RW/C Mikko Rantanen (2015, 10th, COL)

[cgf]

When did this kid become this good? That is something which keep puzzling me? But I take it.

He's just kept getting better and better since the last WJC.

Kid is going to terrorize the World Juniors. He's already dominating shift in and shift out in the AHL against men. Beating them in all areas of the game.



He should be spectacular at this tournament for Finland, and he'll be playing with some really good and creative players as well.


Cant wait to watch them honestly. Most excited I've been for the Juniors in a long time.

Lets go Finland!!

It's not shift in and shift out yet, but he's a dominant player in the AHL and a game changer every night.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

So Mikko is gone to captain Finland at the WJC and leaves the AHL being 5th in scoring (at least 5 games less played than the 4 guys ahead of him), 2nd in rookie scoring (1 pt behind leader) and 2nd in the AHL in +/- on a team that has a negative goal differential.

Definitely having an impact.

 

[RickyR]

How has he looked at the WJC?

 

[Loffer]

How has he looked at the WJC?

Jetlagged, tired, disinterested, clueless? In one word: Horribad.

 

[thomast]

How has he looked at the WJC?

Maybe honestly worst player of all fowards in the lineup. He has only had alot of negative impact on team Finland. Still time to improve like Ristolainen did at 2014 WJC. He was worst player for Finland at the beginning but after that he stepped up big time and led Finland for Gold.

 

[Gigantor The Goalie]

San Antonio will gladly take him back if the Fins are tired of him.

 

[behemolari]

How has he looked at the WJC?

it's still early, but after two games

slow, out of place, turnovers after turnovers. has been easily worst player of the team.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Probably joined the rest of the team a little late, jetlag, getting acquainted with linemates. He was the best Finnish fwd last year, I would expect a much improved performance next game where he will be Team Finland's best player.

 

[X66]

He'll turn it around, no doubt about it.

I don't buy the jet lag excuse or anything like that. He just needs to play better, and he should.

 

[behemolari]

Probably joined the rest of the team a little late, jetlag, getting acquainted with linemates. He was the best Finnish fwd last year, I would expect a much improved performance next game where he will be Team Finland's best player.

at some point he will, actually he has to. there's no freakin way two underagers will carry finland till the end. if it's game seven he finally starts to play ..it's ok, totally fine.

 

[ChicagoBullsFan]

San Antonio will gladly take him back if the Fins are tired of him.

If i could decide Rantanen would be in airplane after Slovakia game.
He isn't show nothing of that what he's showed into AHL.

Also he don't have no clue what means to be a captain.
If you are captain of your team YOU CAN'T be one of the worst players of the team.

Yes Rantanen spent 15 hours in airplane and he has had a jet-lag when he came to Helsinki.
But that excuse is not accepted anymore.

Seems that Mikko's tremendous games in AHL is made him cocky and arrogant ******* who thinks to be better than others.

 

[BB88]

If i could decide Rantanen would be in airplane after Slovakia game.
He isn't show nothing of that what he's showed into AHL.

Also he don't have no clue what means to be a captain.
If you are captain of your team YOU CAN'T be one of the worst players of the team.

Yes Rantanen spent 15 hours in airplane and he has had a jet-lag when he came to Helsinki.
But that excuse is not accepted anymore.

Seems that Mikko's tremendous games in AHL is made him cocky and arrogant ******* who thinks to be better than others.

Well this is a nice post

It's ........ng 2 games and you are telling us how he doesn't know how to be a captain and is arrogant, he had a bad bad game but C'moon.

 

[Kilipukki]

If i could decide Rantanen would be in airplane after Slovakia game.
He isn't show nothing of that what he's showed into AHL.

Also he don't have no clue what means to be a captain.
If you are captain of your team YOU CAN'T be one of the worst players of the team.

Yes Rantanen spent 15 hours in airplane and he has had a jet-lag when he came to Helsinki.
But that excuse is not accepted anymore.

Seems that Mikko's tremendous games in AHL is made him cocky and arrogant ******* who thinks to be better than others.

How old are you? These emotional outbursts are getting pretty annoying and embarrassing so please try to grow up or make fever of them, thank you.

 

[edd1e]

If i could decide Rantanen would be in airplane after Slovakia game.
He isn't show nothing of that what he's showed into AHL.

Also he don't have no clue what means to be a captain.
If you are captain of your team YOU CAN'T be one of the worst players of the team.

Yes Rantanen spent 15 hours in airplane and he has had a jet-lag when he came to Helsinki.
But that excuse is not accepted anymore.

Seems that Mikko's tremendous games in AHL is made him cocky and arrogant ******* who thinks to be better than others.

Get a grip man! Sure he's been bad but so has the whole first line. They prolly wont play another game with that first line.

Just calm down. Rantanen has that gamebreaking talent and it's only second game for him. He's going to get better, trust me.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

He's clearly having issues with adjusting whether it's due to jet lag, lack of practice, fatigue or whatever, but I am confident he'll come around once he gets a few games in. If he continues to struggle after round robin I'll get worried, but as of now I am not concerned about his lackluster play.

 

[MarVell]

I find it curious how one can have such good tournament one year, to just be one of the worst players of the team the following year.
Maybe he's having trouble handling the pressure and expectations of beeing the go to guy.
I mean from everything I've heard he's been progressing well?

 

[Finnpin]

If i could decide Rantanen would be in airplane after Slovakia game.
He isn't show nothing of that what he's showed into AHL.

Also he don't have no clue what means to be a captain.
If you are captain of your team YOU CAN'T be one of the worst players of the team.

Yes Rantanen spent 15 hours in airplane and he has had a jet-lag when he came to Helsinki.
But that excuse is not accepted anymore.

Seems that Mikko's tremendous games in AHL is made him cocky and arrogant ******* who thinks to be better than others.

Go have some fresh air and walk around the house about 10 times or just stop posting.

 

[kelsier]

I find it curious how one can have such good tournament one year, to just be one of the worst players of the team the following year.
Maybe he's having trouble handling the pressure and expectations of beeing the go to guy.
I mean from everything I've heard he's been progressing well?

Rantanen hasn't been playing well, but neither has the whole line - no chemistry whatsoever. Kapanen has been playing his own game as usual. Apart from one nice defensive play yesterday he was mostly either giving up the puck, doing solo dangling (that didn't result into anything useful) and driving into various positions from where it's been nearly impossible to create chances. He nearly gave an empty netter to Russians in the end by 'leaving' the puck next to an empty net, but luckily there was a Finn behind him in front of the Russian player. Rantanen will pick up his game after the shuffle in the first line and will by no doubt raise up his game to acceptable level. I wouldn't be too worried at this point (only 2 games played).

 

[Joe MacMillan]

I find it curious how one can have such good tournament one year, to just be one of the worst players of the team the following year.
Maybe he's having trouble handling the pressure and expectations of beeing the go to guy.
I mean from everything I've heard he's been progressing well?

Have you watched the Finland games this year? It's easy to look at the statistics and read the comments on the Internet about his performance and draw a conclusion that the pressure is getting the best of him. But that is a very lazy analysis not supported by logic whatsoever.

In reality he's not been the player we saw last year during these two games. The speed is not there, the strength is not there, the ability to distribute the puck is not there. He didn't suddenly lose these abilities and become from one of the best 19 y/o players in the world to among the worst on his team overnight.

Therefore, the educated and logical conclusion is that he hasn't adjusted to his new surroundings yet which affects his performance. There certainly is drive and willingness to his game so he simply needs enough time to readjust and regain his abilities.

 

[MarVell]

Have you watched the Finland games this year? It's easy to look at the statistics and read the comments on the Internet about his performance and draw a conclusion that the pressure is getting the best of him. But that is a very lazy analysis not supported by logic whatsoever.

In reality he's not been the player we saw last year during these two games. The speed is not there, the strength is not there, the ability to distribute the puck is not there. He didn't suddenly lose these abilities and become from one of the best 19 y/o players in the world to among the worst on his team overnight.

Therefore, the educated and logical conclusion is that he hasn't adjusted to his new surroundings yet which affects his performance. There certainly is drive and willingness to his game so he simply needs enough time to readjust and regain his abilities.

Yes I've seen both of Finlands games.
I really hope he picks it up because he's a really fun player to watch when he's on his game.

 

[behemolari]

There certainly is drive and willingness to his game so he simply needs enough time to readjust and regain his abilities.

"there certainly is", you saw that? I didn't found it.. and I really tried to. There might be, just haven't shown yet.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

"there certainly is", you saw that? I didn't found it.. and I really tried to. There might be, just haven't shown yet.

I see a player who is competing and giving all he's got trying to help his team the best he can, just not getting it done.

 

[behemolari]

I see a player who is competing and giving all he's got trying to help his team the best he can, just not getting it done.

fair. i'm sure it all will eventually click for him.

 

[skillhockey]

I haven't seen a single of his ahl games so can't say how he plays there, but the 2 wjc games, he seems to have big problems along the boards, i don't recall him winning a single puck battle.

Production wise the line hasn't been working at all. They already broke it(moved kapanen) so we will see how next game goes.

 

[FinPanda]

Pressure has melted him. I don't think it's jetlag. He has his own pressure and what audience gives to him.