Rangers’ Kaapo Kakko pushing pace as return to ice inches closer
Kaapo Kakko, still in a red non-contact jersey, was more involved in the Rangers’ morning skate Monday than he has been since he rejoined the team on the ice last week.
The Finnish forward looked to be pushing the pace, which head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed by saying he had “no real restrictions.”
“With regard to maybe changing jersey colors, he’s close,” Laviolette said before the Blueshirts lost, 6-3, to the Canucks at the Garden.
Missing his 19th game on Monday, Kakko hasn’t played since he fell on his leg awkwardly during the Nov. 27 game against the Sabres.
It looked a lot worse than the prognosis turned out to be, which was that it was not a season-ending injury.
The Rangers will likely want Kakko to get a few practices in as a full participant before reinserting him into the lineup.
It’s possible he could return before Tyler Pitlick, who missed his second game on Monday while out week-to-week with a lower-body injury.
Presumably, either Brennan Othmann ($863,333 cap hit) or Jonny Brodzinski ($762,500 cap hit) would come out of the lineup for Kakko.
Laviolette didn’t have much of an update on Filip Chytil, who returned to Czechia with hopes that being home would help usher along his recovery from a suspected concussion.
Chytil missed his 29th straight game on Monday, but he continues to skate and work.
“We’re still on a plan where he’s over [there] training,” Laviolette said of Chytil. “He’s improving.”
Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin made 20 saves on the 25 shots he faced against the Canucks in his 25th start of the season.
Monday night marked the seventh time Shesterkin gave up five or more goals in a game, and the second time in his last three starts.
With the loss, the Russian netminder’s record fell to 16-9-0.
After putting up a season-high 48 shots against the Canadiens on Saturday, the Rangers recorded 42 shots against the Canucks to give the club 90 through the two games.
It marked the first time since Oct. 25-26, 2022 that the Rangers have recorded 40-plus shots in consecutive contests.
The Rangers are scheduled to practice on Tuesday before they venture to St. Louis for the first of a two-game road trip against the Blues and the Capitals.
They’re expected to practice in Washington on Friday and then square off with the Capitals in a Saturday matinee.
