Kappo Kakko Admits His Confidence Changed After Rangers Departure

It’s safe to say that Kaapo Kakko is happy with the Seattle Kraken.

Since the New York Rangers traded Kakko to Seattle, the young forward has been playing some of the best hockey of his career.

The 23-year-old has recorded four goals, six assists and 10 points in 13 games while averaging 16:34 minutes.

Confidence is the word Kakko used to describe his overall game and mental state.

“The confidence is …” Kakko said via Nicholas J. Cotsonika of NHL.com. “That’s something you can have, or you can lose it and then it’s going to look pretty bad, you know? And I feel it’s getting more and more right now. I feel I’m making plays, getting chances in the [offensive] zone. I’m trying to find my game again, kind of like before I got to the NHL.”

Kakko is also in the right spot. The Kraken have a younger team, which puts Kakko in a position to develop properly and learn from his mistakes.

The weight of the world was on Kakko’s shoulders in New York, but now he can play his game with a sense of joy.

“Over here, I feel there’s a good chance for me,” Kakko said. “I mean, I can already say, like, confidence is way better than it’s been for a long time. Even the coaches said, like, ‘You’re going to make mistakes sometimes, but keep trying to make plays.

“If you make the mistake, it’s going to happen. Somebody else is going to help you out. Just try to be yourself and make plays.’ And I feel that’s what I’m doing right now, and that’s all about the confidence.”

You can’t help but feel happy for Kakko who went through a lot in his time with the Rangers. Some players just need a fresh start and that was clearly the case for Kakko.