The New York Rangers and restricted free-agent winger Kaapo Kakko agreed to terms on a one-year contract, the team announced Thursday.
The contract carries a $2.4-million cap hit, reports the New York Post's Larry Brooks. Kakko's qualifying offer was worth $2.4 million.
The 2019 No. 2 pick recorded 13 goals and six assists in 61 games in 2023-24. He added two points in 15 postseason contests.
Kakko's best season came in 2022-23 when he produced 18 goals and 22 assists in 82 games.
Kaapo Kakko, signed 1x$2.4M by NYR, is a bottom-six defensive winger. He had a disappointing 2023-24 season after looking like he'd taken a step forward the previous year, especially struggling to be an effective passer and offensive driver. #NYR pic.twitter.com/HSgnR9Btn2
— JFresh (@JFreshHockey) June 13, 2024
The 23-year-old can't hit unrestricted free agency until 2026.
The Rangers have two more key pending RFAs to take care of with defensemen Ryan Lindgren and Braden Schneider.
