SAN JOSE, Calif. — Kaapo Kakko has the body of a man and the Rangers’ second-overall pick plays like one. But taken out of the context of hockey, he is a 18-year-old from Finland playing in a foreign land, surrounded by people, some of whom have children his age.
That includes general manager Jeff Gorton, who has two teenage sons and intimately understands that every night for Kakko is not going to be perfect — even if more nights than not he has been impactful.
“I think he’s doing really well,” Gorton said, as the Rangers took Wednesday to travel up the coast and prepare for Thursday night’s game against the Sharks.