Kaapo Kakko is only 18 years old, but he sure hit the nail on the head.
“It was a long summer,” the Rangers’ No. 2-overall selection in June’s draft said. “It’s time to play hockey.”
As the regular season finally opens for the Rangers on Thursday night at the Garden against the Jets, a lot of their optimism revolves around promising young players such as Kakko. He might not be the most recognizable piece, but the Finnish winger in a man-sized body with a NHL-ready game also represents a new wave in the Blueshirts history — a time when they dedicated themselves to rebuilding with youth, sacrificing two seasons to do so, and came out the other side of the darkness with a fresh outlook on the future.