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

[Alexandrov]

hmm.. Tell me how Barkov was playing in the NHL, while not being drafted yet? (Comparing situations here.) Rantanen got no chance playing in NHL coz he's not even drafted yet

And i could see Rantanen playing in NHL next season.

I can't. But I think if he gets picked at 10-20 the team drafting him will be very satisfied eventually.

 

[Snowsii]

I can't. But I think if he gets picked at 10-20 the team drafting him will be very satisfied eventually.

Yes, I think his playstyle suits smaller rinks well. How he manages there, is yet to be seen. Hopefully fine.

Anyway, he got nothing to show in Finland anymore.. After all, he's one of his teams best players. Ist it Rantanen's goodness or teams badness, who knows. But should go overseas next season.. AHL or NHL it's the same, both do more good to him, than staying here..

Of course there's that he has to his mandatory military service.

 

[Alexandrov]

Yes, I think his playstyle suits smaller rinks well. How he manages there, is yet to be seen. Hopefully fine.

Anyway, he got nothing to show in Finland anymore.. After all, he's one of his teams best players. Ist it Rantanen's goodness or teams badness, who knows. But should go overseas next season.. AHL or NHL it's the same, both do more good to him, than staying here..

Of course there's that he has to his mandatory military service.

Well the team sucks for sure I think Rantanen would be producing at a higher rate in a decent team.

 

[BusQuets]

Yes, I think his playstyle suits smaller rinks well. How he manages there, is yet to be seen. Hopefully fine.

Anyway, he got nothing to show in Finland anymore.. After all, he's one of his teams best players. Ist it Rantanen's goodness or teams badness, who knows. But should go overseas next season.. AHL or NHL it's the same, both do more good to him, than staying here..

Of course there's that he has to his mandatory military service.

23 points in 51 games, nothing to show anymore? How about actually producing like 1st line player first. Lasch, Koskiranta,Tukonen and Smolenak have all produced at better rate than Rantanen on the same team.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

hmm.. Tell me how Barkov was playing in the NHL, while not being drafted yet? (Comparing situations here.) Rantanen got no chance playing in NHL coz he's not even drafted yet

And i could see Rantanen playing in NHL next season.

I was comparing their levels of maturity. Rantanen's still has much more to learn about the complete game compared to Barkov, whose game was basically NHL ready since the first day of training camp. Rantanen and Barkov actually have only 13 month age difference, and I don't think his game is at Barkov's current level one year from now. I just don't see Rantanen being ready for NHL next year, because that would have to be a top-6 role. There is no room for him in a team, who picks him at 5-10.

 

[JJTT]

23 points in 51 games, nothing to show anymore? How about actually producing like 1st line player first. Lasch, Koskiranta,Tukonen and Smolenak have all produced at better rate than Rantanen on the same team.

That's only because Suikkanen didn't give Rantanen enough icetime. He didn't even get PP time until Elomo took over.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Well the team sucks for sure I think Rantanen would be producing at a higher rate in a decent team.

It doesn't often work like that. Look at Puljujärvi. He plays for the best team in the league, so there is no playing for him at all. Rantanen had the same problem earlier in the season, when the team was still competitive. After they sold all their players and they had nothing to play for, they could give Rantanen all the time he wants. And granted he has taken the ball and ran with it.

 

[Alexandrov]

It doesn't often work like that. Look at Puljujärvi. He plays for the best team in the league, so there is no playing for him at all. Rantanen had the same problem earlier in the season, when the team was still competitive. After they sold all their players and they had nothing to play for, they could give Rantanen all the time he wants. And granted he has taken the ball and ran with it.

It doesn't always work like that. Often it does. If you are good enough to earn ice time in a decent/good team (which I think Rantanen is capable of) you tend to produce at a higher rate than you would in a bottom team with awful supporting cast.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

It doesn't always work like that. Often it does. If you are good enough to earn ice time in a decent/good team (which I think Rantanen is capable of) you tend to produce at a higher rate than you would in a bottom team with awful supporting cast.

Any recent examples for young guys in the Finnish Liiga? And how come he didn't get his time earlier then? Because he wasn't given the opportunity to do show, because there were better players than him. He only started to produce, when he was given the playing time, when the team had emptied.

 

[Alexandrov]

Any recent examples for young guys in the Finnish Liiga? And how come he didn't get his time earlier then? Because he wasn't given the opportunity to do show, because there were better players than him. He only started to produce, when he was given the playing time, when the team had emptied.

It's not like there's a ton of

A) Trades
B) Teams
C) Good young players

in the Finnish League. So coming up with an example of this happening in FEL is difficult. So we need to look outside Finland.

Can you not think of examples of hockey players started to produce better when traded to a good team? While it's hard to say what happens to the production of an individual player when traded, on average the production goes up when a player is traded from a bottom team to a decent/good team. I don't think this is really debatable.

 

[Bures Elbow]

I would spontaneously decombust if the Canucks somehow managed to land him.

 

[romao]

hmm.. Tell me how Barkov was playing in the NHL, while not being drafted yet? (Comparing situations here.) Rantanen got no chance playing in NHL coz he's not even drafted yet

And i could see Rantanen playing in NHL next season.

He was comparing age, not draft status. Barkov made debut in NHL at the age of 18 years and 1 month. Rantanen right now is 18 years, 4 months.

 

[kirby11]

Hoping this dude has a cam fowler-esque drop and the sabres snag him with an extra first, but I doubt it

 

[Snowsii]

He was comparing age, not draft status. Barkov made debut in NHL at the age of 18 years and 1 month. Rantanen right now is 18 years, 4 months.

it quited bad to compare ages by saying that one was playing in NHL, while other yet cant play, coz isnt drafted

that was my point. should have stated maturity, as he cleared in his later post.

 

[Swervin81]

You guys see Rantanen as a C at the NHL level or more of a winger? With his playmaking ability, I'd love him to be a C. He would be my pick if we fell out of the top 5 and onto 6 if he can stick as a C.

 

[Opak]

You guys see Rantanen as a C at the NHL level or more of a winger? With his playmaking ability, I'd love him to be a C. He would be my pick if we fell out of the top 5 and onto 6 if he can stick as a C.

I think he's a lot better when he's playing RW. If you really wanted to turn him into a center, you'd have to groom him in the AHL for years and even then it might not work for him. Even though he has played some C during his career, I'm not convinced that he can revert back there at a professional level, especially in the NHL.

 

[JJTT]

You guys see Rantanen as a C at the NHL level or more of a winger? With his playmaking ability, I'd love him to be a C. He would be my pick if we fell out of the top 5 and onto 6 if he can stick as a C.

I don't think he can play C in his first season. Maybe after a few years in NHL, if even then.

 

[thomast]

Center is his natural position. He has played most of his junior career at that position. But i think he is better at the wing because of his speed and size to win board battles. If he wants to be C he has to work out his faceoff skills.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Another solid perfomance from Rantanen yesterday against the #2 team team in the league Tappara. I'm pretty sure this was sadly the last time I will ever see him play live, because I'm quite certain he will jump to the AHL (or even NHL) next year. He played over 23 minutes in the game and all situations, #1 pp unit and a ton on PK. He created a lot of chances for his linemates and himself, but they couldn't score. He got a -2, because of a last minute gaffe by the defence and an empty netter after that, but overall a great performance once again.

I'm very hesitant to make such claims due to some disappontments among the Finnish prospects lately, but I think Rantanen is a sure bet prospect. He has NHL top-6 forward written all over him, with great hockey sense, great size, great work ethic and overall very good puck skills. The last time we had a young forward in TPS even close to Rantanen's level was a guy named Mikko Koivu. However Rantanen at 18 years is already above the level M.Koivu was at 20 years of age. I think Rantanen could develop into a winger version of Mikko Koivu in the NHL.

 

[JJTT]

Playing in A-Juniors vs Kärpät today. Winner goes to the semi finals.

http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&gid=46579

TPS has better team there than they did vs Tappara yesterday. Pretty sad.

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Playing in A-Juniors vs Kärpät today. Winner goes to the semi finals.

http://www.tilastopalvelu.fi/ih/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8&gid=46579

TPS has better team there than they did vs Tappara yesterday. Pretty sad.

The only sad part is Tappara still only barely got the victory against them. But you are correct, this lineup is actually better than we had for the pro team yesterday. Should be an exciting match tonight. Rantanen vs. Puljujärvi. Any places to watch the game online?

 

[JJTT]

The only sad part is Tappara still only barely got the victory against them. But you are correct, this lineup is actually better than we had for the pro team yesterday. Should be an exciting match tonight. Rantanen vs. Puljujärvi. Any places to watch the game online?

Looks like http://sports.livearena.com/ will show it. You have to pay 10€ for the month though.

 

[Remix]

2 goals and a primary assist for Rantanen in the last game of the regular season. He ends the year 9+19 = 28 pts in 56 games.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

2 goals and a primary assist for Rantanen in the last game of the regular season. He ends the year 9+19 = 28 pts in 56 games.

What are his stats for the last ~20 games?

 

[FinPanda]

After WJC 26 games 8+10. Really nice.