Rantanen vs Necas points race to end of season.

[Blueline Bomber]

If those cities are true, then it would throw my weather/economy theory out the window for a star player, but then DAL is not like any of those teams with a player comparable to Mac, McD, Barkov or Matthews.

I'm guessing Dallas was an option because A: he's familiar with a lot of their players, being divisional rivals while he was in Colorado and B: they have a lot of Finnish players he also is familiar with.

 

[Muffin]

Is Rantanen the next Huberdeau?

 

[Muffin]

He is but I was still surprised the Stars selected him over Makar.

Makar was the high risk high reward pick. Heiskanen had a high floor but slightly lower ceiling than Makar.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

If those cities are true, then it would throw my weather/economy theory out the window for a star player, but then DAL is not like any of those teams with a player comparable to Mac, McD, Barkov or Matthews.

The guy is from Finland.

Some chilly temps and snow aren't going to bother him.

 

[JoeSakic13]

Makar was the high risk high reward pick. Heiskanen had a high floor but slightly lower ceiling than Makar.

I don’t think high risk is fair.

Usually that’s associated with things the player having huge skillset deficiencies that they need to develop, have a serious injury already, or are playing in a part of the world where there’s concerns they won’t come to North America.

The biggest question mark with Makar was him playing in the BCHL as people worried it’s why he looked as good.

 

[landy]

The guy is from Finland.

Some chilly temps and snow aren't going to bother him.

True. I have a theory that the big UFA paydays almost always pick the nice weather/amazing culture lifestyle teams. But then the Johnny Hockey RIP UFA's happen and all my theories are gone.

I don’t think high risk is fair.

Usually that’s associated with things the player having huge skillset deficiencies that they need to develop, have a serious injury already, or are playing in a part of the world where there’s concerns they won’t come to North America.

The biggest question mark with Makar was him playing in the BCHL as people worried it’s why he looked as good.

We will obviously never know, but the Avs have hinted that they were taking Makar with any of the 1-4 picks and that theyve were ninja scouting him to keep other teams off him.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'm sure living in f***ing North Carolina had something to do with it

North Carolina and North Texas are practically identical places to live.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Potentially. If he really was offered $13+ then sure, take it, accept that youll be an 80 pt guy forever instead of 100+, be happy with it and maybe your team wins/,maybe it doesnt.

But I still dont think that is a cancer to the locker room to want to be in the best position for your own personal and team success given this UFA period is his only chance in his entire career to do it.

Obviously now we know he was blindsided by the Avs (assuming we believe what Mikko has said, which I do), took a few weeks to say WTF, then woke up and still was able to pick his team like he would at UFA, but helped CAR best he could in the meantime.

I don’t think “cancer” is fair to him at all. He didn’t ask to be traded to Carolina. He was thrown into that situation and given the sales pitch to stay. He’s not obligated to say yes to that. He earned his UFA freedom and used it appropriately.

The part that’s harder to defend is the sulking and “quit” that he showed during that window of time. Canes fans are rightfully resentful of a guy coming in from a major trade and just openly sandbagging it.

 

[Smelling Salt]

He's been very pedestrian in Dallas so far, especially in the last three or four games. Hintz is not a good match for him either. Need to try Duchene.

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Mack and Makar without a doubt inflated the point totals, but you would expect Rantanen to pick it up at some point.

 

[CanesUltimate11]

I don’t think “cancer” is fair to him at all. He didn’t ask to be traded to Carolina. He was thrown into that situation and given the sales pitch to stay. He’s not obligated to say yes to that. He earned his UFA freedom and used it appropriately.

The part that’s harder to defend is the sulking and “quit” that he showed during that window of time. Canes fans are rightfully resentful of a guy coming in from a major trade and just openly sandbagging it.

Openly sandbagging on a team is pretty cancerous isn't it? Not in the sense that they guy is a major asshole to everyone but we know his behavior pissed off a bunch of guys in the locker room.

 

[famicommander]

Since the trade

Necas: 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 21 games
Drury: 4 goals and 1 assist for 5 points in 21 games

Rantanen: 4 (2 with DAL, 2 with CAR) goals and 6 (2 with DAL, 4 with CAR) assists for 10 points in 19 games

 

[TruePowerSlave]

Since the trade

Necas: 7 goals and 12 assists for 19 points in 21 games
Drury: 4 goals and 1 assist for 5 points in 21 games

Rantanen: 4 (2 with DAL, 2 with CAR) goals and 6 (2 with DAL, 4 with CAR) assists for 10 points in 19 games

The eye test matches the numbers. This season Mack/Makar did most of the heavy lifting. No wonder his numbers took a nosedive immediately after the trade. Also Mikko has an insane amount of empty net points so far.

 

[BullLund]

I don’t think “cancer” is fair to him at all. He didn’t ask to be traded to Carolina. He was thrown into that situation and given the sales pitch to stay. He’s not obligated to say yes to that. He earned his UFA freedom and used it appropriately.

The part that’s harder to defend is the sulking and “quit” that he showed during that window of time. Canes fans are rightfully resentful of a guy coming in from a major trade and just openly sandbagging it.

I don't think he sand-bagged it in Carolina, this is just his current level of play.

Carolina may have dodged a bit of a bullet there.

 

[tarheelhockey]

I don't think he sand-bagged it in Carolina, this is just his current level of play.

Carolina may have dodged a bit of a bullet there.

The last 2-3 games it was beyond level of play, he was visibly not attempting to compete. It was bad.

 

[BullLund]

The last 2-3 games it was beyond level of play, he was visibly not attempting to compete. It was bad.

I mean, even Colorado fans have often had that feeling about him. He's just not very visible at times until he scores. Some even regarded him as lazy.

He was scoring below the expected amount in Carolina.

 

[Muffin]

I think Rantanen will still be a productive points per game guy but he's not getting 100 points again out of Colorado.

 

[flyfysher]

I mean, even Colorado fans have often had that feeling about him. He's just not very visible at times until he scores. Some even regarded him as lazy.

He was scoring below the expected amount in Carolina.

The Stars forum is trying to figure out which C to play Rants with in order to get him going. He’s an elite finisher, no doubt. But Rants’ scoring in CO just highlights Mack’s true value. Mack makes the players around him better. I like Rants so I wish him success except against the Avs. But if his scoring and play don’t rebound in Dallas then that $12+M 8 year contract is not going to age well and his popularity will likely suffer with the fan base there.

 

[landy]

Rantanen always reminded me of Draisaitl. Sit in the corner or side of the net waiting to rip a onsie or tip. But obviously we know who is doing the heavy lifting on both teams.

Doesnt change the fact he is a top 5 finisher in the game. I find myself saying it now with Drouin posted up in Mikko's office, "Mikko wouldve scored that".

 

[BullLund]

The Stars forum is trying to figure out which C to play Rants with in order to get him going. He’s an elite finisher, no doubt. But Rants’ scoring in CO just highlights Mack’s true value. Mack makes the players around him better. I like Rants so I wish him success except against the Avs. But if his scoring and play don’t rebound in Dallas then that $12+M 8 year contract is not going to age well and his popularity will likely suffer with the fan base there.

I think he just grew complacent playing with MacKinnon and Makar. He has the ability to do more, but it'll probably take a while to adjust.

 

[flyfysher]

I think he just grew complacent playing with MacKinnon and Makar. He has the ability to do more, but it'll probably take a while to adjust.

I agree. Rants definitely has the ability. No one should doubt that. You just want to see Rants play all out all of the time, especially for the kind of money he was seeking. I suspect he’ll be a lot better next season but this trade has probably opened Rants’ eyes quite a bit.

 

[Jerkob Slavin]

Citation needed.

Start with the Hurricanes record since saying good riddance to apathetic garbage. 8 straight wins.

Canes are a better team without him. Period.

 

[lionsDen]

Rantanen is the type of player that you don't notice often but then you watch the scoreboard he already has a 3 points night. If someone can feed the puck to Rantanen he will be dangerous in the playoffs. I might get criticized by saying this but I see him as a poor man Matthews. Incredible finisher but not so much a playmaker. Not saying he's bad or anything I would gladly take him back but not at 12M$ to play in the same line as Mack.

Rantenen is a sneaky really good playmaker. He’ll leave Hulu breathless with some of his passes

 

[lionsDen]

Potentially. If he really was offered $13+ then sure, take it, accept that youll be an 80 pt guy forever instead of 100+, be happy with it and maybe your team wins/,maybe it doesnt.

But I still dont think that is a cancer to the locker room to want to be in the best position for your own personal and team success given this UFA period is his only chance in his entire career to do it.

Obviously now we know he was blindsided by the Avs (assuming we believe what Mikko has said, which I do), took a few weeks to say WTF, then woke up and still was able to pick his team like he would at UFA, but helped CAR best he could in the meantime.

He just finished a contract that he was the highest paid av made 55.5 million over 6 years. That’s life changing money.

 

[lionsDen]

Well, considering outside of Colorado and Dallas, his preferred locations were apparently Toronto, Edmonton, and Florida, maybe he just prefers the extreme cold/heat instead of the moderate temperature NC has year round

Or maybe he wants to be fed by McDavid, Matthews or Barkov like he was fed by MacKinnon

Care to share a link on his “preferred destinations” I haven’t seen it and I’m gonna call be