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| Kaapo Kakko | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Kakko with theSeattle Kraken in 2024 | |||
| Born | (2001-02-13)13 February 2001 (age 24) Turku, Finland | ||
| Height | 6 ft 1[1] in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 215[1] lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Shoots | Left | ||
| NHL team Former teams | Seattle Kraken TPS New York Rangers | ||
| National team |  Finland | ||
| NHL draft | 2nd overall,2019 New York Rangers | ||
| Playing career | 2017–present | ||
Kaapo Ville Olavi Kakko[2] (Finnish pronunciation:[ˈkɑːpoˈkɑkːo]; born 13 February 2001) is a Finnish professionalice hockeyforward for theSeattle Kraken of theNational Hockey League (NHL). Kakko was selected second overall by theNew York Rangers in the2019 NHL entry draft. Kakko playsright wing, but also has experience playing atcentre. He made his professional debut playing withTPS of the FinnishLiiga.
On 21 June 2019, as the top-ranked European skater heading into the2019 NHL entry draft, Kakko was selected second overall by theNew York Rangers.[3][4] On 11 July 2019, he was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Rangers.[5]
Kakko made his NHL debut for the Rangers on 3 October 2019.[6] He scored his first NHL career goal on 12 October, at home against theEdmonton Oilers, becoming the eighth player in Rangers franchise history to score a goal at the age of 18 or younger.[7] He also became the second player in NHL history born in the 21st century to score a goal, afterVille Heinola (also born in 2001) of theWinnipeg Jets, who scored a goal just hours before Kakko on the same day.[8]
Following the conclusion of his entry-level contract with the Rangers, Kakko as a restricted free agent was re-signed to a two-year, $4.2 million contract extension with New York on 28 July 2022.[9]
As a restricted free agent, Kakko signed a one-year, $2.4 million contract extension with New York on 13 June 2024.[10]
During the2024–25 season, on 18 December 2024, Kakko was traded by the Rangers to theSeattle Kraken in a deal forWill Borgen and two draft picks in2025.[11]
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men'sice hockey | ||
| Representing Finland | ||
| World Championships | ||
 | 2019 Slovakia | |
| World Junior Championships | ||
| 2019 Canada | |
| World U18 Championships | ||
| 2018 Russia | |
Kakko scored the gold medal-winning goal forFinland junior team in the2019 World Junior Championships on 5 January 2019.[12] Kakko is the youngest player in ice hockey history to win gold in all three IIHF world championship tournaments – theWorld U18 Championships, theWorld Junior Championships and theWorld Championships.[13]
Kakko played forFinland senior team in the2019 World Championship where he led the team with six goals during tournament, while Finland won gold medals.[14]
Kakko hasType 1 diabetes andceliac disease.[15][16][17]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2016–17 | TPS | Jr. A | 7 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2017–18 | TPS | Jr. A | 38 | 25 | 30 | 55 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2017–18 | TPS | Liiga | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2018–19 | TPS | Liiga | 45 | 22 | 16 | 38 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 2019–20 | New York Rangers | NHL | 66 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 2020–21 | New York Rangers | NHL | 48 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2021–22 | New York Rangers | NHL | 43 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 10 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 2022–23 | New York Rangers | NHL | 82 | 18 | 22 | 40 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2023–24 | New York Rangers | NHL | 61 | 13 | 6 | 19 | 24 | 15 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 2024–25 | New York Rangers | NHL | 30 | 4 | 10 | 14 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Liiga totals | 51 | 22 | 17 | 39 | 10 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||||
| NHL totals | 330 | 61 | 70 | 131 | 80 | 44 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 2 | ||||
| Year | Team | Event | Result | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Finland | U18 |  | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2019 | Finland | WJC | | 7 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2019 | Finland | WC | | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 | |
| Junior totals | 14 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 2 | ||||
| Senior totals | 10 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0 | ||||
| Award | Year | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Liiga | ||
| Jarmo Wasama Memorial Trophy | 2019 | [18] |
| President's Trophy | 2019 | [19] |
It also marked Kakko's third world championship in as many tries. He also helped Finland win the World Men's Under-18 Championship in 2018 and the World Junior Championship in January. He is the youngest player in IIHF history to complete the trifecta.
Draft-eligible Kaapo Kakko led the team with six goals.
| Awards and achievements | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | New York Rangers first round draft pick 2019 | Succeeded by |
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