Mikko Rantanen continues solidifying role as offensive catalyst

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Colorado Avalanche rookie Mikko Rantanen seems like he’s been around the team forever. From the moment he was drafted 10th overall by the club in 2015, Rantanen’s name has been all over the organization. From his excellent rookie season in San Antonio of the AHL last season to making the full-time leap to the NHL this year, Rantanen feels like old hat when you see him in the locker room. His attitude is certainly that of a player much older than his 20-years old.

Rantanen showed maturity through his frustration following the team’s third consecutive loss, this time a 5-3 defeat at the hands of the Nashville Predators. Rantanen tallied a goal and an assist and earned the third star of the game after such an impressive showing. Afterwards, Rantanen’s personal accolades weren’t on his mind as he struggled to explain another poor team showing in the third period.

“I don’t know,” Rantanen said. “We’ve done it the last three games. We play okay the first two periods, good hockey. Then we come to the third and we give two goals in the first five minutes. It can’t be like that if we want to win games. We have to be a lot better.”

It was the second time in the last three games the Avalanche gave up a goal in the first minute of the third period. Last week against the Edmonton Oilers, the Avalanche had a 3-2 lead entering the third period and gave up the game-tying goal just over 30 seconds into the period en route to a 6-3 loss. Tonight, they gave up a goal to Ryan Johansen that made it 4-2 and just minutes later allowed the Predators to push the lead to 5-2 before things even got going for Colorado.

“I don’t know why,” Rantanen said while clearly searching for answers. “I think the locker room before the period, every guy is ready to go. I don’t know how it’s the first three minutes and we give up two goals. Like I said, it can’t be like that.”

Since an early dry spell, Rantanen has been a legitimate force for the Avalanche and his two points tonight only serve to continue building on his legitimacy as a top-six forward in the NHL. Ever modest, Rantanen was quick to dismiss the idea his skill was making a difference because the team was failing to find ways to win.

“The puck is bouncing a little bit, too,” Rantanen told BSN Denver. “I got a pretty easy goal today. Of course, it was good to get a goal but it was not enough. We need wins. Winning is the most important thing and we’re not doing it right now so I can’t be happy.”

Even though the wins aren’t coming, the combination of Rantanen with Rene Bourque and Nathan MacKinnon has been a veritable force since being put together. MacKinnon is currently the team’s leading scorer, Bourque the leading goal scorer, and Rantanen is now tied for third on the team with 10 points in just 16 games. Despite that success, he sees the line as having more to give and needing to win their nightly matchup.

“We move the puck a lot together and MacK is, of course, making plays, too, and Bourque is a smart player, too,” Rantanen said of his linemates. “We have to be a little more responsible in the d-zone and we have to try to win our game against their top line. Tonight, we tied so we have to win the matchup if we want to win games.”

The line is going to need to continue pacing an Avalanche offense struggling to pull itself out of the NHL’s basement. Nights like tonight will need to be a regular occurrence with them combining to register 13 shots on goal and accounting for two of the team’s three goals.

While this year’s insanely loaded rookie class may keep Mikko Rantanen out of the running, the feisty Finn seems determined to force his way into the conversation. If he continues playing the way he has recently, he’s likely to take the Avalanche with him on a road to success.