The New York Rangers got some devestating news last week when Filip Chytil went down during practice after missing significant time with an injury. A few days later, the Rangers and Chytil announced that he would miss the remainder of the season due to concussion issues. With Chytil out, the Metropolitan Division leaders are now looking for center depth ahead of the March 8th trade deadline. They currently have $5.2M in cap space and will likely have more given the pieces they are interested in trading away.
According to TSN's Darren Dreger, the Rangers are taking calls on 2019 second-overall pick Kaapo Kakko. The soon to be 23-year-old has struggled this season managing to register just 6 points in 28 games for the Rangers. Kakko is in the final season of 2-year bridge deal with an AAV of $2.1M and will be a restricted free agent this summer.
Although Kakko has struggled this season, he set career highs in goals with 18 and points with 40 last season. The Finnish native could use a fresh start somewhere else with how this season has gone and should have more of an opportunity in the top-six on a new team.
It has been no secret that the Rangers would be buyers at the deadline, leading the Metro Division, but their targets have changed since the injury to Chytil. Rangers GM Chris Drury is not shy about making big moves either as he acquired Patrick Kane and Vladimir Tarasenko at last year's deadline and landed Andrew Copp and Frank Vatrano ahead of 2022's deadline.
