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

[Burnaby_Joe*]

Solid goal again last night. He scored the only goal for his team.

Wow!

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I've said many times Rantanen is a great prospect.

Not sure where this hostility is coming from.

What hostility? You replied to my post above. You know the 'relatively' one and you said I was not consistent.

You provided one example, so relatively was the right term after all. Thus my statement of what Rantanen(who by the way I agree is a great prospect, the best one IMO that is playing in the AHL right now) is doing at a 1.21PPG pace as a same year draftee was consistent all along.

 

[Zaddy]

Can we not get hung up on how someone phrased something. Rantanen is having great success in the AHL and that doesn't diminish the abilities of Nylander or Pastrnak.

I'm quite hyped to see Rantanen at the WJC's this year. He should be a man amongst boys. Him, Nylander and Matthews should dominate this tournament IMO.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Some of the posters in this thread need to settle down and get back onto the topic.

 

[Newusername]

so when does he get called up? Obviously sometime after the world juniors but will Roy give him some top 6 time once he's up?

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Another goal by Rantanen tonight. Now up to 10 + 14 in 19 games and 2 periods. This kid may be playing his way up to the Avs soon.

 

[BB88]

Hopefully he starts to get the credit he deserves, had a long summer trying to explain to posters that Rants is good hockey player

I want to see C on his chest and a huge tournament from him, can't wait to see him live.



When he was up the last time(NHL) the team was a mess at that time, now things should be completely different for him.

 

[cgf]

Another game another goal for Rintintin.

What an impact realizing that he can be a dominant player at the WJC last year has had on his development just doesn't stop blowing me away. He's getting to be too good for the AHL. Gotta figure he's brought up not long after he's passed the point in the season where he could hit 40 NHL games; assuming he dominates the WJC like he should, and comes back to the Rampage playing just as well as he is now, or better.

 

[Temego]

So...people who follow AHL closely, is Rantanen the best player (or forward?) in the league? If not, who is?

 

[McNurse]

I'm not going o start anything.. But Rantanen and Nylander are the best. Montour can make a case, so can Murray

 

[93LEAFS]

So...people who follow AHL closely, is Rantanen the best player (or forward?) in the league? If not, who is?

Between him and Nylander if we are talking NHL futures. Other promising players are Pouliot, Mantha, Fiala, Vrana (currently injured) to start. There are guy who are up and down between the NHL/AHL who can dominate like Arcobello for example, who might be better players in the AHL but don't have much of an NHL future.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

So...people who follow AHL closely, is Rantanen the best player (or forward?) in the league? If not, who is?

If one takes into account developmental curve as a player that was just drafted this summer, where most CJHL or College hockey players are playing in non pro leagues.

What Rantanen is doing this year is virtually and relatively unheard of. 24 points in 20 games(this is a significant sample of games since he is not slowing down) and he is +14 on his team where the next best player is +8. His game is not all about points.

The intrigue also is this is a 6'4 211lbs kid that is still growing. If one is to project, he will only get better as the season goes on, and if he played in the AHL next year(unlikely) his numbers may even be better. I can't see anyone being better than him as a player or prospect in the AHL right now.

I can't wait to see how he will play with the Avs with Mackinnon one day. He's got everything, size, skill, hockey IQ, to be an impact NHL'er.

 

[Ivan13]

Avs have two great prospects in the AHL in Mikko and Zadorov (makes mental lapses defensively on occasion, but the potential is through the roof with him) . Bigras's not too shabby either, 13 points in 27 games as a rookie D playing good both ways.

 

[tigervixxxen]

I'd really say the next best person on the team is +3. The other guy that's +8 isn't coming back for a long time and he got that when they were undefeated. Right now the team is playing horrible and Rantanen is really stepping up to try and make a difference. He's scored nearly as many goals as the rest of the team combined in the last couple weeks. I only watch our team so I can't comment on other kids but he's made a noticeable difference ever since he's been there, it's pretty special.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I'd really say the next best person on the team is +3. The other guy that's +8 isn't coming back for a long time and he got that when they were undefeated. Right now the team is playing horrible and Rantanen is really stepping up to try and make a difference. He's scored nearly as many goals as the rest of the team combined in the last couple weeks. I only watch our team so I can't comment on other kids but he's made a noticeable difference ever since he's been there, it's pretty special.

You think he gets a spot with Mackinnon or Duchene when he gets called up for good? Can't go wrong with either, me personally I would love to see what Rantanen and Mackinnon can do as a duo.

 

[fahad203]

I don't know what it is about this kid reminds me so much of Mats Sundin. So calm with the puck and protects it so well.

I love the youth that's coming up in NHL. I am really happy for the Avs. Now please trade him to the Leafs.

Ok Thanks

 

[tigervixxxen]

You think he gets a spot with Mackinnon or Duchene when he gets called up for good? Can't go wrong with either, me personally I would love to see what Rantanen and Mackinnon can do as a duo.

That's a good question because I think it might take an injury to get him called up. He was with Duchene for a couple games before he was sent down, that might be the long term idea. Roy likes having Landeskog-MacKinnon-Duchene as a line too much right now too.

 

[tucker3434]

Assuming he gets the call after WJC, I'd bet he's on the second line.

Rantanen-Soderberg-Comeau/Iginla

Soderberg has been playing much better as of late and should be a good responsible partner for him, and the first line will draw most of the tough matchups away from them.

Long term, I hope Rantanen and Mackinnon are put together and Landeskog and Duchene are on the other line. Just need to fill in the gaps around them.

 

[Cousin Eddie]

Read a nice little stat on here about Rantanen's +/-. Now I'm not one to put much stock on +/- but I do find it interesting when there are outliers. Rantanen is definitely an example of an outlier.

Rantanen is 4th in the AHL in +/- at +16 despite his team being -2 overall
There are 3 players ahead of him. 1 at +18 and 2 at +17. Two of those play on the Marlies who are +46 overall and the other is on Rockford who is +13

Rantanen is now up to 25pts in 21 games.

 

[Bender]

I don't know what it is about this kid reminds me so much of Mats Sundin. So calm with the puck and protects it so well.

I love the youth that's coming up in NHL. I am really happy for the Avs. Now please trade him to the Leafs.

Ok Thanks

Maybe the fact that he's blonde, over 6'3" and from Scandinavia?

Not sure about playing style or even skating style because I don't see those comparisons.

Sundin was a phenomenal, powerful skater who used his size and puck possession to blow past defenders. He was also more of a scorer than a playmaker. He was also a right-handed shot who played more of a North-South game.

Rantanen is a not as good of a skater but when he dangles, he's reminiscent of Jagr. He's also a more of a playmaker and has more success playing an East-West game. He's also a left-handed shot.

 

[teddy83]

Maybe the fact that he's blonde, over 6'3" and from Scandinavia?

Not sure about playing style or even skating style because I don't see those comparisons.

Sundin was a phenomenal, powerful skater who used his size and puck possession to blow past defenders. He was also more of a scorer than a playmaker. He was also a right-handed shot who played more of a North-South game.

Rantanen is a not as good of a skater but when he dangles, he's reminiscent of Jagr. He's also a more of a playmaker and has more success playing an East-West game. He's also a left-handed shot.

Finland is not part of Scandinavia!!

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

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!!

 

[QnebO]

Finland is not part of Scandinavia!!

But it's part of Nordic countries, he probably meant that. In America, they teach Scandinavia area differently, you can check it out from google.

The main difference is Finnish language. In Scandinavian peninsula they all speak different versions of Swedish, while Finnish is it's own ball game.

Who cares though?

 

[tigervixxxen]

5th in league scoring now

 

[Loffer]

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