Kaapo Kakko’s played on the wing ever since his first NHL season with the Rangers in 2019-20. But there he was Thursday night at Scotiabank Saddledome, centering the third line beginning in the second period of a 3-2 loss to the Calgary Flames.
Looking to jumpstart his team, which fell into a 2-0 hole and had been largely dominated by the Flames, Rangers coach Peter Laviolette cut down to three lines and moved Kakko from right wing to center between wings Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey.
“We dropped down to three lines just to find some rhythm,” Laviolette explained postgame. “It’s not about taking somebody out of the lineup, it’s trying to find more juice and energy inside the game. … So, we moved [Kakko] to the middle.”
Kakko replaced Jonny Brodzinski as the third-line center. Brodzinski played only two shifts in the second half of the second period and three short ones in the third. This was the 31-year-old’s third straight game in the lineup, filling in for the injured Filip Chytil.
There was a quick payback on moving Kakko to the middle. One shift after Alexis Lafreniere put the Rangers on the board with his eighth goal at 16:37 of the second, Kakko won an offensive-zone face-off which led directly to Cuylle’s game-tying goal off a deflection in front at 16:53.
In all, Kakko won six of nine face-offs and had one shot on goal in just 9:35 TOI, which is almost four minutes under his average per game.
“He played center prior to getting to the NHL. He’s got center experience,” Laviolette said. “He’s pretty good in the face-off circle. They produced a goal for us to tie the game. So, I thought he did good.”
Related: Rangers furious with blow call in loss to Flames: ‘Still don’t understand it’
Rangers considered using Kaapo Kakko at center previously
Cuylle, Kakko and Vesey were on ice for the eventual game-winner scored by Connor Zary midway through the third period. So, it wasn’t all a success after Kakko moved to center.
Kakko couldn’t gain position or leverage on Zary, who sped into the left circle and roofed a shot short side over Igor Shesterkin’s shoulder, despite Kakko leaning on him at 10:35.
With Kakko at center for just over three minutes of 5v5 time, the Rangers had a dismal 17.45 percent xGF percentage, per Natural Stat Trick. That’s still far better than Cuylle, Brodzinski and Kakko managed in 4:51 together 5v5 — their xGF was an appalling 1.98 percent, they were out-shot 6-1 and out-chanced 5-0.
“He had gotten a shift or two before in the middle,” Laviolette explained. “And it’s just something we had talked about if the opportunity presented itself. So, we went with it tonight.”
The Rangers are hopeful that Chytil will return to the lineup soon. The 25-year-old rejoined the Rangers in Calgary and Chytil skated with the extras after the morning skate Thursday. This, after a specialist in New York confirmed Chytil did not sustain a concussion in a collision with teammate K’Andre Miller last week.
The Rangers conclude their four-game road trip in Edmonton on Saturday against the Oilers.
