Rantanen vs Necas points race to end of season.

[Blueline Bomber]

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

Rantanen only wanted to sign with 4 teams — The Fourth Period

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour revealed Mikko Rantanen was only willing to sign now with 4 teams.

www.thefourthperiod.com

Rantanen ended up signing an eight-year, $96 million contract with the Dallas Stars, the team that traded for him, and according to TFP’s David Pagnotta, the Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights were two other clubs he was interested in signing him now, in-season.

TSN’s Bob McKenzie reported on Friday that he believes the Toronto Maple Leafs, who expressed serious interest in Rantanen, were a team Rantanen “might look favourably on in signing with in the summer.” There are conflicting reports as to whether he was willing to sign with the Leafs now, after a trade.

[Editor’s Update: Pagnotta has since confirmed that Toronto was indeed one of the teams on Rantanen’s list and he was willing to sign with the club.]

The Los Angeles Kings also expressed serious interest in trading for Rantanen, but the star winger was not prepared to sign with them right now, either.

The Edmonton Oilers were another team interested in Rantanen, but trade talks never evolved past the exploratory stage, contrary to other reports.

 

[I Hate Blake Coleman]

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".

Drai can absolutely tear it up on his own. Drai >>>>>>>>>>>>> Rantanen

 

[lionsDen]

Rantanen only wanted to sign with 4 teams — The Fourth Period

Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour revealed Mikko Rantanen was only willing to sign now with 4 teams.

www.thefourthperiod.com

I see confirmed the leafs were one of the teams he’d sign with. I see Florida and Vegas…that he was interested in signing with

A lot of teams were interested but no where does it say anything about his interest in Edmonton long term.

 

[lionsDen]

Drai can absolutely tear it up on his own. Drai >>>>>>>>>>>>> Rantanen

Just a couple of years ago. He had a really bad reputation of his defense(drai). I really like drai as a player. I think rantenen play has fallen off a bit of a cliff, go back and watch his 22 playoffs he was a monster. As an avs fan I can say he deserves the hart this year. Outstanding year

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I see confirmed the leafs were one of the teams he’d sign with. I see Florida and Vegas…that he was interested in signing with

A lot of teams were interested but no where does it say anything about his interest in Edmonton long term.

Yeah, I mixed up Edmonton and Vegas in the rumor mill. I thought Vegas was the one that never got past the initial trade talks and Edmonton was the one he was willing to sign with.

Regardless, your claim that the idea he had “preferred destinations” as “be” (which I assume was a misspelled “bs”) was wrong. He did have only 4 teams he would sign an extension with: Dallas, Florida, Vegas and Toronto. The Canes probably could have traded him to other teams as a rental, but obviously would have gotten a much worse return.

 

[Hasbro]

Wasn't that surprising at the time

You want a laugh, find the draft day thread on HF Avs.

 

[weremarkar]

This ^ I didn't even know a thing about him just that we lost 1st overall which was a lower end 1st overall to start with. I didn't know if he was a F/D seen he was drafted out of the Ajhl nearly puked up. All it took was the highlights and I knew we hit fking GOLD!!!

EDIT: after the wjc, I think everyone knew then just how special he was going to be.

 

[MarkT]

The thing about Rantanen is I don't know the reason, but it was pretty clear he was no longer making any effort to be a better, more complete player. The epitome of this was his absolutely atrocious backchecking and his inexplicable tendency to always go offside on rush chances. Couple that with him consistently losing puck battles (often after holding on to the puck too long), trying to beat several guys with dekes when he's not even going fast, and falling down far too easily for a guy his size - all this points to someone not giving full effort both on and off the ice. Don't get me wrong, the dude is ultra talented. I've seen what a complete, full effort of him looks like from time to time over the years. But I just don't think he's got the discipline to become that player all the time. If he did he'd be a top 5 player in the league. Instead without someone like MacKinnon to feed him I think he'll level out as maybe a point per game guy and then decline as he gets slower and slower with age. By the end of his time in Dallas I guarantee it'll be seen as an albatross contract.

I don't think Ismo Lehkonen was totally wrong about him:

“He didn’t have a very good summer,” Lehkonen said, as translated by Ville Touru of Ilta-Sanomat for The Athletic. “There was a lot happening, many events of all kinds. He had to visit Helsinki and everything like that. … Perhaps he consciously took the summer a little more calmly after the hard years. And maybe he didn’t practice as much as in previous summers.”

link

 

[flyfysher]

The thing about Rantanen is I don't know the reason, but it was pretty clear he was no longer making any effort to be a better, more complete player. The epitome of this was his absolutely atrocious backchecking and his inexplicable tendency to always go offside on rush chances. Couple that with him consistently losing puck battles (often after holding on to the puck too long), trying to beat several guys with dekes when he's not even going fast, and falling down far too easily for a guy his size - all this points to someone not giving full effort both on and off the ice. Don't get me wrong, the dude is ultra talented. I've seen what a complete, full effort of him looks like from time to time over the years. But I just don't think he's got the discipline to become that player all the time. If he did he'd be a top 5 player in the league. Instead without someone like MacKinnon to feed him I think he'll level out as maybe a point per game guy and then decline as he gets slower and slower with age. By the end of his time in Dallas I guarantee it'll be seen as an albatross contract.

I don't think Ismo Lehkonen was totally wrong about him:

link

Ismo was right. Despite your faults Mikko, the Avs and their fans wanted to keep you at $11.75M because we loved you. But we couldn’t let the team’s future be destroyed by re-signing you for more. Because that’s exactly what would have happened.

 

[lionsDen]

Yeah, I mixed up Edmonton and Vegas in the rumor mill. I thought Vegas was the one that never got past the initial trade talks and Edmonton was the one he was willing to sign with.

Regardless, your claim that the idea he had “preferred destinations” as “be” (which I assume was a misspelled “bs”) was wrong. He did have only 4 teams he would sign an extension with: Dallas, Florida, Vegas and Toronto. The Canes probably could have traded him to other teams as a rental, but obviously would have gotten a much worse return.

We’ll never know 100% so we’re basing this all of speculation. My point of contention was primarily Edmonton. Your mistake is how bad narratives form. I mean look at you how people are it up. It’s small points but Edmonton was not on his list. So yes it’s bullshit intentional and or not

 

[Blueline Bomber]

We’ll never know 100% so we’re basing this all of speculation. My point of contention was primarily Edmonton. Your mistake is how bad narratives form. I mean look at you how people are it up. It’s small points but Edmonton was not on his list

Sorry, but you don’t get to chastise me when you were trying to claim the 4 teams position was entirely false, based on nothing but your own belief. You were pushing a bad narrative yourself, except you have nothing to back yours up.

 

[BigTomBomber]

Rantanen with a single point in last 5 games

 

[JoeSakic13]

Rantanen with a single point in last 5 games

Has he at least looked decent in Dallas?

Because the only thing about his stat lines that look like a top-line winger is his TOI.

 

[Kcb12345]

Has he at least looked decent in Dallas?

Because the only thing about his stat lines that look like a top-line winger is his TOI.

Hasn't looked that great, definitely still trying to figure things out though. Better effort tonight, but the chemistry isn't there at all and the whole team has been playing terribly as of late offensively. You can see him getting visibly frustrated out there a lot. Definitely a big learning curve happening for him

He has no chemistry at all with Robertson and Hintz either but coaching staff is trying to force it. Duchene is the obvious fit with him and he almost had an assist to Duchene today but they reviewed and said no goal. They're also trying too hard to force things to Rantanen on the PP and teams are easily reading it.

He's been unlucky with his finishing though to be fair. Dangerous opportunity or 2 every night even if he's not having a noticeable game

I honestly think it'll take a while for him to get settled. Granlund just recently got settled in. Took Pavelski a full season when he first got here

This close to an assist today off a great feed to Duchene:

 

[The Tourist]

Mikko is playing with the wrong center. Until the staff figures that out I don't think he's going to be putting up elite numbers. Rantanen should be playing with Duchene, at the very least with Wyatt. Duchene likes to drive the line and would work well with Rantanen who is as it his best when he can play without the puck and set up for a one timer or tip.

Robo and Hintz work as a pair. The 3rd player on that line isn't as important. Right now they are too busy trying to force their shiny new toy instead of just playing their two man game.

 

[Perfect_Drug]

Is Rantanen the next Huberdeau?

Definitely seems like Huberdeau v2.0

 

[Ncit3]

Mikko is playing with the wrong center. Until the staff figures that out I don't think he's going to be putting up elite numbers. Rantanen should be playing with Duchene, at the very least with Wyatt. Duchene likes to drive the line and would work well with Rantanen who is as it his best when he can play without the puck and set up for a one timer or tip.

Robo and Hintz work as a pair. The 3rd player on that line isn't as important. Right now they are too busy trying to force their shiny new toy instead of just playing their two man game.

Sadly he can’t play with MacKinnon anymore

 

[JoeSakic13]

Hasn't looked that great, definitely still trying to figure things out though. Better effort tonight, but the chemistry isn't there at all and the whole team has been playing terribly as of late offensively. You can see him getting visibly frustrated out there a lot. Definitely a big learning curve happening for him

He has no chemistry at all with Robertson and Hintz either but coaching staff is trying to force it. Duchene is the obvious fit with him and he almost had an assist to Duchene today but they reviewed and said no goal. They're also trying too hard to force things to Rantanen on the PP and teams are easily reading it.

He's been unlucky with his finishing though to be fair. Dangerous opportunity or 2 every night even if he's not having a noticeable game

I honestly think it'll take a while for him to get settled. Granlund just recently got settled in. Took Pavelski a full season when he first got here

This close to an assist today off a great feed to Duchene:

Yeah that checks out. I could see him being a better fit with Duchene as well.

Also I wish I could find the clip, but there was an NHL analyst segment on how it can actually be (for lack of a better term) an optical illusion on the puck crossing the line in those situations. So even though you see white it is possible it didn’t cross it. Wish I could summarize it better too….but it made me less angry in no-goal situations like that.

 

[flyfysher]

Mikko is playing with the wrong center. Until the staff figures that out I don't think he's going to be putting up elite numbers. Rantanen should be playing with Duchene, at the very least with Wyatt. Duchene likes to drive the line and would work well with Rantanen who is as it his best when he can play without the puck and set up for a one timer or tip.

Robo and Hintz work as a pair. The 3rd player on that line isn't as important. Right now they are too busy trying to force their shiny new toy instead of just playing their two man game.

How do you think it would play in the locker room to put Rants at $12M/8 years with Johnston who just extended at $8.4M/5 years just so Johnston can drive play for him for the remainder of his contract? It seems awkward but whatever works I guess.