Rangers waiting for ‘right offer’ to trade underwhelming young winger

The New York Rangers have seemingly tried to trade Kaapo Kakko in recent weeks. But so far, they have been unsuccessful.

However, according to Vince Mercogliano of Lohud, Kakko was not traded due to a lack of effort. The Rangers simply have not yet received an offer that they believe is worth accepting.

Rangers appear to be ‘dangling’ Kaapo Kakko in trade talks

Mercogliano recently said on his podcast: New Ice Citythat he believes the Rangers “dangled” Kakko in recent trade discussions (h/t Phil Kocher on X):

“I’m sure they have Kaapo Kakko in their sights and will look to trade him this summer. I think they’re not happy with the offers they’ve received so far, that’s why he’s still on the roster.”

The Rangers have had a relatively quiet summer so far. They’ve made a few small moves to improve their roster, but haven’t made the big blockbuster deals they were expected to make at the start of free agency. If a big deal does materialize, it could be a Kakko trade.

Why Rangers Want to Get Rid of Kakko

Kakko has had a disappointing start to his career with the Rangers. While he certainly has talent and has made an impact in recent years, Kakko has not lived up to the expectations of a former second overall draft pick.

Kakko has had opportunities to play on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider, but he hasn’t been able to step up and blossom into a top-tier player. The team is still looking for a quality right winger to play on that line.

In 2023, Kakko recorded just 19 points (13 goals, six assists) in 61 games, a steep drop from his 40 points in 82 games the previous season. Kakko missed time with injury this season, but wasn’t a hugely impactful player in his return to the ice.

At this point, it feels like Kakko has settled into a bottom-six third-line role. He’s a valuable player and skill set for an NHL roster, but he’s not the player and skill set the Rangers envisioned for Kakko. Ultimately, it seems like they’d rather trade him for what they can before his trade value declines further.