Kaapo Kakko begins skating again and is said to be "getting better."
Seattle Kraken winger Kaapo Kakko has resumed skating and is "getting better," according to coach Lane Lambert.
The 24-year-old returned to the lineup on Nov. 1 following a broken hand. He played just seven games before sustaining a lower-body injury, scoring just one goal in the process.
In the off-season, the Kraken and Kakko agreed to a three-year, $4.525-million contract extension with the hopes that Kakko could develop into a top-six winger. So far, injuries have derailed his season, but there is still plenty of time for him to turn things around..
Jared McCann is a possible inclusion in tonight's lineup against the Dallas Stars, and while Kakko isn't as far along in his rehab, when he does return, it'll create a bit of a logjam among the forwards. Currently, Jani Nyman and Oscar Fisker Molgaard are the healthy scratches, but the expectation is that Fisker Molgaard will return to the AHL when McCann is activated off the IR.
Kakko's return will then move any of Berkly Catton, Tye Kartye or Ryan Winterton into the press box as a healthy scratch if no injuries are sustained beforehand.
Having an abundance of depth is a good problem to have, although the Kraken coaching staff would like more offensive production from their forwards.
The Kraken's start to the season felt like a disaster on the injury front, but they managed to thrive. Now that they are healthy, it's time for them to put it all together.
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