Anyone who follows the NHL closely has seen how goaltenders make their living in the dollar league. Back in the years Teemu Selänne and in the new time Alexander Ovechkin or even Patrick Laine have stood with their right hand down as sack players on duty, especially during the power play on the left wing, waiting for a pass.
When the serve comes, Ovechkin and Laine tune their exceptional shot at full power. The goalkeeper can often give up hope – nothing can be done.
of Colorado Mikko Rantase there is no corresponding trademark paint. In this article, we break down how Rantanen finishes his goal.
This season, the pace has been, if possible, even harder than previous seasons. The TPS academy has risen to third place in the NHL’s goal exchange. Vomalapatiuri has scored 18 goals while waiting for no less than 34 hits. The pace is amazing, because over the course of the entire season, the current pace promises Rantanen no less than 59 hits. It’s also worth noting that Rantanen hasn’t needed a superior game as a supporting force: 27 goals in a tie is the most in the NHL.
Stanley cup winner Rantase has a good chance to score the highest number of goals for Finns since Selänte’s fairytale rookie season in 1992–93. Selänne scored a rookie goal record of 76 goals, which is still valid at the time.
Rantas is not considered a traditional goalscorer type, like Selänne, Ovechkin or Laine. There is also a reason for this. When analyzing Rantanen’s goal balance this season, the first consideration is related to the number of dirty goals.
Rantanen doesn’t wait for quality service, but is ready to get his hands dirty. Fifteen of Rantanen’s 34 hits have come from close proximity to the goal. The majority of these hits are loose puck or loose puck goals that don’t add up to the rounds’ goal totals.
– Mikko times his entry to that meter really well and even wrestles the defender’s neck on the way, Urheilu’s hockey expert Ismo Lehkonen give a laugh.
Rantanen rolls in front of goals, of course, thanks to his big size, but that alone is not enough. You need a sharp game head and thus the right timings to repeatedly find loose pucks in the mass of players.
– Miko’s strong middle body can be seen in those goals, and of course he uses his big size to his advantage there. He is able to fight and grind himself into scoring positions and at the same time operates on the puck, Lehkonen states.
Sound From Jaromir Jagrfrom the NHL’s all-time power forward.
– Mikko is Jagr’s unborn nephew, former NHL player, JYP coach Ville Nieminen throw.
– It has to be a good shot, but it’s also about how you create a shooting space for yourself. Mikko is really good at that. A lot of people have a good shot, but they don’t get to use it. Top individuals have an exceptional eye for the game down there, that’s how they get places, Nieminen continues.
Rantanen also knows how to score highlight goals, but profiles himself more as a Duna-spirited player, for whom the team’s success is especially important.
– I have really learned to appreciate that winning as a team is more important to him than winning the points exchange. He always recognizes what the team needs, whether it’s his own playing position on the wing or in the middle or whatever, Lehkonen praises.
If Ranta had to be described with one adjective, it would be versatile. Against this background, talking about goals alone does not paint a nearly comprehensive enough picture of the player.
– Mikko’s versatility is the biggest thing, and that’s why you can’t play him away. Sometimes he has been a shooter in Colorado, sometimes a playmaker. Now there have been a lot of injuries, so he has had more shots, Nieminen sees.
You can find it in the shot selection
Rantanen doesn’t have Laine’s jab shot, but the wrist shot is quick and accurate. He also shoots directly from the pass effectively. The player from Turku has scored a lot of hits at the NHL level, especially from the right wing. In close-range one-timers, Rantanen’s personal specialty is his grip on the lower stick, which enables him to lift the puck over the goalie’s mattress.
– We have all seen how he puts his knee on the ground and the shot goes from there. That launch pad is just as good for him as anyone else, Nieminen adds.
In addition to these, over the years, Rantase has also seen a personal knack for knuckle-dusting.
– I asked about it once, and he said it came from indoor bandy. It is not very heavy, rather soft, but he has fooled many goalkeepers with it, says Lehkonen.
“You get emotional if you don’t”
Rantanen hardly loses sleep at night when thinking about the chances of winning the goal exchange, but at the same time, developing the ability to score goals is always a continuous process, the fruits of which have been obtained in this season as well. Rantanen has become – one can even say quietly – the best goal scorer in Finnish ice hockey.
Only Kurri’s and Selänte’s goals per match are higher than Ranta’s in the all-time statistics. For example, Selänne exceeded Rantanen’s goals per game (0.72) this season only once in his career. This says a lot about Rantanen’s current situation.
– When I’ve watched him on the ice in the summer or even in training during the season, he’s not lapping in circuit training. He scores every time, and it really hurts him if he doesn’t. He retrieves the puck as many times as he can, Lehkonen laughs.
And the journey continues. Rantanen’s next goal will be the 200th hit of this NHL career. Sometimes you might also forget that this is only 26 years old. Colorado’s star forward is just entering the peak of his career.
– We’ve never had a Jagr like this in Finnish hockey, Lehkonen laughs at the end.
Mikko Rantanen’s top ten goals of the season can be seen in the following video.
NHL stock exchange
ON THE RISE
ALEXANDER BARKOV, FLORIDA
Florida’s captain has returned to top level after a somewhat rough fall season. The balance of the previous 33 days is 25 (8+17) power points in 17 matches. Is the fourth most effective player in the entire league in the period. Meanwhile, Florida as a team has turned its season around. That’s a big credit to the captain.
EELI TOLVANEN, SEATTLE
The domestic feel-good story of the season. After breaking free in Seattle alongside Oliver Björkstrand and Yanni Gourde, Tolvanen hasn’t looked back. With his eight hits, he ranks eighth in the goal exchange for the calendar year 2023. Tolvanen’s self-confidence and enjoyment of the game have been high for a long time, and it’s paying off. The foot must stay on the gas.
RASMUS RISTOLAINEN, PHILADELPHIA
During the last year, Ristolainen has gone through the hardest mangle of his career, but now the direction is for the better. Ristolainen plays a quality basic game and it has started to show in the statistics as well. In the previous seven games, the same number of power points (2+5) have been generated and the power statistic has +6. Against the Ristolainen–Nick Seeler pair, a goal expectancy of 1.92 hits per hour has been created. For those who played at least 150 minutes, the reading is the fourth best in the entire series.
IN THE COUNT
VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS
Vegas flew hard and high in the fall, but the team has lost its grip badly in recent weeks. Lost to Edmonton, Dallas, Detroit and beat Washington. After this came three times in the New York area. Two wins from ten previous matches. The casino town has gone to the bottom under the leadership of superstar Jack Eichel: 8 previous matches 0+1 and -8.
WINNIPEG JETS
Winnipeg has also begun to slip. The team lost at home to Philadelphia 0-0 after losses to Buffalo and Nashville. After the latest loss, head coach Rick Bowness spoke about the team’s lack of work ethic in a rather strict tone. After the All-Star break, we’ll quickly see if the Jets can grow from adversity or break it down.
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS
Few are ready to make big bets against a team led by Sidney Crosby, but there are many question marks in the air. Out of the previous four, three ended in defeat, and the home team rang no fewer than fifteen times in three games. Playing Penguin Flock is uncharacteristically soft at times and the machine has been coughing for a long time anyway. The tank of the core group that has seen – and won – everything is running dry, but will it still gather its ranks for spring one more time.
The best Finnish performances of the week in the NHL