Former 2nd overall pick suffers stomach-turning injury after falling back on his own leg
With the NHL being a contact sport, sometimes injuries are unavoidable. For Kaapo Kakko of the New York Rangers, it's an unfortunate reality that even routine forechecks can go wrong in a hurry.
Last night during the Rangers/Sabres matchup, Kakko was attempting to pressure the defender in the Buffalo zone, bumping shoulders with Erik Johnson in an attempt to push him off the puck. Unfortunately, he lost his balance and fell backward onto his own leg and was in immediate distress.
Kakko remained on the ice for several moments, clutching at his knee and screaming in pain before being helped off the ice. There was no real update to be had following the game, but with the Rangers recalling forwards Jonny Brodzinski and Adam Edström from the American Hockey League, it's a pretty good indicator that Kakko will miss some time.
The former 2nd overall pick in 2019 has not yet broken out and become the star that many were hoping he would be. He did, however, post a career high 18 goals last season, finishing his 2022-23 campaign with 40 points, also a career high.
Kakko has just 3 points through 20 games this season.
| POLL | ||
NOVEMBRE 28 | 331 ANSWERS Former 2nd overall pick suffers stomach-turning injury after falling back on his own leg Is it too early to label Kaapo Kakko as a bust? | ||
| No, he's a bust for sure | 85 | 25.7 % |
| Yes, he's still young and can still become a star | 105 | 31.7 % |
| He's not a bust yet, but he's almost there | 141 | 42.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
