Is Mikko Rantanen the best player in NHL at the moment?

[Avelanche]

On-ice shooting percentage isn't individual shooting percentage. It's the % that everyone on the ice shoots while they are on the ice. So I don't doubt that 13-16% is possible for those two - numerous players hit those marks every season. But the entire team while they're on the ice? No, it won't hold up.

it won't but mack is only 2% higher then last year with a really small sample this year. it's not going to affect their points as much as people seem to be implying, like they aren't going to fall off a cliff production wise.

 

[Avelanche]

Out of curiousity, what was their OISH% last year? Because I’d expect them to better that # as the chances they are crafting are even more dangerous than those they created last season.

It’s scary to think that both MacK n Mikko only started clicking recently, as MacK required ~20 games to adjust to Mikko’s break through this season.

landy and mack had 11.x%, which is pretty high. Rantanen was a normal 10%.

 

[AvsFan29]

it won't but mack is only 2% higher then last year with a really small sample this year. it's not going to affect their points as much as people seem to be implying, like they aren't going to fall off a cliff production wise.

Last season they didn't really take off until 25 games into the season. Rantanen had 20 points at this time last year

 

[Ippenator]

landy and mack had 11.x%, which is pretty high. Rantanen was a normal 10%.

Then 14% doesn’t sound completely unreasonable (maybe a bit, but not very much still) after all. Rantanen has developed physically by a huge amount from last season, and thus he is able to do things so much better than last season. His first steps have become so much more explosive that he gets in most of situations just that much more time for himself to make decisions and for finding his teammates completely open with excellent passes. And now he is also clearly stronger with the puck and with protecting it.

Especially people who haven’t seen him play much last season and this season don’t really understand that we are talking about a pretty different player now than what he was last season. He is seriously that much better really. And I base this only on the eye test. The enormous point totals have come with his very much improved play in general, which has been supporting and even carrying occasionally MacKinnon this season. People watch way too much the stats from last season in Rantanen’s case. The dude is seriously an enormously improved player compared to that.

 

[AvsFan29]

Then 14% doesn’t sound completely unreasonable (maybe a bit, but not very much still) after all. Rantanen has dveloped physically by a huge amount from last season, and thus he is able to do things so much better than last season. His first steps have become so much more explosive that he gets in most of situations just that much more time for himself to make decisions. And now he is also even stronger with the puck and with protecting it.

Especially people who haven’t seen him play much last season and this season don’t really understand that we are talking about a pretty different player now than what he was last season. He is seriously that much better really. And I base this only on the eye test. The enormous point totals have come with his very much improved play in general, which has been supporting and even carrying occasionally MacKinnon this season. People watch way too much the stats from last season in Rantanen’s case. The dude is seriously an enormously improved player compared to that.

Last season he was constantly falling, and weak on the pick. This season he's solid and it's one of his biggest strengths. It makes a huge difference.

 

[The Abusement Park]

I want to hear what @DominicBoltsFan thinks about whether Rantanen is the best player in the NHL.

Probably the same as everyone one else. He isn’t.

 

[OilCanada92]

Because of the 10 point gap between Rants and McDavid, Mcdavid would need to put up points at 1.44ppg and Rantanen would have to be on a pace LESS than 1.2 for the rest of the season.

If Rantanen keeps a pace higher than 1.2, McDavid would have to have an even higher pace in order to pass Rantanen.

For instance, if Rantanen has a 1.3 pace for the rest of the year, McDavid would have to be in a 1.5+ ppg pace in order to pass Rantanen. McDavids career pace is 1.23

All it takes is a cold 10 games to take someone out of the race. McDavid also has a history of destroying the league in the final 30 games of the season.

 

[Jarey Curry]

The top line in Colorado is playing lights out right now. It's amazing to watch. It's not a matter of if they will score on a nightly basis it's a matter of when. They keep me on the edge of my seat whenever they are on the ice together. Point is, do people really think this is sustainable over 82 games? Rantanen at 1.67 PPG MacKinnon at 1.59 PPG and Landeskog at 1.11 PPG? I personally don't think it is.

Either way, I love Rantanen's game and think he is one of the top young talents in the NHL. However, I don't even think he is the best player on his own line never mind in the league.

I remember watching Seguin and Benn being this outrageous duo tearing up the NHL a few years back and thought to myself when watching Mackinnon and Rantanen for the first season, that we will have what the stars have soon enough.. Oh boy!

 

[AvsFan29]

All it takes is a cold 10 games to take someone out of the race. McDavid also has a history of destroying the league in the final 30 games of the season.

Sure, but it's highly unlikely to happen without an injury.

 

[cgf]

landy and mack had 11.x%, which is pretty high. Rantanen was a normal 10%.

Hmm well that's a little concerning then, because I felt like they were creating much more dangerous chances than most lines last season as well. It's possible that last season that didn't tell on their conversion rate as clearly as their chance generation; whereas this season they're just creating chances that are so good that they don't need to throw as many pucks at the net to bring that rate down; but I'd feel more comfortable about projecting them to blow away other line's OISH% when this season comes to end.

That said, just from watching them play 100 pts from both MacK n Mikko doesn't feel like a stretch at all without even looking at their point totals. Will be very interesting to see what happens with their advanced stats by seasons end because shot quality has never really been a factor that's been accounted for because NHL teams generally all play the same style & depth has been king for the past decade+; but more teams stacking elite lines with players who can truly change their line's shot-quality dramatically enough to throw off tradition advanced stats, could be really interesting to watch play out.

 

[cgf]

I remember watching Seguin and Benn being this outrageous duo tearing up the NHL a few years back and thought to myself when watching Mackinnon and Rantanen for the first season, that we will have what the stars have soon enough.. Oh boy!

One of these days I'm going to get petty enough to try & find the first time I called those two "our Seguin & Benn"...cause I think it might have been all the way back in Mikko's draft+1 season; when he was scoring clutch goals left & right for the Rampage and managed to be the AHL's star player as a child on a crap team that utterly cratered anytime he wasn't there to carry them.

 

[AvsFan29]

Hmm well that's a little concerning then, because I felt like they were creating much more dangerous chances than most lines last season as well. It's possible that last season that didn't tell on their conversion rate as clearly as their chance generation; whereas this season they're just creating chances that are so good that they don't need to throw as many pucks at the net to bring that rate down; but I'd feel more comfortable about projecting them to blow away other line's OISH% when this season comes to end.

That said, just from watching them play 100 pts from both MacK n Mikko doesn't feel like a stretch at all without even looking at their point totals. Will be very interesting to see what happens with their advanced stats by seasons end because shot quality has never really been a factor that's been accounted for because NHL teams generally all play the same style & depth has been king for the past decade+; but more teams stacking elite lines with players who can truly change their line's shot-quality dramatically enough to throw off tradition advanced stats, could be really interesting to watch play out.

They both need to be slightly higher then 1ppg to hit 100. They are both between 1.6-1.7 right now

 

[Jarey Curry]

One of these days I'm going to get petty enough to try & find the first time I called those two "our Seguin & Benn"...cause I think it might have been all the way back in Mikko's draft+1 season; when he was scoring clutch goals left & right for the Rampage and managed to be the AHL's star player as a child on a crap team that utterly cratered anytime he wasn't there to carry them.

Yeah and in my mind the competition between Nylander vs Rantanen both were AHL stars at the time and look at them now.. Nylander is great but Rantanen is leading naturally

 

[AvsFan29]

Yeah and in my mind the competition between Nylander vs Rantanen both were AHL stars at the time and look at them now.. Nylander is great but Rantanen is leading naturally

I'd rants could sign the same contract Nylander just did, I would be very happy

 

[OilCanada92]

Sure, but it's highly unlikely to happen without an injury.

Highly unlikely that rantanen goes cold for 10 games? For the record, when I say cold, I mean he puts up 6 or 7 points in 10 games. That's still pretty good by the rest of the leagues standards. I don't think that's highly unlikely at all. Putting together a flawless 82 games is usually what separates guys like McDavid, Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin from the rest. Kucherov and Mackinnon had an incredible 60-70 games last season, but they couldn't do it for 82 and that's why they weren't at the top of the PPG list at the end of the season.

 

[cgf]

Highly unlikely that rantanen goes cold for 10 games? For the record, when I say cold, I mean he puts up 6 or 7 points in 10 games. That's still pretty good by the rest of the leagues standards. I don't think that's highly unlikely at all. Putting together a flawless 82 games is usually what separates guys like McDavid, Crosby, Malkin and Ovechkin from the rest. Kucherov and Mackinnon had an incredible 60-70 games last season, but they couldn't do it for 82 and that's why they weren't at the top of the PPG list at the end of the season.

...McDavid beat MacK by .006 PPG last year...

 

[JasonRoseEh]

No, but that doesn't mean he can't become that.

The way I see the best player conversation is not knee jerk. It's a sustained elite excellence at the very top of the league and at your position. It isn't something you just lose because you have a rough stretch during a long season, or catch lightning in a bottle for one season, it's demonstrated over the course of a number of years.

 

[Ippenator]

I'd rants could sign the same contract Nylander just did, I would be very happy

If his agent knows his job, it won’t unfortunately happen. But I do believe still that will be quite fair towards the Avs. They have been a great team for him, by all means.

 

[AvsFan29]

If his agent knows his job, it won’t unfortunately happen. But I do believe still that will be wuite fair towards the Avs. They have been a great team for him, by all means.

The NHLPA would strongly "suggest" a higher contract. He's probably getting 10+

 

[Todd from Leduc]

NO! Even with Connor McDavid battling debilitating diarrhea again he is still the most deadly dominant player in the League.

 

[Ippenator]

The NHLPA would strongly "suggest" a higher contract. He's probably getting 10+

I agree. Although I’m still hoping for him to ”settle” with 9. But I’m a bit afraid that even that might not happen...

 

[tfong]

I'd rants could sign the same contract Nylander just did, I would be very happy

You'd be lucky to even have a contract under 10, let alone 6.9 lol.

 

[AvsFan29]

You'd be lucky to even have a contract under 10, let alone 6.9 lol.

Yep. Oh well. We have the cash

 

[AvsFan29]

I agree. Although I’m still hoping for him to ”settle” with 9. But I’m a bit afraid that even that might not happen...

Well if he puts up 115 points and wins the Art Ross, he'll be going into negotiations having put up 200pts over the last 2 seasons. He's getting paid.

 

[Ippenator]

Well if he puts up 115 points and wins the Art Ross, he'll be going into negotiations having put up 200pts over the last 2 seasons. He's getting paid.

Sure, and he is getting paid even if he doesn’t win the Art Ross after all and settles with about 100 points in the end.