TARRYTOWN ‒ Kaapo Kakko has been his own harshest critic at several points through what has now been five full seasons with the Rangers. (Hard to believe, isn't it?)

But as players took turns meeting with Peter Laviolette in the aftermath of their Eastern Conference Final elimination, the head coach conveyed his own regret about how the frustrating year played out for the young Finn.

"In my conversation with Kaapo, I took my responsibility in it as a coach," Laviolette said. "I didn't find it with him. I think he's a good player that we're all hoping would take another step. My responsibility as coach is to unleash these players, as well. You hope that that happens with all of them, but some it doesn't. I've got to figure out a better way to get him involved."

The player and coach had a similarly frank conversation around this time last year, albeit with a much more optimistic message.

Shortly after being hired, Laviolette contacted Kakko and told him to be ready to play on the Blueshirts' top line.

"I thought, ‘New coach, new chance’," Kakko said said after cleaning out his locker at the MSG Training Center on Tuesday. "I talked with him during the summer. He said, ‘You're getting a chance to play with Mika (Zibanejad) and (Chris Kreider),’ and I felt pretty good about that."

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The 23-year-old winger, who was coming off a career-high 40 points in 2022-23 while staying healthy for all 82 games for the first time, rode those positive vibes into New York last fall and put together a strong training camp.

At the time, the feeling around the NHL was that he was the one poised for a breakout campaign, while another highly drafted forward, Alexis Lafrenière, was facing over-the-top criticisms.

"I came for this season and felt pretty good," Kakko said.

True to his word, Laviolette opened the season with Kreider, Zibanejad and Kakko as his top line.

He kept it that way for the first 11 games, with that trio producing strong possession numbers, a 24-14 advantage in high-danger scoring chances and a 58.04% xGF, according to Natural Stat Trick. They were also sound defensively, allowing only one goal against in 117:37 time on ice, but there was one unavoidable area where they fell short.

They registered only two goals in that span of nearly one month, resulting in an unreasonably bad average of 1.02 goals for per 60 minutes. That lack of bottom-line production caused Laviolette to make a change that spiraled into a turbulent season for No. 24.

"All those games we played together, it never worked out that well," Kakko said. "If you're playing those minutes, you have to score some goals."

'I can't say I never got the chance'

The what-if debate will rage regarding whether Laviolette should have trusted the underlying numbers and stayed the course or pivoted when he did.

The Rangers were never able to effectively fill that No. 1 right wing spot, which stands as just as much of a blemish on Kreider and Zibanejad as it does on their revolving third wheel, but Kakko wasn't looking to point fingers anywhere but back in his own direction.

"I can’t say I never got the chance," he said. "If I would be a good enough player with that time and playing those minutes, it doesn't matter who is there with me."

Kakko got a couple brief looks back at 1RW later in the season, but it never lasted long. The seed of doubt had been planted, with the majority of his remaining time spent in a reduced bottom-six role.

A midseason interruption didn't help. The 6-foot-2, 205-pounder missed 21 games from late-November into mid-January with a left-knee injury and ended up finishing with 19 points (13 goals and six assists) in 61 games played.

It didn't get any better in the playoffs, either. Kakko registered only two points (one goal and one assist) in 15 games, with the most damning moment coming when he was a surprise healthy scratch for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Final.

"Playoffs are different," he said. "Of course, everyone wants to play, and I wanted to play also. I was not happy I was not in the lineup that night, but I still wanted to win. I was hoping for the win for the team and keep going, and then get back to the lineup at some point."

Assessing blame

The decision to bench Kakko at such a critical juncture felt like a clear sign that the Rangers have lost faith in the player they selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2019 draft. Those high hopes have faded into a declining outlook, with assessing blame for his stunted development a tricky endeavor.

Confidence can be a frail thing for any young player, but all the lineup fluctuation seems to have had an especially adverse effect. Compared to Lafrenière − who dealt with his own struggles when his spot was constantly in question, then took off this season when the training wheels came off and he was stapled to a dynamic line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck − Kakko has never experienced the same stability.

That's compounded the pressure to perform with limited ice time and created a look-over-his-shoulder feeling on the fleeting occasions he does get moved up.

"Some games when you play under 10 minutes, it's hard to do something," Kakko said. "I feel like that, but you have to somehow just to try to play better and get the ice time. That should be the mindset."

To that point, the onus ultimately falls on Kakko to force Laviolette's hand, and it's hard to make a case that he's done that.

"There's responsibility for him, too, and what he brings to the table and what he brings to the game," Laviolette said. "Next year is a new year. I do think that he has the ability to be a top-six forward. I do think he has the ability to grow off what he did last year. This year, it did not probably go the way he wanted it to go, or the way that we wanted it to go. I do think that he can be that player. And that's my job – our job, and his job – to get that to happen."

'We'll see'

The obvious follow-up question is whether that will happen in New York or elsewhere, but the answer is to be determined.

Kakko will be a restricted free agent this summer with a modest qualifying offer of $2.4 million, according to CapFriendly. That's a fair price, even for a third-liner with solid defensive metrics who still has untapped offensive upside. But to reach that potential, the best thing for Kakko might be going to a team where he'll be guaranteed top-six minutes and a chance to work through his growing pains in game situations.

It'll be up to team president Chris Drury to gauge the market and determine if there's an offer out there that wouldn't be selling too low.

The obvious preferences would be a first-round pick or a plug-and-play addition who brings some of size, speed and playoff-edge elements the lineup needs more of. Perhaps he could also be part of a larger package if Drury goes big-game hunting in an effort to shakeup the core and push them over the Stanley Cup hump. But if none of that works out, would a second-round pick get it done? The Rangers don't have any of those in the next three drafts, which could add to the appeal.

That feels like the bare minimum Drury could accept. If teams are only willing to offer mid-round picks or middling prospects, then holding onto Kakko and hoping Laviolette can "unleash" his potential next season may be the only play.

It all sets up for an interesting summer for a player who, if nothing else, has been refreshingly candid and accountable in the face of ongoing uncertainty.

"We'll see, but all the things over there, I like it," Kakko said when asked if he wants to remain with the Rangers. "The team is great. Everyone wants to win. I feel here is a chance to win."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Would change of scenery be the best thing for Kaapo Kakko, Rangers?