Rantanen vs Necas points race to end of season.

[Czechboy]

I'm just going to track how the points race ends between these 2. They both have 32 games left.

Right now it is (updated after games)

Rants 13gp - 2G, 4A (Canes)
Rants 10gp - 3G, 5A (Stars)
17GP - 4G, 6A
Rants @ 4 nations - 3GP - 1G
Necas 24gp - 10G, 15A

 

[Czechboy]

My own theory is that it will be around 30 points each and very close.

Rants is now the guy and has all eyes on him to be that guy. No more MacD and Makar. Rants is the victim of the 'Drai' argument which is very likely unfair and innacurate. I think he's a top 10 guy and will carry the offense at 4 nations and for Canes. Necas seems to be a victim of stat watching on previous seasons and people not realizing who he plays with or the minutes he gets. He's been top 10 scoring for the strong majority of the season. He was the guy on his line and definitely was not being carried. It'll be interesting to see if his production can tick up with Makar and MacK?

My own theory is that he will be incompatible with them as he is a very fast puck carrier who needs the puck and lots of touches. I think he eventually finds his way to line 2 and will be .ppg there and on PP1. Rantanan has a built in best friend and a 4 nations teammate to build chemistry with.

Also, all the AVs players and staff were devastated so it may take a little while to accept Necas who is not a plug and play replacement for Rantanan at all.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

Nice assist by Necas. He's just flying out there.

Drouin - MacKinnon - Necas

 

[Czechboy]

That didn't take long.lol

 

[Pierce Hawthorne]

I think it will be really interesting to watch indeed.

There's a few signs that Rantanen has been increasingly a product of Mackinnon so it will be quite intriguing to watch how he can do now away from Mack and if those numbers were just anecdotal silliness, or if they were actually pointing at a bigger concern for him.

On the flip side, what can Necas do playing with 2 of the Top 3 players in the world. He was already a Top 10 scorer in the league this year, not exactly playing with chopped liver as the likes of Aho/Svechnikov/Jarvis are great players in their own right, but they also aren't Mackinnon and Makar.

A fun watch for sure IMO.

 

[Czechboy]

likes of Aho/Svechnikov/Jarvis are great players in their own right,

I'll just add that Necas was over ppg away from those guys



Regarding Rantanan... I'm a huge Drai fan and hate the 'he is carried argument'. I imagine Avs fans feel the same about Rantanan. So now is a great time to show that. Curious how it goes because Carolina is a great team and cup contender themselves.

 

[Sniperberg]

I think Nekkas is shit compared to Rantanan so he is going to lose this match 5-0

 

[Clint Eastwood]

I think it will be really interesting to watch indeed.

There's a few signs that Rantanen has been increasingly a product of Mackinnon so it will be quite intriguing to watch how he can do now away from Mack and if those numbers were just anecdotal silliness, or if they were actually pointing at a bigger concern for him.

On the flip side, what can Necas do playing with 2 of the Top 3 players in the world. He was already a Top 10 scorer in the league this year, not exactly playing with chopped liver as the likes of Aho/Svechnikov/Jarvis are great players in their own right, but they also aren't Mackinnon and Makar.

A fun watch for sure IMO.

Assuming both these teams make the playoffs, watching how they play there will also be a very interesting watch. I find it fascinating because these 2 players are very different. Rantanen the big, strong power forward and Necas the very quick, elusive playmaker both going to different teams who have plenty of talent and are well-coached.

Rantanen is the better player of course, but I'm very interested to see how they fit especially when expected to hit the ground running.

 

[BullLund]

My prediction is that MacKinnon will be doing more of the heavy lifting as a goal scorer from now on, since Necas is more of a playmaker than a pure scorer, and Rantanen's points scoring will probably decrease since Carolina is a more balanced team that plays everyone equally, instead of having just one superstar line. Due to this, Rantanen may actually contribute more to winning than he did on Colorado, by putting up more of an effort in the defensive zone, since he's no longer having to play 20+ minutes every game.

 

[Czechboy]

going to lose this match 5-0

What scoring system is this?lol

 

[bleedgreen]

As a Canes fan I think Necas has a good chance here. Necas has no trouble creating on his own and they have him with studs. Rants is being asked to produce in the harder situation with lesser help.

 

[centipede2233]

Necas 2 assists, drury 1 goal. I think sakic is going to make a lot of people on this forum eat their words

I loved this trade for Colorado.

 

[Leafshater67]

Necas 2 assists, drury 1 goal. I think sakic is going to make a lot of people on this forum eat their words

I loved this trade for Colorado.

Even if he doesn’t, the reality was they were not getting a deal done. If Rantanen really wanted 13.5+, he’s better gone.

 

[Connor McConnor]

I'll just add that Necas was over ppg away from those guys



Regarding Rantanan... I'm a huge Drai fan and hate the 'he is carried argument'. I imagine Avs fans feel the same about Rantanan. So now is a great time to show that. Curious how it goes because Carolina is a great team and cup contender themselves.

Necas’ production this year is being inflated by a hot start. He has 12 points in his last 24 games

 

[tarheelhockey]

Both assists were him handing pucks to Makar to snipe. If that continues, he’ll end up with a ton of points.

 

[OysterForever]

I think it will be really interesting to watch indeed.

There's a few signs that Rantanen has been increasingly a product of Mackinnon so it will be quite intriguing to watch how he can do now away from Mack and if those numbers were just anecdotal silliness, or if they were actually pointing at a bigger concern for him.

Like during the stint where Mack was injured for a while?

 

[WarriorofTime]

Pay Rantanen $13.5 million or pay Necas $10.5 million? But they do get one more year of cheap Necas out of it.

 

[Czechboy]

Necas’ production this year is being inflated by a hot start. He has 12 points in his last 24 games

Agree and disagree. Eg. you are probably right about that.

Necas had a hillariously bad 11 days where he got 0 points. That derailed the hot start. He's been near .ppg since then.

He was on a unsustainable heater before this. He led the league in scoring for several weeks. We knew he wasn't in that tier (McDrai, Rants, Mack).

He's been near .ppg since. `13 points in his last 15 games. He's currently tied for 10th with Jack Hughes and the Superbowl is coming up. I'd argue Huberdeau is a better example of 'hot start'.

I've said all season I think he'll get 82 points in 82 games. Rants is definitely the better player. I'm not arguing that. I'm arguing that people seem to think it's a AINEC situation. They are both top 10 in scoring right now. Necas is now PP merchant. He's not carried by anyone. HIs most common linemates were not Aho and Svech. He's been driving his own line all season and been great at 5 on 5.

 

[Czechboy]

Pay Rantanen $13.5 million or pay Necas $10.5 million? But they do get one more year of cheap Necas out of it.

That's the thing.. there is a likely outcome that Rants makes 14 million next year and Necas makes 6.5 Is he THAT much better?

 

[Czechboy]

As a Canes fan I think Necas has a good chance here. Necas has no trouble creating on his own and they have him with studs. Rants is being asked to produce in the harder situation with lesser help.

50-50 here.lol

Rants gets his best friend Aho and they will probably be on a line together at 4 nations in some intense games. That chemistry is built in.

Necas arrived to a locker room and media clips of his linemates visibly furious about the whole thing. That Bednar interview was tough to watch. Same with MacK. Rants walked into several warm Finnish hugs because he was the upgrade.

 

[WarriorofTime]

That's the thing.. there is a likely outcome that Rants makes 14 million next year and Necas makes 6.5 Is he THAT much better?

Agree that Necas is the better value for 2025-26. Do they decide this year their depth is kinda bad and won’t win regardless and just go all in on next year? They’re gonna pay Makar $15+ million starting 2027-28 anyways. So is it all in on 2025-26? Not the thing they say publicly of course but perhaps that’s the basic thinking.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

That's the thing.. there is a likely outcome that Rants makes 14 million next year and Necas makes 6.5 Is he THAT much better?

Yea

 

[yeaher]

As a Canes fan I think Necas has a good chance here. Necas has no trouble creating on his own and they have him with studs. Rants is being asked to produce in the harder situation with lesser help.

Especially when Rantanen resigns for Colorado haha, but if Carolina don't extend him damn near immediately I question their sanity, they have to give him whatever he wants at this point.

 

[golgoXIII]

Necas all the way will win this it's border line impossible to put PPG in brindamour systeme

 

[Czechboy]

Agree that Necas is the better value for 2025-26. Do they decide this year their depth is kinda bad and won’t win regardless and just go all in on next year? They’re gonna pay Makar $15+ million starting 2027-28 anyways. So is it all in on 2025-26? Not the thing they say publicly of course but perhaps that’s the basic thinking.

Similar window to the Oilers IMO. Our time is running out too.. Bouch and Mak extensions are killers.