Well, this is suboptimal.
The Seattle Kraken announced Saturday that winger Kaapo Kakko will miss approximately six weeks with a broken hand suffered in Wednesday’s preseason game against Edmonton.
The injury happened when Oilers prospect Beau Akey slashed Kakko along the boards. Kakko immediately shed his glove, left the game, and didn’t return.
This is the double-edge sword of preseason games: You need them to evaluate prospects and shake off rust, but then your newly re-signed top-line winger breaks his hand in a game that doesn’t count.
Bad Timing
Kakko will miss the October 9 season opener against Anaheim and likely won’t return until mid-November. That’s roughly a dozen games without a player who just signed a three-year, $13.575 million extension on July 22.
The timing stings because Kakko had finally found his game after arriving via trade from the Rangers last December. He posted 30 points in 49 games with Seattle after managing just 14 points in 30 games with New York. Most of that production came on the top line with Matty Beniers and Jaden Schwartz, where we saw immediate chemistry.
The Walking Wounded
Kakko isn’t alone in the trainer’s room. This camp has been rough:
Jared McCann: The franchise’s all-time leading scorer had an undisclosed offseason procedure and remains day-to-day.
Chandler Stephenson: Day-to-day with an undisclosed injury. Signed to be a cornerstone of the team at $6.25 million per year for six more years, Stephenson’s play last season was a significant factor in the team’s fortunes.
Brandon Montour: Had ankle surgery to remove a bursa as camp opened. His two-week recovery timeline means he should be back soon.
Lambert’s First Test
This isn’t how new head coach Lane Lambert drew it up. The power play needs to function without Montour and Kakko. The top six is missing pieces. And if McCann and Stephenson aren’t ready for Opening Night, the depth chart gets thin quickly.
Lambert has been pushing hard in camp, with players noting the increased intensity and pace compared to previous years. Lambert aims to bring a focus on attention to detail, accountability, and work ethic that they hope to bring a new identity to the franchise.
That new identity gets tested immediately.