Former Top-Three Pick Available to the Canadiens: A Game-Changer Opportunity Has Emerged for Kent Hughes
A few weeks ago, the general manager of the Canadiens, Kent Hughes, indicated that he was actively looking to improve his offense. However, he admitted that he was looking for a long-term solution and not just to acquire a forward who could help the team for the next two or three seasons.
In the last few minutes, major news was disclosed by Darren Dreger. According to his sources, Finnish forward Kaapo Kakko is available on the trade market as the New York Rangers are ready to listen to offers for the former second overall pick.
New York Rangers General Manager Chris Drury is open to trade offers for forward Kaapo Kakko, sources told Darren Dreger of TSN.
Kakko, who will be 23 in February, was the second overall pick in 2019. He is in the last season of a two-year contract worth $4.2 million before becoming a restricted free agent this summer.» - Via The Score
The 22-year-old forward is exactly the type of profile sought by the GM of the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge, who has a lot of talent but has not yet managed to reach his full potential in the NHL.
Kaapo Kakko showed very encouraging signs last season with a harvest of 40 points in 82 games, but he has been unable to replicate his performances this year, unfortunately being relegated to the Rangers' third line. However, there is no doubt that he is destined for a promising future, and a change of scenery could greatly benefit him.
Moreover, he would fit perfectly with the rebuilding process undertaken by Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton, being the same age as several key players in the lineup, such as Cole Caufield, Kirby Dach, and Alex Newhook. For sure, he would instantly become an interesting option to boost the top-6 of Montreal.
Kaapo Kakko's statistics with the Rangers:
ˇ 2019-2020: 10 goals and 13 assists (23 points) in 66 games
ˇ 2020-2021: 9 goals and 8 assists (17 points) in 48 games
ˇ 2021-2022: 7 goals and 11 assists (18 points) in 43 games
ˇ 2022-2023: 18 goals and 22 assists (40 points) in 82 games
ˇ 2023-2024: 5 goals and 1 assist (6 points) in 28 games
It's also interesting to note that Jeff Gorton was the one who drafted him during his tenure with the American team, thus demonstrating his attraction towards the 6'2", 205-pound forward. Now it remains to be seen what demands Chris Drury will require to agree to part with number 24.
Do you believe the Canadiens should attempt to acquire Kaapo Kakko?
| POLL |
1 FEVRIER | 333 ANSWERS Former Top-Three Pick Available to the Canadiens: A Game-Changer Opportunity Has Emerged for Kent Hughes Should the Canadiens go after Kakko? |
| Yes | 183 | 55 % |
| No | 150 | 45 % |
| LIST OF POLLS |
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