NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Mikko Rantanen

 

Get to Know Mikko Rantanen

Date of Birth: October 29th, 1996 (18)
Place of Birth: Nousiainen, Finland
Ht: 6’4” Wt: 209 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Right Wing/Center
Team: TPS Turku

Mikko Rantanen is a large playmaking winger from Nousiainen, Finland, who finished the season as Central Scouting Services top ranked European skater. Rantanen is the consensus top European player available in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, and a candidate for a top ten selection. In his draft year Rantanen played for the Finnish national team at World Junior Championships and played a major role on his TPS team in the Finnish Elite League, even serving as an alternate captain for part of the season.

 

Statistics

What Scouts See

Future Considerations:

The big Finn has elite skills and has the size and strength to be an absolute force. He was creating all kinds of chances late in the game but couldn’t seem to bury it. He is a hardworking forward who uses his body to shield the puck away from defenders and will be effective playing that style at the NHL level.

Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects

An exceptionally talented playmaker and always a consistent threat on the ice; Rantanen is a combination of elite-level hockey sense, silky smooth hands, and nimble skating. Needs to improve his shot and physical play, as he doesn’t take advantage of his size in many situations. All-in-all, an intelligent, big-bodied forward that oozes skill.

Goran Stubb, NHL Director of European Scouting

He’s a big, strong, mature, mobile two-way power forward who protects the puck very well, has a great reach and is very strong in battles along the boards and in the corners,” [. . .]”He’s very close to being the complete package.

What BSN Avalanche sees

Rantanen is extremely committed to his game in all three zones of the ice and has a great sense for the mechanics of the game. In particular, Rantanen is a relentless forechecker, and while he doesn’t often lay big open ice checks in the offensive zone, he does use his size well to pressure defensemen while his long reach cuts off passing lanes.

Rantanen’s wrist shot is heavy and accurate, even if he doesn’t release as quickly as the other forwards available at the top of the draft. His real offensive strength, however, comes from his stick handling. Rantanen holds onto the puck extremely well and uses his long stick and big shoulders to protect the puck from checkers. He has a great nose for the net, and when he posts up in the crease he’s extremely difficult to move.

Although Rantanen certainly has the build to become an NHL power forward, he’ll need to learn how to use his frame more effectively in the corners if he wants to physically overpower experienced NHL players. For a player whose size is such a big part of his appeal, it’s a little disconcerting that Rantanen doesn’t engage physically more often.

He’ll need to learn to play up to his size if he’s going to be a success in the NHL, but his hands and instincts are certainly intriguing. Rantanen is an awkward skater and he’ll have to refine his stride to be successful in the much faster NHL on smaller ice.

NHL Potential

Rantanen’s size, exceptional hands, and offensive instincts give him a ceiling in an NHL team’s top six forwards, but he’ll need to improve his physical and defensive game in order to reach that goal or play in a checking role in the NHL. Rantanen projects more as a big creative playmaker like kinsman Aleksander Barkov than he does as a goal scorer.

Expected Draft Position

Mikko Rantanen should be drafted in the top half of the first round.  With his rare combination of size and skill, it’s likely that the Finnish winger will be drafted inside the Top 10.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

Mikko Rantanen would fill a major void in an Avalanche organization thin on offensive prospects. The Joe Sakic and Patrick Roy regime publicly places a lot of value on size, and the 6’4” Rantanen certainly fits the bill. If Rantanen develops well, the Avalanche will hope that he can provide depth on the wing and eventually replace the aging Alex Tanguay or Jarome Iginla.

Rantanen is just one of many power wingers available at the top of the draft. For a look at the others, check out these prospect profiles:
Lawson Crouse
Pavel Zacha
Timo Meier
Evgeny Svechnikov