Confirmed with Link: [COL, CAR, CHI] Rantanen-Hall to CAR, Necas-Drury-25 2nd-26 4th to COL, Chi 25 3rd to Chi (Ret 50% on Mikko)

[MacKaRtin]

I'll try:

I think he lost his confidence after the hot start. It resulted in him playing fewer minutes, being taken off the top PP unit, and playing with less talented linemates. Created a feedback loop of negativity. This was further exacerbated by injuries to Nuke, who can carry the 2nd line, and for a while also Drouin who is one of our only other top-6 level guys. So inconsistency in linemates as well. Probably also just some bad puck luck.

He likes to scan a lot sometimes and needs to just move his feet more, get himself into better position to work with teammates. His brain can handle playing fast, but sometimes he just tries to play slow and the game gets past him.

The thing is that in Buffalo he was also playing with less talented linemates due to the organizational priority to give Thompson and Cozens more time, and he found a way to produce with them. Jordan Greenway was his most common linemate during his final year in Buffalo for christsake

 

[Balthazar]

this is a guy who struggled tremendously his first 4 professional seasons

This shouldn't be overlooked, he was considered a bust for a long time and his track record of "not being a bust" is quite short.

Reminds me of Kirby Dach but without the injuries.

 

[AvBuff]

Who knows what happened, but what I do know is this is a guy who struggled tremendously his first 4 professional seasons, then suddenly found offense his next two seasons - one of which was a contract year - and is back to looking like the guy from his first 4 seasons (if you remove October he's scoring at a 35 point pace which is just barely above his first 4 season average).

What COULD be an explanation - which is terrifying for us - is this is who he is and the previous two seasons given one was a contract year are the outliers.

 

[a mangy Meowth]

The thing is that in Buffalo he was also playing with less talented linemates due to the organizational priority to give Thompson and Cozens more time, and he found a way to produce with them. Jordan Greenway was his most common linemate during his final year in Buffalo for christsake

I was saying less talented than Nuke, Drouin, Lehkonen. Big drop off to Kiviranta, Parssinen, Colton, etc.

 

[JLo217]

Thing is, he doesn't have nearly the same resume to use in negotiations as Rantanen did with back to back 105 pt seasons and the current one with good production.

I'm hoping we get him at like 10M per for 8 years. At the end of the day, I doubt he gets much more than 11M AAV because I think we will have an offer ready for him to sign right after July 1st to get ahead of any insane production he might have next year - in fact I'm guessing they're already discussing frameworks with him & his agent.

Frankly I'd be comfortable going up to 12.5x8 I think, if it had to be done. By the time the extension would start, the cap is already well over $100M. Plus he's only 26 and hasn't had much of a history of injuries. An 8 year deal would start when he's 27 and a half, and go until he's 36.

Smart piece of work by the Avs FO, IMO.

Yup. I know i've been calling for a Rants trade since early last season. A handful of others did as well. I'm loving Necas and have 0 regrets that Rants is gone. He was dogging it while getting lined up for perfect shots. Thats all it was.

The only thing we need to do is get Necas done and not f*** around this summer.

Yeah, how could he not?

"Here's more ice-time than you've ever had before, including PP1. Strategy? Skate, kid. Fly up the ice, use your speed, go go go."

This is basically a line from a kids book

 

[MacKaRtin]

I was saying less talented than Nuke, Drouin, Lehkonen. Big drop off to Kiviranta, Parssinen, Colton, etc.

I understand what you're saying, and, yeah, having better linemates generally increases production, but what I'm trying to say is that he was able to elevate his linemates and produce in Buffalo with a middle six role and mediocre wingers. Hell, last year here he was producing well for his role with Parise as his most common winger

So I don't think it's fair to say his slump is down to having less talented wingers to play with