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

[BB88]

They produced the same, Rantanen will play at home and on a stacked team. Anyway find it funny that Leafs and Swedish fans have a need to post about Nylander in a thread about Mikko.

And he exploded after that tournament, has been a completely different player and the development he's been able to make during the last 6 months is amazing.

The team will/should be great fun and Rants should be the leader, will be interesting to see how much credit his 2way game will get there.

 

[Ivan13]

I followed the last WJC and Mikko was the only Finn making things happen and seeing him put TPS on his back was something else.

 

[BigWilly]

They produced the same, Rantanen will play at home and on a stacked team. Anyway find it funny that Leafs and Swedish fans have a need to post about Nylander in a thread about Mikko.

I didn't say anything conclusively, I simply said it was fair to think that Nylander could be MVP. He already has experience toying with that tournament (which Mikko has never done) and in absolute terms he has produced more this year, that's a fact. If Mikko were to maintain his pace, then he will produce the same as Will, but until he does that he hasn't produced as much.

Can we have a discussion without the automatic defensiveness? Mikko is a hell of a player, and right now his closest comparable in terms of production, draft position and age is being brought up, who would've thought?

 

[bob27]

They produced the same, Rantanen will play at home and on a stacked team. Anyway find it funny that Leafs and Swedish fans have a need to post about Nylander in a thread about Mikko.

As an online discussion grows longer on HFBoards Prospects section, the probability of a comparison involving William Nylander approaches 1.

 

[Ivan13]

I didn't say anything conclusively, I simply said it was fair to think that Nylander could be MVP. He already has experience toying with that tournament (which Mikko has never done) and in absolute terms he has produced more this year, that's a fact. If Mikko were to maintain his pace, then he will produce the same as Will, but until he does that he hasn't produced as much.

Can we have a discussion without the automatic defensiveness? Mikko is a hell of a player, and right now his closest comparable in terms of production, draft position and age is being brought up, who would've thought?

Rantanen scored half the goals Finland scored at the last WJC, as in one more than Nylander and was his teams entire offense and as BB88 said he took off after the tournament.

And about defensiveness, I'm not the one jumping from thread to thread hyping up Rantanen.

 

[BigWilly]

Rantanen scored half the goals Finland scored at the last WJC, as in one more than Nylander and was his teams entire offense and as BB88 said he took off after the tournament.

And about defensiveness, I'm not the one jumping from thread to thread hyping up Rantanen.

First of all, that has nothing to do with the term 'defensiveness'. Additionally, that's a completely untrue statement, and frankly a bluff. I do nothing of the sort, and any posters following this conversation are invited to view my post history to confirm that.

Rantanen 4 points in 5 games, Nylander 10 point in 7 games. Hilarious how you tried to spin that to favour Mikko

 

[landy92mack29]

I think Nylander will be the MVP of the tournament.

I do think a leafs prospect will be the MVP but it wont be Nylander.

 

[Ivan13]

First of all, that has nothing to do with the term 'defensiveness'. Additionally, that's a completely untrue statement, and frankly a bluff. I do nothing of the sort, and any posters following this conversation are invited to view my post history to confirm that.

Rantanen 4 points in 5 games, Nylander 10 point in 7 games. Hilarious how you tried to spin that to favour Mikko

I didn't try to spin anything, it's a fact Mikko scored more goals than Nylander, playing on a team vastly inferior to the team Nylander played on.

And quite frankly I'm done with all the Nylander talk, we all get it, he's the savior, Leafs fans have made that pretty clear in countless threads on these boards.

 

[Zaddy]

I do think a leafs prospect will be the MVP but it wont be Nylander.

You mean Matthews?

 

[kelsier]

Not that I bother much with the statistics but still nice to see this guy producing.

What comes down to the obvious "Rantanen vs Nylander" debate, there's not a chance in the world Colorado would trade him for Nylander straight up. He will be the better player by the end of the day, and that's not even a mock on William.

No idea why people want to bring this guy into this topic anyway.

 

[JoemAvs]

Not that I bother much with the statistics but still nice to see this guy producing.

What comes down to the obvious "Rantanen vs Nylander" debate, there's not a chance in the world Colorado would trade him for Nylander straight up. He will be the better player by the end of the day, and that's not even a mock on William.

No idea why people want to bring this guy into this topic anyway.

Who the hell knows who will be the better of the two in 5, 10 or 15 years?
That is not an exact science. The guy looking better now could look 3x worse on the NHL level.. or not..

Both of them are pretty close right now and belong to the cream of the crop of prospects not playing in the NHL right now.

I am pretty sure that Toronto would not trade Nylander for Rantanen either. Everyone is happy with their guy and assuming that there will never be a cup final of Leafs - Avs, they will play each other around 30 times in their whole careers (not counting international play).

Brayden Schenn was the unanimous #1 prospect at one point. How did that work out?

It will be interesting to see how those guys do in the WJC but who the hell cares which one is "better" right now. No way to determine it anyways.


I just hope Mikko can fulfill his potential and turn into that two-way top line winger that we really could use down the road. Up until now he looks good but he still has a mountain to climb.


Oh. He had no points last night.
Bust.


EDIT:
Sorry Kelsier. Did not want to pick on you. But I just felt sick reading those pointless Nylander vs. Rantanen posts.
Why the hell do I have to read about those in a thread that is about Rantanen, his play and his development?
If I wanted to read/talk about that, I would go to the poll section and start/read the Nylander vs. Rantanen thread.

 

[kelsier]

EDIT:
Sorry Kelsier. Did not want to pick on you. But I just felt sick reading those pointless Nylander vs. Rantanen posts.
Why the hell do I have to read about those in a thread that is about Rantanen, his play and his development?
If I wanted to read/talk about that, I would go to the poll section and start/read the Nylander vs. Rantanen thread.

That's fine, I don't take such things too seriously. Still, somewhat annoying for the Swedes or the Leafs fans come dropping by with Nylander (for reasons no one can tell). I'd just categorize it as some kind of Fin - Swe jealousy and also as a sign of insecurity that another guy from a country next door can, and propably will be more valuable than their our own "crown jewl".

 

[The Winter Soldier]

I certainly think Rantanen can be the tournament MVP if Finland makes it to the gold medal game. He already has had 4 goals in 5 games as a draft eligible player. With a year's more experience he should be even better.

Being that Finland is the host nation. This might be the year.

Last year both of the Gold medal finalists swept all the awards.

Bottom line, Rantanen is a very good hockey player. He deserves be one of the headliners this year.

 

[tigervixxxen]

We have badly needed wingers, I almost want to cry when I see Pulkkinen suggestions on the 1st line of WC team

So would Rantanen be in the conversation to make the WC team this year?

 

[wings5]

So would Rantanen be in the conversation to make the WC team this year?

We'll considering he's played in the NHL this seaspn, and and Finland are lacking NHL quality wingers, then obviously if he's available Finland have no reason not to call on him. Though I have to say , considering what's happening with Ristolainen, if Rantanen and at least one of Laine/Puljujarvi start producing at the NHL level I think we should start believing a bit more the crazy hype of some of these Finnish posters.

 

[BB88]

So would Rantanen be in the conversation to make the WC team this year?

I badly hope he is, would probably be one of the best wingers there, but I have my fears.

 

[Joe MacMillan]

I think Nylander will be the MVP of the tournament.

As usual they are gonna hand out the MVP to a player on the team winning the whole thing, so Rantanen is the likely candidate.

 

[93LEAFS]

As usual they are gonna hand out the MVP to a player on the team winning the whole thing, so Rantanen is the likely candidate.

He's the most likely Finn to get it unless one of their goalies gets insanely hot (applies to all teams). Nylander is the favorite if Sweden win, Matthews is the favorite for the USA and guys like Marner, Strome or Point are probably the favorite if Canada wins. Can't wait for this to start up.

 

[Wallet Inspector]

Dumb question incoming: How come Rantanen is allowed to play in the AHL now instead of being sent back to Europe?

 

[wings5]

Dumb question incoming: How come Rantanen is allowed to play in the AHL now instead of being sent back to Europe?

If you are drafted anywhere outside the CHL you are able to play right away in the AHL.

 

[The Winter Soldier]

It will be interesting how Rantanen fares at the Worlds this year. Interesting comments from Stubb last year when he was still a draft eligible player.

He may be the name player of this tournament like Domi was last year for Canada. Domi was a year older and this is still a 19 year tournament. So what Rantanen did last year and perhaps this year could be very excting for Avs fans.

In the eyes of some scouts, the 18-year-old left-shot right wing was Finland's best player. He had four of Finland's eight goals at the WJC, and proved to be fast, energetic and reliable player at each end of the ice for Finland.

"I thought Mikko was the best player on the Finnish team," NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb told NHL.com. "His four goals [in the tournament] and effective overall play at World Juniors also proved that he certainly is one of the top prospects in Europe this year."

I like who he would like to emulate as a player.

Rantanen studied with great interest Hockey Hall of Fame member Peter Forsberg. Despite being a rival Swede, Forsberg was a player Rantanen looked to emulate as a youngster.

"He was the one NHL player I enjoyed to watch," Rantanen said. "He was such an all-around player, a very strong skater and very skilled. I really liked him."

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=750779

 

[Cousin Eddie]

He has a ridiculous amount of skill both with and without the puck. Mackinnon/Rantanen might become quite the duo.

 

[Hokinaittii]

Solid goal again last night. He scored the only goal for his team.

 

[Orvelo]

Solid goal again last night. He scored the only goal for his team.

What a goal! that backhand really needs composure!

 

[The Winter Soldier]

Very nice goal. The more highlights I see of Rantanen, the more I like how his skills will translate to the NHL.

A combination of Power and skill.