Kaapo Kakko hasn’t been the same since the flu knocked him out of two games in Florida in mid-November, and while he seemed to perk up the last few games, after coach David Quinn elevated him to the top two lines, Quinn believed it was time to try something different with the 18-year-old, who hasn’t scored a goal since Nov. 12.
So when the Rangers came out for warmups, Kakko, the No. 2 pick overall in this summer’s draft, was skating on the fourth line, with center Brett Howden and left wing Brendan Smith. Kakko, who has gone 14 games without a goal before puck drop, had eight shots on goal in Tuesday’s game against the L.