Mikko Rantanen has risen to his own level in Finnish ice hockey. Talks about undervaluation appear in an amusing light, writes Urheilu’s NHL editor Tommi Seppälä.
Tommi SeppäläYle’s NHL reporter
Mikko Rantanen operates with a factory warranty. With a factory guarantee, the kind of which no one else in Finnish hockey can give right now. The game runs and a result is produced. The latest example of this came early Wednesday morning in Long Island, New York. Rantanen did not agree to stay in the back row this time either.
The powers were finally recorded as 1+3. If the teammates hadn’t shot the puck past the empty goals, it would have been a night of 6-7 power points.
This has been the case with Rantanen for a long time.
During the previous four seasons, Rantanen has practically not experienced any dry seasons. There is one scoreless streak of four games in the four seasons, but otherwise it has been a matter of a few two-game exceptions to the rule. Rantanen hits the board at a furious pace.
This can be seen when the points balances of recent years are added together. In the previous four seasons, only Edmonton’s megastars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have made Mikko Ranta more power points in the NHL. A big pile of NHL superstars will be left behind.
In fact, Rantanen has cemented himself in the NHL’s hardest core to such an extent that one-plus-ones or two-plus-twos don’t raise the eyebrows of the domestic NHL people any more. The last time we got used to the glory of a Finnish NHL player in the buck bowl in this way Teemu Selänten under.
Only Selänne and Jari Kurri have been able to dominate like Rantanen in Finnish hockey.
The ease of the sport is attractive
The most amazing thing about Rantanen is the unbearable lightness of playing hockey and getting results at the NHL level. Rantanen is a colossal power forward whose skating is powerful but smooth at the same time. Rantanen’s playing, with all his struggles, is strong, but at the same time it often seems gesturingly easy.
This is made possible by good skating, a high skill level and an excellent ability to read the game. Rantanen is often in the right places at the right time, has time to go everywhere and is able to finish situations with his soft hands and good shot. The whole is crowned by a merciless desire to win even small situations within the match.
The start to the new season has been wild. Six games and twelve points speak for themselves. If we extend the pipe to last season, Rantanen has scored 29 (12+17) power points in the 17 previous regular season games.
And now we remember that Rantanen scored 105 (55+50) power points last season. In a season that was difficult for Colorado after a long championship summer. That was especially true for Rantanen, who in the midst of injuries often had to drag an entire sledge of stones behind him.
Now there is a longer summer, during which Rantanen and the rest of the team have been able to recover and train well. It can be seen from both Rantase and the collective.
Only heaven knows what kind of points balances Rantanen will reach when he stays healthy. Kurri recorded no fewer than 131 points in the 1985–96 season, Selänne one point more in his magical rookie season in 1992–1993.
Maybe Rantanen won’t pass the wedge, but in the best case he might reach these corners. It says a lot about what kind of superstar Mikko Rantanen is being talked about right now.
Underrated? Fun talk
Of course, in North America we have heard slightly more special views in this regard.
The well-known Spittin’ Chiclets podcast loudly declared last week how Rantanen is the most underrated player in the NHL. With a player like Rantanen, such withdrawals only appear in an amusing light.
Rantanen was sixth in the NHL points market three years ago, 14th two years ago and eighth last season. In the goal exchange, Rantanen finished third last season.
Talks about undervaluation are trashed. Or the talk that Rantanen doesn’t get respect because he plays in the same team Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
Jari Kurri was a superstar in his time, even though there were Wayne Gtetzky, Mark Messier and Paul Coffey. Kurri was a big part of the machinery that made a historically hard mark and everyone around the league knew it.
The same is the case with Rantanen. Rantanen is a full-blooded superstar who is highly respected by his teammates and other athletes. And not a swamp.