I have always been a big Mikko Rantanen defender. When he wants to be he is one of the 10 best players in the NHL. With his size, hands, and ability to shoot the puck he should be tickling 50 goals and 110 points easily each season. But the dude is the definition of a passenger. He is Colorado's Mitch Marner. And I am getting tired of this shit, even as someone who would defend him constantly, and I just can't do it anymore.
He has long stretches where he plays completely on talent. Where his effort would make PLD blush and he just disappears. This series has just condensed what Mikko Rantanen is down to a single bullet point.
- Extremely talented winger who puts up points despite his effort.
So what do we do? We need to move on from him. How do we do it? I don't know? Do we chase someone similar age and maybe less skill but more effort? Probably. Do we trade for futures? Probably not. But all I know is we need to do something. I can't take a lazy asshole having the gall to be frustrated when he only gives half effort.