Charles LeClaire-Imagn images
The New York Rangers traded Kaapo Kakko before the NHL holiday trading freeze goes into effect Thursday at 11:59 PM local time and lasts until 12:01 AM on December 28.
Kakko is headed to the Seattle Kraken in exchange for a third-round and sixth-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft.
The Rangers, who are 3-11-0 as of Nov. 20, were expected to make a trade before the roster freeze. It’s clear that Rangers GM Chris Drury is under immense pressure to figure out what’s wrong with his team and take action to address it.
Trading Kakko seemed like the easiest trade for them. Kakko was surprised to have a healthy clean sheet against St. Louis on December 15, calling it “easy” to take a young guy out of the lineup.
The 23-year-old was a healthy scratch before Sunday, but given the Rangers’ struggles on the ice, the Kakko trade could change the team’s chemistry, ultimately ending the rollercoaster relationship between Kakko and Rangers management .
Borgen, a 27-year-old defenseman, has a goal and an assist for two points in 33 games this season. He also has 48 hits and 37 blocked shots.
Whether the Rangers will make another move remains to be seen. They can get a high salary in almost any deal. However, there aren’t many difference makers on the trade market, so Drury will have to be creative while remaining determined to land someone who can contribute right away.
The Kraken, meanwhile, get a young right winger with four goals and ten assists, good for fourteen points in thirty games this season. He has a chance to average more than 13:17 of ice time as Seattle tries to climb from sixth in the Pacific Division to a playoff spot.
Related: It’s been the ‘same story’ for Rangers this season, and it’s been significantly under-par
The Rangers and Kraken aren’t expected to be the only teams to make a trade before the roster freeze. Some teams should sell some bad fits or upgrade their rosters next week.
Here are two other NHL teams that should make a trade before the calendar turns to Friday.
Buffalo sabers
The Sabers have lost 11 games in a row (0-8-3), and that losing streak could get even worse as their next three games are against teams looking for a playoff spot (Toronto, Boston and the New York Islanders).
How much worse does it have to get for Sabers GM Kevyn Adams to make a major move?
Whether it’s making a blockbuster trade involving young Dylan Cozens or acquiring more help like Leafs center David Kampf or Flyers centers Morgan Frost or Scott Laughton, the Sabers need to do something to improve their to wake up the team. It’s not about adding draft picks or prospects at this stage of Buffalo’s decline. It’s about bringing in experienced, NHL-caliber talent to exponentially increase the team’s overall level of play. And the Sabres’ cap situation would allow them to acquire a veteran to stem the bleeding in Western New York.
The Sabers simply cannot afford to sit idly by and embrace the status quo. No more excuses and no more patience for this team. While he still has his job, Adams needs to send a message to his chamber that the new calendar year will be different in tone and expectation. That starts with a deal that sends more than a small ripple through his organization before locking in who they have next week.
Related: Three big moves the Buffalo Sabers could make to get back on track
Vancouver Canucks
There have been some wild trade rumors involving the Canucks lately, including star center Elias Pettersson and veteran JT Miller. We don’t think for a second that Pettersson or Miller will be moved.
However, Vancouver could still make a notable move, with Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reporting that the Canucks are looking to add a defenseman while Filip Hronek is injured. Maybe that means bringing in veteran defenseman Ivan Provorov from the Columbus Blue Jackets, which is what Rick Dhaliwal also suggested.
Another move involving a D-man could be a trade that sends Vincent Desharnais out of town, as Desharnais has proven to be a poor fit since signing with Vancouver last summer.
The Canucks are also reportedly still on the hunt for a winger, but their cap situation leaves them with just $1.91 million in cap space. That means any transaction will almost certainly be a money-in, money-out deal. But as the Canucks fight to reach the top of the Pacific Division, they have plenty of motivation to make a trade to improve the overall quality of their lineup.
Vancouver is the best team on this list, but the Canucks could still use some new blood before the holiday roster freezes and the remainder of the regular season can begin with a rebuilt roster. They would have to move quickly to change their lineup before the holidays, which means asking someone for veteran help.
Related: Thatcher Demko’s return is a process – for him and the Canucks
Get the latest news and trending stories straight to your inbox by subscribing to the Hockey News newsletter here. And share your opinion by commenting below the article on THN.com or via a visit to our forum.
