Mikko Rantanen

Mikko Rantanen
Rantanen at the 2016 AHL All-Star Game
Born	(1996-10-29) 29 October 1996 (age 28) Nousiainen, Finland
Height	6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight	215 lb (98 kg; 15 st 5 lb)
Position	Forward
Shoots	Left
NHL team Former teams	Carolina Hurricanes TPS Colorado Avalanche
National team	Finland
NHL draft	10th overall, 2015 Colorado Avalanche
Playing career	2012–present

Mikko Rantanen (born 29 October 1996) is a Finnish professional ice hockey forward for the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected in the first round, 10th overall, by the Colorado Avalanche in the 2015 NHL entry draft and made his NHL debut that year. Rantanen won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2022.

Playing career

Early career

Rantanen made his professional Finnish SM-liiga debut as a 16-year-old playing with HC TPS during the 2012–13 season. ^[1] Rantanen had played with TPS from a youth of 14-years old at the under-16 level. In 15 games he recorded three points (two goals and one assist).

Rantanen in 2016

Entering the 2014–15 season as the only 17-year-old to play in his third year with TPS, Rantanen signed a two-year extension to remain with the Liiga outfit on 9 October 2014. ^[2] Through using his big frame and physical play, Rantanen recorded a career-high 9 goals and 28 points in 56 games, also serving as an alternate captain. He also featured for TPS junior club in the post-season recording 14 points in 7 contests to help capture the championship and was given Best Player honours for his efforts.

In his National Hockey League (NHL) draft-eligible year, Rantanen was rated as the top European skater at season's end. ^[3] He was taken tenth overall by the Colorado Avalanche at the 2015 NHL entry draft on 26 June 2015. ^[4]

Colorado Avalanche

On 13 July 2015, Rantanen signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Avalanche. ^[5] After attending his first Avalanche training camp, and impressing in the preseason, Rantanen was announced to have made the opening night roster for the 2015–16 season as an 18-year-old on 6 October 2015. ^{[6] [7]} On 8 October 2015, he made his NHL debut to open the season with the Avalanche in a 5–4 defeat to the Minnesota Wild. ^[8] He was used in a depth role and played limited minutes over six scoreless games with Colorado before being sent to the team's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, on 22 October 2015. ^[9]

In his AHL debut, Rantanen contributed with his first goal and assist in North America during a 5–1 victory over the Stockton Heat on 24 October 2015. ^[10] He continued his scoring pace with the Rampage, leading the club in all offensive categories before he was selected to the AHL All-Star Game as the second-youngest participant in the event's modern history. ^[11] After receiving a three game recall to the Avalanche, Rantanen was returned to complete the season with San Antonio, becoming just the seventh teenager to reach the 60-point mark, doing so in just 52 games. ^[12] In finishing sixth in overall scoring, he earned a selection to the Second All-Star Team and shared the Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award alongside Frank Vatrano as the AHL's rookie of the year. ^[13]

Rantanen battles for position against Justin Schultz during the 2023 Stanley Cup playoffs.

On 11 November 2016, Rantanen scored his first NHL goal 1:03 into the second period in a game against the Winnipeg Jets. The Avalanche would go on to win 3–2 in overtime. ^[14] He recorded his first NHL hat trick on 8 February 2017 in a 4–0 win over the Montreal Canadiens. ^[15]

Rantanen had a breakout year during the 2017–18 season, scoring 29 goals and 55 assists for 84 points in 81 games; only linemate Nathan MacKinnon had more points for Colorado. The team qualified for the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs as the second wild card team in the Western Conference. Rantanen had four assists as the team was eliminated by the Nashville Predators in six games. ^[16]

The 2018–19 season saw Rantanen continue to play at an impressive pace, highlighted by his play during the first few months of the season. By December 2018, Rantanen had earned 50 points and was on pace to score the most points by any player since the 2004–05 lockout. ^[17] Although his scoring would drop off, Rantanen finished the season with 87 points in 74 games played; a career-high. He also led the team in scoring during the team's two-round playoff run.

On 28 September 2019, Rantanen signed a six-year, $55.5 million contract extension with the Avalanche. ^[18]

On 26 June 2022, the Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup by defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in six games, giving Rantanen his first Stanley Cup championship. ^[19]

In the 2022–23 season, after Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne, Mikko Rantanen became the third Finn of all time to break the 50-goal mark in the NHL regular season and the third player in Colorado Avalanche club history after Joe Sakic and Milan Hejduk.

Entering the 2024–25 season and in the final year of his contract before he was set to become an unrestricted free agent, Rantanen and the Avalanche hit an impasse when it came to contract extensions; Rantanen was reportedly seeking an annual salary in the range of $14 million, while the Avalanche were unwilling to offer more than $12.6 million a year (the salary of forward Nathan MacKinnon). ^[20] The two remained far apart but Rantanen continued to excel on the team, routinely remaining a top 10 scorer in the league as the season progressed.

Carolina Hurricanes

On 24 January 2025, Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes for Jack Drury, Martin Nečas, a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick in a three-team deal with the Chicago Blackhawks that also saw Taylor Hall being traded to Carolina. Chicago also received a 2025 third-round pick alongside retaining 50% of Rantanen's contract value against their salary cap. ^[21] The trade was called a blockbuster by sports analysts, with many commenting that the deal was a shock and the largest in-season trade since Joe Thornton was traded in November 2005. ^{[20] [22]} The Avalanche and Rantanen's stalemate regarding contract extension was cited as the main driver behind the trade, with commentators noting that the team was seeking to receive assets for a player they were unlikely to re-sign rather than lose Rantanen to another team in free agency without compensation. ^{[20] [22]} At the time of the trade, Rantanen led Colorado with 25 goals and was sixth in league-wide scoring with 64 points. ^[23]

International play

Medal record
Representing   Finland
Men's ice hockey
World Championships
	2016 Russia
World Junior Championships
	2016 Finland

Rantanen was introduced and developed as a youth in the Finnish national junior under-16 program. He was first selected at an international tournament at the 2013 World U-17 Hockey Challenge, scoring seven points in five contests. He went on to lead the team at the under-18 level with seven points in four games at the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament before competing in his first full IIHF competition at the 2014 IIHF World U18 Championships.

Rantanen continued his progression within the Finnish junior team in earning selection to the 2015 World Junior Championships in Toronto. ^[24] Despite a disappointing seventh-place finish, Rantanen contributed with four goals in five games to earn a top-three player on team selection. ^[25]

During his first North American professional season and while eligible for his final junior tournament, Rantanen was loaned by the Colorado Avalanche to Captain the Finnish junior team as they hosted the 2016 World Junior Championships. ^{[26] [27]} While adding a stabilising veteran presence, Rantanen played a supporting role throughout the round-robin stage before stepping up his production in the Semi-final against Sweden and scoring in the Final against Russia to help Finland claim the gold medal and cap his junior career. ^{[28] [29]}

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2011–12	TPS	FIN U18		22	5	8	13	6		7	1	1	2	2
2012–13	TPS	FIN U18		5	2	6	8	0		1	1	0	1	0
2012–13	TPS	FIN U20		35	10	14	24	14		9	2	4	6	4
2012–13	TPS	SM-l		15	2	1	3	4		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	TPS	FIN U18		2	0	2	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	TPS	FIN U20		17	5	13	18	8		3	2	1	3	0
2013–14	TPS	Liiga		37	5	4	9	10		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	TPS	Liiga		56	9	19	28	22		—	—	—	—	—
2014–15	TPS	FIN U20		—	—	—	—	—		7	6	8	14	2
2015–16	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		9	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
2015–16	San Antonio Rampage	AHL		52	24	36	60	42		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	San Antonio Rampage	AHL		4	0	2	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
2016–17	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		75	20	18	38	22		—	—	—	—	—
2017–18	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		81	29	55	84	34		6	0	4	4	0
2018–19	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		74	31	56	87	54		12	6	8	14	4
2019–20	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		42	19	22	41	14		15	7	14	21	6
2020–21	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		52	30	36	66	34		10	5	8	13	4
2021–22	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		75	36	56	92	56		20	5	20	25	4
2022–23	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		82	55	50	105	82		7	7	3	10	2
2023–24	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		80	42	62	104	50		11	4	10	14	8
2024–25	Colorado Avalanche	NHL		49	25	39	64	28		—	—	—	—	—
Liiga totals				108	16	24	40	36		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				619	287	394	681	376		81	34	67	101	28

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2013	Finland	U17		5	2	5	7	22
2013	Finland	IH18		4	3	4	7	0
2014	Finland	WJC18		5	3	2	5	0
2015	Finland	WJC		5	4	0	4	2
2016	Finland	WJC		7	2	3	5	2
2016	Finland	WC		5	0	1	1	2
2017	Finland	WC		10	4	6	10	0
2018	Finland	WC		8	5	6	11	6
2023	Finland	WC		8	0	9	9	4
Junior totals				26	14	14	28	26
Senior totals				31	9	22	31	12

Awards and honours

Award	Year
Jr. A
Champion	2015
Ville Peltonen Award	2015
AHL
AHL All-Star Game	2016
AHL All-Rookie Team	2016
Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award	2016	[13]
AHL Second All-Star Team	2016	[12]
NHL
NHL All-Star Game	2019, 2023
NHL Second All-Star Team	2021
Stanley Cup champion	2022	[19]

References

1. "2012–13 HC TPS player statistics". Eliteprospects.com. 1 April 2013. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
2. "Ranatanen signs two-year extension" (in Finnish). HC TPS. 9 October 2014. Archived from the original on 21 March 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2014.
3. "NHL Central's final rankings". National Hockey League. 8 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 May 2015. Retrieved 8 April 2015.
4. "Avalanche selects Mikko Rantanen in first round". Colorado Avalanche. 26 June 2015. Archived from the original on 28 June 2015. Retrieved 26 June 2015.
5. "Avalanche Signs Mikko Rantanen". Colorado Avalanche . 13 July 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 13 July 2015.
6. "Colorado Avalanche opening night roster" (PDF). Colorado Avalanche. 6 October 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 7 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
7. "Mikko Rantanen, 18, makes Avalanche opening night roster". Denver Post . 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 9 October 2015. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
8. "Parise, Wild rally to stun Avalanche". National Hockey League. 8 October 2015. Archived from the original on 19 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
9. "Avalanche swap Mikko Rantanen for Dennis Everberg". runningwiththeherd.com. 22 October 2015. Archived from the original on 23 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
10. "Rampage dominate the Heat". American Hockey League. 24 October 2015. Archived from the original on 29 June 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
11. Marrazza, Dan (2 February 2016). "Mikko Rantanen A Historic AHL All-Star". NHL.com. Archived from the original on 6 April 2018. Retrieved 5 April 2018.
12. "First, Second Team All-Stars announced". American Hockey League. 7 April 2016. Archived from the original on 11 June 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016.
13. "Rantanen, Vatrano share Garrett Award". American Hockey League. 14 April 2016. Archived from the original on 12 July 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
14. Knabenbauer, Ron (12 November 2016). "Rantanen Scores Gorgeous First NHL Goal". NHL.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2017.
15. Sadowski, Rick (8 February 2017). "Mikko Rantanen hat trick boosts Avalanche". NHL.com. Archived from the original on 30 September 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
16. Myers, Tracey. "Predators put it all together to eliminate Avalanche in Game 6". NHL.com. Archived from the original on 23 April 2018. Retrieved 23 April 2018.
17. Clinton, Jared (12 December 2018). "Forget Matthews and Marner, what will it cost the Avalanche to sign RFA-to-be Rantanen>". thehockeynews.com. Archived from the original on 24 May 2019. Retrieved 23 May 2019.
18. "Avalanche Signs Mikko Rantanen to Six-Year Deal". NHL.com. 28 September 2019. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
19. "Colorado Avalanche win first Stanley Cup since 2001 with Game 6 comeback". ESPN. 26 June 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
20. Friedman, Elliotte (25 January 2025). "Why the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster trade happened now". Sportsnet . Rogers Communications. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
21. "Rantanen, Hall traded to Hurricanes in 3-way deal with Avalanche, Blackhawks". NHL.com. 25 January 2025. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
22. LeBrun, Pierre (25 January 2025). "LeBrun: Unpacking the Mikko Rantanen trade — a rare NHL in-season blockbuster" . The Athletic . The New York Times. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
23. Andrews, Aspen (24 January 2025). "Avalanche trades Mikko Rantanen to Carolina Hurricanes". KKTV. Retrieved 26 January 2025.
24. "Finland's Rantanen puts on a show at World Juniors". National Hockey League. 29 January 2015. Archived from the original on 8 August 2015. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
25. "Best player of each team selected" (PDF). IIHF . 7 February 2015. Archived (PDF) from the original on 4 December 2022. Retrieved 7 February 2015.
26. "Avalanche will loan Rantanen to Finland's World Junior Team". The Score. 14 December 2015. Retrieved 14 December 2015.
27. "Rantanen raring to go". International Ice Hockey Federation. 5 January 2016. Archived from the original on 7 January 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
28. "Kapanen, Rantanen help Finns to Gold". American Hockey League. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 9 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.
29. "Prospects take home medals from WJC's". Colorado Avalanche. 6 January 2016. Archived from the original on 10 January 2016. Retrieved 6 January 2016.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com , or  Eliteprospects.com , or  Eurohockey.com , or  Hockey-Reference.com , or  The Internet Hockey Database

Awards and achievements
Preceded by Conner Bleackley	Colorado Avalanche first round draft pick 2015	Succeeded by Tyson Jost
Preceded by Matt Murray	AHL Rookie of the Year 2015–16 With: Frank Vatrano	Succeeded by Danny O'Regan