Seattle Kraken defenseman Will Borgen (3) strikes the puck in the course of the third interval of an NHL hockey recreation towards the Nashville Predators, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Seattle. (AP Photograph/Rio Giancarlo)
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The New York Rangers traded Kaapo Kakko to the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday, ending the winger’s tumultuous time within the group.
The Rangers acquired defenseman Will Borgen, a 2025 third-round choose and a 2026 sixth-round choose from Seattle within the deal, which got here lower than 36 hours after Kakko expressed displeasure about being a wholesome scratch. It was not clear if his feedback had something to do with the timing of the commerce, given common supervisor Chris Drury’s want for a number of weeks to shake up his roster.
“Kaapo is a young dynamic forward who brings skill and offense to our club,” Kraken GM Ron Francis stated in an announcement. “We’re excited to have him join us.”
Kakko stated Tuesday he was shocked by coach Peter Laviolette’s determination to bench him in the course of the struggling Rangers’ recreation Sunday at St. Louis, calling it “easy to take the young guy and put him out.”
New York has misplaced 11 of its previous 14 video games, together with 5 of seven since buying and selling captain Jacob Trouba to Anaheim. The staff was shut out Tuesday evening in Nashville.
Kakko, the second choose within the 2019 draft and a local of Finland, was a wholesome scratch as soon as in the course of the Rangers’ run to the Jap Convention ultimate final spring and was rumored to be concerned in commerce talks over the summer season even after signing a one-year contract as a restricted free agent. With 14 factors in his first 30 video games this season, he now will get a contemporary begin with the Kraken at age 23.
Borgen, 27, was an growth draft selection by Seattle in 2021 from Buffalo. His acquisition provides New York a right-shot defenseman with 261 video games of NHL regular-season and playoff expertise to exchange Trouba.
“(I) want to thank Will for everything he’s done for our franchise,” Francis stated. “As an original member of the Kraken, we wish him all the best in New York.”
After making the transfer, the Rangers despatched defenseman Victor Mancini to Hartford of the American Hockey League and recalled ahead Matt Rempe, who has spent a bulk of the season up to now within the minors.