The New York Rangers are veering off track on what was supposed to be an exciting <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a> season. Coming into the campaign with sky-high expectations, the Rangers have been very underwhelming and are sitting near the bottom of the Metro Division. Frustration is mounting in Manhattan and it may have reached a boiling point after Peter Laviolette was confronted by third-liner Kaapo Kakko.



After being scratched for the Rangers’ matchup against the St. Louis Blues, Kakko came out swinging at <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/peter-laviolette">Laviolette</a> and the coaching staff, claiming he was unfairly blamed and thrown under the bus for the team’s collective shortcomings.



Laviolette is skating on thin ice as the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> have lost ten of their past thirteen games, and Kakko has publicly criticized his decisions. The rest of the team could soon follow Kakko’s lead in defying their coach’s authority. To address the issue, Laviolette has sent a strong message to Kakko, along with a warning to the rest of the squad.



“There’s been older players who have sat out as well. The decisions that I make, they’re tough decisions,” Laviolette stated, via lohud. “Our team, Kaapo, our team — we need to play better. We’re 3-10 in our 13 games and that’s not good enough. We need to play a better brand of hockey, all of us.” 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="723" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241217_BUS_295357_GettyImages-2040812226-1024x723_e0ff4c65.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=723" alt="Head coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers handles the bench against the New York Islanders during the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium on February 18, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. " class="wp-image-259304" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GettyImages-2040812226-1024x723.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GettyImages-2040812226-300x212.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GettyImages-2040812226-768x542.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GettyImages-2040812226-1536x1085.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/GettyImages-2040812226-2048x1446.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Head coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers handles the bench against the New York Islanders during the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union Stadium Series game at MetLife Stadium on February 18, 2024 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. </figcaption></figure>



Forwards Reilly Smith and Jimmy Vesey were recently scratched in an effort to lit a fire under the Rangers. Laviolette referenced those instances to refute Kakko’s claim that he was benched because “it’s just easy to pick a young guy and boot him out.”


 

 

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<h2>Kakko’s statement</h2>



As the New York Rangers wrapped up their morning skate ahead of their Dec. 17 matchup with the Nashville Predators, Kaapo Kakko delivered a stern message to the coaches upon returning to the lineup after being scratched for the game against the Blues.



“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.”



<h2>Must-win game among the tension</h2>



While the locker room in New York is stunned, the Rangers must face the bottom-feeding Nashville Predators. Both teams are desperate for a win, and coaches Peter Laviolette and Andrew Brunette are under the scope as their seats heat up following catastrophic starts to their seasons.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241217_BUS_295357_Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-1024x576_76e3af91.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) in game action during the NHL game between the New-York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada." class="wp-image-294211" srcset="https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-300x169.jpg 300w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-768x432.jpg 768w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-740x416.jpg 740w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-490x275.jpg 490w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee-250x140.jpg 250w, https://images.futbolsites.net/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/16191506/Rangers-right-wing-Kaapo-Kakko-24-in-game-action-during-the-NHL-Eishockey-Herren-USA-game-betwee.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>Rangers right wing Kaapo Kakko (24) in game action during the NHL game between the New-York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, Canada.</figcaption></figure>



“There’s got to be more from our team, in general – from the players you mentioned, from myself, from everybody,” Laviolette said. “We’re either going to accept where we’re at, or we’re going to fight like hell to make a difference and move out of this. That’s the only way that we’re going to get there. There’s got to be more fight to what we’re doing.“


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Though the pressure for immediate results is evident and his position as Rangers head coach is at stake with every loss, Laviolette is more focused on tonight’s game than on his job security.



“Those are things that I can’t control. I’ve been in this a long time. There’s always those conversations wherever you go, especially if you’ve been in it for a long time. My real concern is getting a win tonight, getting back on track, getting back into the playoff race.”

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The New York Rangers are plummeting in front of all eyes in the <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/nhl">NHL</a>. 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 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/new-york-rangers">Rangers</a> 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 <a href="https://bolavip.com/en/topic/peter-laviolette">Laviolette</a> 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.”



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241217_BUS_294748_Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-1024x576_66a00cbf.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="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." class="wp-image-281805" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/11/Head-coach-Peter-Laviolette-of-the-New-York-Rangers-looks-on-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-t.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>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.</figcaption></figure>



<h2>Laviolette explains decision to take Kakko off the lineup</h2>



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.



<h2>Laviolette clears the air after Kakko’s comments</h2>



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.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1024" height="576" src="https://ds-images.bolavip.com/news/image?src=https://images.bolavip.com/webp/en/full/BUS_20241217_BUS_294748_Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-1024x576_9dca4283.webp&amp;width=1024&amp;height=576" alt="" class="wp-image-258793" srcset="https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-300x169.jpg 300w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-768x432.jpg 768w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-740x416.jpg 740w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-490x275.jpg 490w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio-250x140.jpg 250w, https://bolavip-us.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/Kaapo-Kakko-24-of-the-New-York-Rangers-skates-against-the-New-York-Islanders-during-the-first-perio.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px"></figure><figcaption>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. </figcaption></figure>



“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.

Kaapo Kakko issues vivid statement to Rangers HC Peter Laviolette after being scratched

NHL News: Rangers' Kaapo Kakko sends candid message to HC Peter Laviolette after being scratched - Bolavip US

Kaapo Kakko sends candid message to Rangers HC Peter Laviolette

NHL News: Rangers' Kaapo Kakko sends candid message to HC Peter Laviolette after being scratched

Peter Laviolette