kaapo Kakko’s turbulent tenure with the New York Rangers came to an end on Wednesday when he was moved to the Seattle Kraken.
The trade, which occurred less than 36 hours after Kakko complained about being a healthy scratch, gave the Rangers defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round selection, and a 2026 sixth-round pick from Seattle. Given general manager Chris Drury’s wish to rotate his squad for a few weeks, it was unclear whether his remarks had anything to do with the trade’s timing.
“Kaapo is a young dynamic forward who brings skill and offense to our club,” stated Ron Francis, general manager of Kraken, in a release. “We´re excited to have him join us.”
Kakko claimed on Tuesday that he was taken aback by coach Peter Laviolette’s choice to sit him during Sunday’s game against St. Louis, where the Rangers were struggling, saying it was “easy to take the young guy and put him out.”
Since moving captain Jacob Trouba to Anaheim, New York has lost five of its last seven games and 11 of its last fourteen. In Nashville on Tuesday night, the team was shut out.
Despite signing a one-year contract as a restricted free agent, Kakko, the second selection in the 2019 draft and a native of Finland, was speculated to be involved in trade negotiations during the summer after being a healthy scratch once during the Rangers’ run to the Eastern Conference final last spring. At the age of 23, he now gets a new start with the Kraken after scoring 14 points in his first 30 games this season.
The 27-year-old Borgen was selected by Seattle in the 2021 expansion draft from Buffalo. With his acquisition, New York can replace Trouba with a right-shot defenseman who has played in 261 NHL regular-season and playoff games.
“(I) want to thank Will for everything he´s done for our franchise,” stated Francis. “As an original member of the Kraken, we wish him all the best in New York.”
Following the transaction, the Rangers recalled forward Matt Rempe, who has spent the majority of the season in the minor leagues, and assigned defender Victor Mancini to Hartford of the American Hockey League.
