Rangers' Kaapo Kakko again on COVID list
Kaapo Kakko at Rangers practice on Jan. 15. Credit: NY Rangers / Nick Homler
Second-year forward Kaapo Kakko was unavailable Saturday after being placed on the Rangers’ COVID list for the second time this season.
"This happened this morning, so we haven’t had a chance to talk yet,’’coach David Quinn said. "You’re concerned any time someone gets put on this list. We’ll talk here shortly and see how he feels, [but] from what I gather, there hasn’t really been any symptoms yet, so we’ll see.’’
Kakko, 20, is a Type 1 diabetic and also suffers from celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that requires him to eat a gluten-free diet.
That could put him at high risk if he had COVID-19, but being placed on the COVID list doesn’t mean a player has tested positive for the coronavirus. He could be flagged as having been a close contact of someone who has the virus, for example.
Kakko missed the Feb. 1 game against Pittsburgh because he was on the COVID list, but he did not have the virus and was cleared to return for the next game.
Strome’s 100th point
When Ryan Strome earned a secondary assist on Chris Kreider’s first-period power- play goal, it was his 100th point as a Ranger and made him the first player to record 100 points for both the Islanders and the Rangers.
"I knew that, actually,’’ Strome said. "I never thought seven, eight, nine years ago, whenever I got drafted . . . that I would have 100 points for the Islanders and Rangers, just with the hatred of the rivalry and all that stuff. So pretty cool accomplishment.
"Not the way I would have thought it would have played out, but I’m happy to be a Ranger. I think my time here has been pretty good, and I got to 100 a lot quicker than I did with the Islanders.’’
Blue notes
K’Andre Miller returned after missing two games with an upper-body injury. D Jack Johnson was scratched . . . With Kakko unavailable, Julien Gauthier returned to the lineup after being scratched Thursday . . . Sunday’s Rangers-Capitals game was postponed to allow Washington to host the Devils. The Rangers-Capitals game was rescheduled for March 20.
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.
