"My all-around game, I can still be better. The points were there. I think my all-around game, I can improve in that.
"It was a good year. It gives us a lot of confidence for next year."
Rantanen had the best of his three NHL seasons, with 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 81 games, and was second on Colorado to linemate Nathan MacKinnon, who had 97 points (39 goals, 58 assists) in 74 games. Rantanen more than doubled his points from 2016-17, when he had 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) in 75 games.
Not coincidentally, the Avalanche had their best finish in four seasons. They were 43-30-9 and qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2013-14, as the second wild card from the Western Conference. Colorado lost to the Presidents' Trophy-winning Nashville Predators in six games in the first round.
Video: COL@SJS: Rantanen fires home top-shelf PPG
The Avalanche nearly doubled their wins and points from 2016-17, when they were 22-56-4 and finished 30th and last in the NHL.
Rantanen said the Avalanche are confident next season will be even better.
"It was a good year for us," he said. "I think nobody really expected us to be in the playoffs, first of all. We knew we had the potential to be there. Everything just went our way. It was a good year. It gives us a lot of confidence for next year. We still have a really young group. It's good."
Rantanen's play was a boon to MacKinnon, a finalist for the Hart Trophy, awarded to the NHL's most valuable player, as well as the Ted Lindsay Award, for most outstanding player voted by the NHL Players' Association.
"This year was unbelievable," said Avalanche forward Tyson Jost, who's playing for Canada at the World Championship. "This year [Rantanen] exploded. He's an unbelievable guy, too, off the ice. That's what guys will say about Mikko. We're really good friends off the ice. We're always hanging out. He's a fun guy to be around and a pretty darned good player too.