The New York Rangers saw their season slip away in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals as they failed to generate enough offense to take down the Tampa Bay Lightning. Gerard Gallant surprisingly opted to keep Kaapo Kakko on the bench for the elimination game, in favor of playing the (significantly) injured Ryan Strome. When asked about his benching for Game 6, Kakko revealed that he was given no forewarning to the decision, and found out he wasn't part of Gallant's plans only by looking at the lineup card, per Mollie Walker.

While Kakko is by no means a top forward for the Rangers, he'd been solid during the playoffs and was a key part of one of New York's most successful units in the beloved “Kid Line.” Paired with Alexis LaFreniere and Filip Chytil, the trio had some crucial moments for the Rangers in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Despite that, Gallant opted to roll with Strome over Kakko for Game 6, a decision which has since been scrutinized by fans considering Strome was clearly not at full strength.

With Kakko set to hit restricted free agency, his future with the team is a bit unclear. His Game 6 benching did nothing to secure his status as a key player for the Rangers going forward, though Gallant did say Kakko was in his plans for next season.

The 21-year-old has gotten off to a slow start in the NHL since being drafted No. 2 overall in 2019. Despite showing strides in the playoffs, when the Rangers had their backs against the wall, Gallant opted with the injured, veteran Strome instead of Kakko, a decision which could very well impact the young Fin's future with the franchise.