Mikko Rantanen: 2017-18 Season in Review

In only his second full NHL season, Mikko Rantanen made the move from an exciting rookie to a key contributor and made a little Finnish history with the Colorado Avalanche.
After a solid first campaign for Colorado in which he tallied 38 points and led the team with 20 goals in 2016-17, Rantanen took his play to a new level. The right wing scored 29 goals and added 55 assists for 84 points, which was good enough for the second-most points on the Avalanche and put him in the NHL's top-20 scorers. He also had three four-point games, tied for the most in the league.

The 2015 NHL Draft's 10th overall pick became the fourth Avs player to score 20 goals in each of their first two full seasons, and he attributed much of this success to his linemates, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon.
"My linemates are helping me a lot. Two great players to play with," Rantanen said following the Feb. 26 game against the Vancouver Canucks. "We have good chemistry there, and power play has been clicking lately. That's the big thing if you want to make the playoffs, but biggest thing is good linemates, and I am excited to play with them."

The three forwards served as the Avs' first line for most of 2018-19, and their success helped the team to a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since the 2013-14 campaign. In the Avs' six playoff games, Rantanen finished tied for third in scoring with four points (all assists) while averaging 19:37 of ice time.
As impressive as his improvements this past season were, the milestones that the 21-year-old is reaching with the Avalanche and as a Finnish-born hockey player were equally remarkable.

Since the team moved to Colorado in 1995-96, Rantanen had the most assists of any right wing to wear an Avalanche uniform and the second-most points at his position in a single season behind only Milan Hejduk (98, 2002-03). He was also the first player with a seven-game assist streak since John-Michael Liles had one that stretched nine outings in 2010.
Rantanen is also just the fourth Finnish-born player to register 80 points in a single NHL season, joining all-time great Olli Jokinen, Jari Kurri and Teemu Selanne. No Finnish player had reached 80 points since the 2006-07 season when both Jokinen and Selanne reached the mark, and Rantanan was the first Finn to surpass 55 assists since the 1998-99 season.
"There have been a lot of Finnish NHL players," Rantanen said about joining the elite list of his fellow countrymen after hitting the 80-point mark. "To be a part of that group and those legends, it's a big honor. Hopefully I have many more years to go."
Now, Rantanen sets his sights on his future with the Avalanche and more winning seasons. He seems to be on track for another impressive campaign and will only be 21 years old at the start of next season. He is also carrying a hot streak from his time at the 2018 IIHF World Championship following Colorado's playoff run, where he had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in eight games for Team Finland.

The forward also understands that although this season was a success, there are greater goals in store for the young Avs.
"I don't really care about the spotlight or anything. It's a team game, and if we make the playoff I'm happy," said Rantanen. "I think next year our ultimate goal is to get in the playoffs again and it's going to be easier for everybody because there was a lot of guys, including myself too, who played first [playoff] games."