Finnish prospect Kaapo Kakko says all the right things in pre-draft interview

VANCOUVER — Maybe a half-hour after presumptive No. 1 pick Jack Hughes had finished up his media availability on Thursday, the day before the NHL draft, Kaapo Kakko, the Finnish forward who’s expected to be taken No. 2 overall by the Rangers, took his turn in front of the same media mob. For Kakko, who hadn’t made it to the NHL Combine in Buffalo earlier this month, facing that many interrogators asking questions in English, a language other than his native tongue, it could have been intimidating. But he handled himself just fine.

 “Yeah, it’s a new thing for me,’’ Kakko said about talking to the media in English. “And [the big media crowd] was new when I speak Finnish; sometimes it’s difficult.’’

But it certainly wasn’t just the media that was impressed by Kakko. Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton liked the 18-year-old right wing’s personality as well, after spending a good deal of time with him over the previous two days.

“Very impressed,’’ Gorton said. “His English is really good. He’s a funny kid. We spent a couple hours with him over the last couple days and we just like spending time with him. He’s a real positive outlook and a real confident guy.’’

The Rangers already knew all they need to know about Kakko on the ice. They’ve been scouting him for years, and they were there to see him score the winning goal in the gold medal game against Hughes and Team USA to win the World Junior Championships for Finland in January, and to see him lead Finland in goals on his way to earning another gold medal at the World Championships in Slovakia last month.

Kakko, whose boyish face belies his grown man’s 6-2, 194-pound body, said all the right things in his media interview Thursday. He said he thinks Hughes is a great skater; he said he’d love to be the No. 1 pick; and said he doesn’t know much about the rivalry between the Rangers and Devils.

And of New York City, he said, “I think it’s a nice city. It’s a little bit bigger than Turku,’’ referring to his hometown in Finland.

He also spoke, matter-of-factly, about how he played in Finland’s top professional league despite having both Type 1 Diabetes and Celiac disease, which requires him to follow a strict Gluten-free diet. He has become a role model for kids in Finland who also have those diseases.

“It’s not important,’’ Kakko said of how difficult it may be for him to manage both conditions. “I got it five years ago. It’s a normal thing for me. It’s not bad.’’

Gorton reiterated that whether the Devils -- who have the No. 1 pick overall -- choose Hughes or Kakko, the Rangers can’t lose. They’ll get a special player, regardless.

“[We’re] not losing a lot of sleep on this one,’’ Gorton said. “We’ll see what happens before us, and we’ll head up to the stage pretty happy.’’

Notes & quotes: Gorton said he has spoken with the agents for newly acquired RFA Jacob Trouba and LW Chris Kreider. He also said he has made qualifying offers to all the team’s RFAs except D Freddie Claesson, and minor leaguers Chris Bigras and Brandon Halverson.

By Colin Stephenson

colin.stephenson@newsday.comColinSNewsday

Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.