Former second overall draft pick Kaapo Kakko has been added to the New York Rangers COVID-19 protocol list.
MSG Pregame also reports Kaapo Kakko is out and will be placed on the Rangers’ Covid list.
— Colin Stephenson (@ColinSNewsday) February 20, 2021
Kakko to Miss Time Due to COVID Protocol
The New York Rangers will be without Kaapo Kakko at least for today’s game against the Washington Capitals. The left-shot right-winger has not been the most productive player offensively for the Rangers. That said, he has still shown significant improvement in his on-ice performance from his rookie year. With just three points in 14 games this season, he likely will not be missed in the offensive zone. The defensive zone is a different story. He has posted a relative Corsi for percentage of 6.8 this season, well above average.
With Kaapo Kakko out, that will change the way the Rangers have to approach the Capitals game. Kakko has spent much of his playing time this season alongside Brett Howden and either Filip Chytil or Brendan Lemieux. With Kakko unavailable, New York will likely play Julien Gauthier on that line instead. The Rangers forward group still remains mostly intact as Kakko is the only addition to the list and the roster shuffling should be limited for today’s game.
COVID Impact
We have seen COVID-19 impact the league countless times already. Kakko is just the latest roster casualty of this situation. Schedules have been modified on countless occasions. The NHL will need to continue to make these changes. The league has not made any changes to New York Rangers games yet due to this instance. If this turns out to be a positive case, it could have a cascading impact on schedules for many teams. Thankfully for the Washington Capitals, Kakko will not be able to suit up for today’s game, likely making them safe from the Rangers COVID situation.
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