The Rangers are hoping that burying a goal in each of his last two games before the All-Star break finally will kickstart Kaapo Kakko’s production following a quiet start to the season.
The Finnish winger and the No. 2-overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, Kakko had managed only three goals and one assist over his first 26 appearances this season before scoring against the Golden Knights and the Senators before the Rangers’ week-long break.
“I watched him in practice today, and the first thing that we said to him coming off after practice, it looked like he had some pop in his step,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said of Kakko. “It looked like he was playing and attacking the game a little bit more, a little bit more determined on the pocket and so just trying to keep it short term and talk about recently and try to build off of that.
“Bring that into [Monday against the Avalanche] so you can start just to build off it.”
Kakko, who missed 21 games in the first half with a lower-body injury, skated in practice Sunday on the right side on a line with Will Cuylle and Jonny Brodzinski.
Jacob Trouba’s two-game suspension will be completed after Monday’s game, but it has given a rare opportunity for little-used defenseman Zac Jones to get into the lineup.
“I know that you don’t get to this level if you don’t want to be out on the ice and playing in games. That’s always how you handle things in life. I think he’s done an unbelievable job of handling his role in this situation,” Laviolette said of Jones, who has appeared in 16 games.
“There’s confidence from us, and it’s nice when he does get an opportunity and he’s able to go in there and play some minutes for us. … I know he wants to play, and he’s getting an opportunity right now.”
Forward Jake Leschyshyn and defenseman Connor Mackey were recalled from AHL Hartford.
Laviolette on having actor Will Arnett (of “Arrested Development” and “Bojack Horseman” fame) as his celebrity coach at the All-Star Game: “He was great. He was so easy to have on the bench. Did you see the speech? That’s classic. That was outstanding, he came in after the second game, and he said, ‘Why not us?!’ He was awesome. On the bench, he was so fired up. … Really enjoyed it.”
