The New York Rangers are plummeting in front of all eyes in the NHL. The Rangers’ season is spiraling out of control, and it may have gone beyond its point of no return after Kaapo Kakko issued a vivid statement on Peter Laviolette’s controversial decision to scratch the 23-year-old forward.
In the blink of an eye, the Rangers have gone from arguably the biggest contender in the Eastern Conference to a full-blown trainwreck. The Big Apple’s franchise now looks unrecognizable on the ice. To add fuel to the fire, tensions have risen within the locker room, and the relationship between Coach Laviolette and the players seems to be hanging by a thread.
The Rangers have lost 10 of their last 13 games, and Laviolette is struggling to find solutions to the daily struggles. During the team’s most recent outing, the head coach made a risky move. He healthy scratched Kakko, in hopes of getting some new chemistry on the lineup. However, the decision backfired tremendously as the Rangers lost 3-2, and Kakko fired back at his coach.
“I have not been the worst guy, but that was me out of the lineup,” Kakko candidly stated, via Mollie Walker of The New York Post. “Haven’t been on the ice too much when [opponents] score a goal. I was surprised, yeah. I know you got to do something as a coach when you’re losing games, but I think it’s just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out. That’s how I feel, to be honest.”
Head coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers looks on against the New York Islanders during the first period during the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium on February 18, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Laviolette explains decision to take Kakko off the lineup
As soon as news broke out of Kakko’s healthy scratch against the Blues, the buzz around the team and the rest of the league was that a trade could be in the works for the 23-year-old Finnish winger. However, Laviolette denied that claim and explained the reason behind his scratch was purely strategic.
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“We were putting fresh legs into the lineup tonight,” Laviolette said postgame, via Athlon Sports. “That’s based on the decision we made to go with this lineup. Those are the things we worked on internally through the day.”
However, Kakko’s blunt response may signal a worrisome trend in the locker room, as frustration grows within the players and Laviolette’s position may be in danger.
Laviolette clears the air after Kakko’s comments
The Rangers’ head coach understands that the primary concern in New York is the team’s struggles. His job is to right the ship, and whether players get upset by his decisions is beyond his control. Although Laviolette sent a calming message, he made one thing clear to Kakko, who believed he was scratched because it’s easier to bench a young player than a veteran.
Kaapo Kakko #24 of the New York Rangers skates against the New York Islanders during the first period at UBS Arena on October 04, 2024 in Elmont, New York.
“I’ll keep those messages between him and I. But I think it’s okay to be frustrated. It’s okay to be upset,” Laviolette stated. “There’s been older players that have sat out, as well. The decisions that I make, they’re tough decisions. Our team, Kaapo – we need to play better. We’re 3-10 in our last 13 games, and that’s not good enough.”
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Among this heated environment in the organization, the Rangers will take on the Nashville Predators tonight at 8p.m. ET. Kaapo Kakko will return to the lineup as the Blueshirts desperately need to get a win during their visit to Nashville.
