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

[Erikfromfin]

Yea and we are talking about different sort of talent. Im sure Jake Virtanen wasnt top15 "talent" in last years draft but he went 6th overall and will become effective NHLer one day. Rantanen might not dangle like Armia or have shot like Pulkkinen his gonna become NHLer just his size alone gives such an advantage. Might not be the biggest impact player but will be solid first or second line player.

 

[satchmo]

Teräväinen yes, but other guys are not even close. Just becase Finnish media doesn't hype him and Suikkanen plays him with crappy linemates doesn't make him any less talented.

I dont get it? At his age (17) Armia popped 18 goals a season. What has Rantanen ever done to be considered more talented than Armia? Joel Armia is bigger and has better hands and a better shot and still may never make it to the Big Show. This Rantanen hype is so typical for Finns. We talk the same way (sure NHL player) about all our prospects and when time goes on the talking stops as we see our prospects busting one after another. The list is long (Pulkkinen, Rajala, Armia, Mi.Lehtonen, Tukonen, T.Hartikainen. Ma.Granlund etc.) But hey, theres always some new kids coming down the pipe. Sure thing NHL players

 

[Jack DiBiase]

I dont get it? At his age (17) Armia popped 18 goals a season. What has Rantanen ever done to be considered more talented than Armia? Joel Armia is bigger and has better hands and a better shot and still may never make it to the Big Show.

Mikko Koivu had 7 points when he was 18 years oid. And 6 goals when he was 20. What a bust! Maybe some of us are actually watching the games, you know.

Oh, and BTW, compared to Armia, Rantanen is the exact same size. Rantanen has better vision and passing and more grit and competitiveness. Armia is better at stickhandling and shooting the puck, but that only takes a player so far.

How is this even a comparison. They are way different style of players. Other than being tall and Finnish, I can't seen many similarities.

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

I dont get it? At his age (17) Armia popped 18 goals a season. What has Rantanen ever done to be considered more talented than Armia? Joel Armia is bigger and has better hands and a better shot and still may never make it to the Big Show. This Rantanen hype is so typical for Finns. We talk the same way (sure NHL player) about all our prospects and when time goes on the talking stops as we see our prospects busting one after another. The list is long (Pulkkinen, Rajala, Armia, Mi.Lehtonen, Tukonen, T.Hartikainen. Ma.Granlund etc.) But hey, theres always some new kids coming down the pipe. Sure thing NHL players

And you're the typical pessimist. "A pessimist won't be disappointed", like we Finns say. I don't think Armia and Ma. Granlund are considered busts, and Pulkkinen might not be either. Armia is a bit of a head case, and Granlund and Pulkkinen are smallish. Comparing Rantanen to them is quite shortsighted. It's also funny how you say that we talk the same way about every prospect just to see them bust one by one, when the new generation is just breaking out. Sure, guys like Nokelainen, Tukonen etc. didn't pan out too well. But if you look closely, you can see the trend changing. We have Granlund, Barkov, Vatanen, Määttä, Ristolainen, Haula and company already playing in the NHL. I'd say forget about the 2000-2009 and focus on what's now.

 

[FinnSkillz28]

I dont get it? At his age (17) Armia popped 18 goals a season. What has Rantanen ever done to be considered more talented than Armia? Joel Armia is bigger and has better hands and a better shot and still may never make it to the Big Show. This Rantanen hype is so typical for Finns. We talk the same way (sure NHL player) about all our prospects and when time goes on the talking stops as we see our prospects busting one after another. The list is long (Pulkkinen, Rajala, Armia, Mi.Lehtonen, Tukonen, T.Hartikainen. Ma.Granlund etc.) But hey, theres always some new kids coming down the pipe. Sure thing NHL players

You certainly don't seem to understand what you're talking 'bout

 

[Jack DiBiase]

I was focusing on his second paragraph. The one about playing style. Not the one about physical descriptions. For years Scott Gomez was a premier break out forward. Gained the zone better than anyone. Elite straight ahead speed, and had world class vision and playmaking ability, despite being a north/south player, which is a pretty darn rare quality. Though, I do understand that Scott Gomez isnt exactly tall. However, being tall doesn't really have much to do with descriptions of playing style, does it?

Not really good comparisons, although they share the same pass-first playing approach. Gomez had much better skating, and used that to create opportunities and breakouts. Rantanen is more cerebral uses his vision to create breakouts a lá Datsuyk. Also Rantanen's reach helps him in the offensive zone much better compared to Gomez.

EDIT: Although I'm a big homer fan of Rantanen, I don't project him becoming a superstar. I think he could end up having a Jussi Jokinen style career.

 

[BusQuets]

I dont get it? At his age (17) Armia popped 18 goals a season. What has Rantanen ever done to be considered more talented than Armia? Joel Armia is bigger and has better hands and a better shot and still may never make it to the Big Show. This Rantanen hype is so typical for Finns. We talk the same way (sure NHL player) about all our prospects and when time goes on the talking stops as we see our prospects busting one after another. The list is long (Pulkkinen, Rajala, Armia, Mi.Lehtonen, Tukonen, T.Hartikainen. Ma.Granlund etc.) But hey, theres always some new kids coming down the pipe. Sure thing NHL players

Didn't Pulkkinen score like 30 goals in the AHL in his rookie year? M.Granlund also scored very well. By your logic someone should tell Nyquist he should be a bust and not score goals in the NHL... Rajala was 4th round pick, Lehtonen 3rd round pick and Hartikainen 6th round pick. So hardly busts because the probability of becoming NHLer was always pretty small. Hartikainen could still be very good 3/4 line player in the NHL.

Only bust on your list is Tukonen.

 

[satchmo]

Let us wait for a couple of goals first, before we start the sure secondliner hypetalk. I say we wait he scores 5 goals and then we come back and continue this discussion. It might take a while........

 

[Jack DiBiase]

Let us wait for a couple of goals first, before we start the sure secondliner hypetalk. I say we wait he scores 5 goals and then we come back and continue this discussion. It might take a while........

Let's wait until you start watching the games. It might take a while........

 

[satchmo]

Il start watching when he scores a goal. It might take a while.

 

[BusQuets]

Let us wait for a couple of goals first, before we start the sure secondliner hypetalk. I say we wait he scores 5 goals and then we come back and continue this discussion. It might take a while........

Maybe you should start watching games and not only look at stats. Maybe that is one of the reasons you have unrealistic expectations from finnish players drafted from 3-6th round. Because they had good stats..

 

[satchmo]

Kidding aside. Trust me I watch games. Ive even watched Rantanen. As of now he is just a good young talent. Talking about a sure thing secondliner is pure nonsense.

 

[Huokaus]

Kidding aside. Trust me I watch games. Ive even watched Rantanen. As of now he is just a good young talent. Talking about a sure thing secondliner is pure nonsense.

Nobody has called him a sure thing second liner.

I don't think he's as good as most top Finns these previous years, but he does have potential. A big playmaking winger is an intriguing combination of assets.

 

[PlusMinusZero]

Kidding aside. Trust me I watch games. Ive even watched Rantanen. As of now he is just a good young talent. Talking about a sure thing secondliner is pure nonsense.

Kidding aside.You dont strike me as a person who knows how to rate players if you put Pulkkinen,Ma.Granlund and Armia into a bust category.Pulkkinen and lil' Granlund both had great AHL seasons last year,and Granlund also looked pretty good when he played with the Flames.And without injury Armia would have been in the opening night roster last year.So I definetly would NOT call them busts.And I have seen more than enough games from Rantanen and he is a first round pick.

 

[satchmo]

Nobody has called him a sure thing second liner.

Finprospect=I dont see high end-scoring numbers from Rantanen in NHL-level, but he should be a solid 2nd liner for any team. His playmaking skills and vision are quite obvious and he will go long way with those+size.

 

[satchmo]

Kidding aside.You dont strike me as a person who knows how to rate players if you put Pulkkinen,Ma.Granlund and Armia into a bust category.Pulkkinen and lil' Granlund both had great AHL seasons last year,and Granlund also looked pretty good when he played with the Flames.And without injury Armia would have been in the opening night roster last year.So I definetly would NOT call them busts.And I have seen more than enough games from Rantanen and he is a first round pick.

I still have some faith in Pulks, Ma.Gran and Armia, but they should be playing in the NHL by now. What are they 21-23years old?

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

I still have some faith in Pulks, Ma.Gran and Armia, but they should be playing in the NHL by now. What are they 21-23years old?

And they all have played in NHL already. If you think a 21-23 year old has to play in the NHL to not be a bust, you should re-evaluate your expectations.

 

[FinProspects]

Finprospect=I dont see high end-scoring numbers from Rantanen in NHL-level, but he should be a solid 2nd liner for any team. His playmaking skills and vision are quite obvious and he will go long way with those+size.

Yep. A solid second liner can be 50p player with good two way game, or 60p all offensive player. I think it is a fairly realistic even though he has not scored a goal this season...

 

[satchmo]

Well this is just my point. Realistic evaluation? How many 50-60 point players do have exactly? It would be huge, if Rantanen would become one!

 

[BusQuets]

Yep. A solid second liner can be 50p player with good two way game, or 60p all offensive player. I think it is a fairly realistic even though he has not scored a goal this season...

60 points is legit 1st line production now a days. Even 50 point player with good two-way game can be a fine 1st line player.

 

[NHL Dude 120]

Curious folks hows his defensive game ??? imagine a line of

Rantanen-Lazar-Zibanejad that could be a good second line

Hopefully he only needs 2-3 years till hes NHL Ready.

 

[Iridium128]

This kid is the real deal in NHL 15!

 

[FinPanda]

Rantanen last 9 games 0+0. In one game he played under 4 minutes. He doesn't get any PP time and I don't understand why. Can someone tell how he has played? Three shutouts in a row now for TPS and they have win all 3-0.

 

[JJTT]

Rantanen last 9 games 0+0. In one game he played under 4 minutes. He doesn't get any PP time and I don't understand why. Can someone tell how he has played? Three shutouts in a row now for TPS and they have win all 3-0.

Saw his games vs Pelicans and Ilves this week. Ehh lots of good things in his game. Protects the puck well, hits, plays good defensive game and makes nice passes. He should drive the net and shoot more, instead of looking for the perfect pass all the time.

Chemistry with Kumeliauskas and Tukonen/Sointu is just not there. Rantanen thinks the game in so different way and his linemates can't keep up with him. Would be nice to see him with players who can actually do something creative with the puck(maybe even shoot it or pass it back to him) and on power play.

He should leave for AHL/CHL after this year. His game is just so much better suited for North America.

 

[satchmo]

Still waiting for that first goal...... I dont know what people see in this guy. Doesnt deserve his own thread.