Rantanen elevating game with Avalanche

CHICAGO --When it comes to Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen's success this season, left wing Gabriel Landeskog had the answer.
"He's got good linemates," Landeskog said with a grin.

That's true, considering what Rantanen has been able to do with Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon. As much as MacKinnon has gotten a lion's share of the attention for his MVP-caliber season, Rantanen's work stands out as well.
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Rantanen, 21, has 79 points (26 goals, 53 assists), second on the Avalanche to MacKinnon's 91 points (38 goals, 53 assists). He averages 1.10 points per game, also second to MacKinnon (1.40). He leads the Avalanche with 31 power-play points (10 goals, 21 assists) and has 15 points (four goals, 11 assists) during a seven-game point streak, including the game-winning goal and an assist in a 5-1 win at the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday.
He'll get the chance to push his streak to eight games when the Avalanche play the Los Angeles Kings at Pepsi Center on Thursday (9 p.m. ET; ALT, FS-W, NHL.TV).
The top line has been critical for the Avalanche (40-25-8, 88 points), who hold the first wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Western Conference and are two points behind the Minnesota Wild for third in the Central Division.
For Rantanen, what a difference a season makes.

"Obviously the team is playing a lot better so it's easier to play on a winning than losing team. That's the biggest difference, probably," Rantanen said. "As a player I've gotten better mentally too. Physically, I have more poise with the puck. That's a big key to succeeding. Good linemates are helping me a lot. It's good to play there with two veteran guys, so it's a good spot for me and I really enjoy playing with them."
Avalanche coach Jared Bednar said Rantanen has been consistent.
"It's the element of being able to be a shooter and being able to distribute the puck to the other two guys," Bednar said. "He can protect pucks in the offensive zone. He's a big-bodied guy and it's hard to take the puck away from him, and he's been responsible defensively. He's really elevated his game this year and that's why he's so dangerous."
MacKinnon said Rantanen's been more successful this season, "probably for the same reason as myself. My first four seasons I played with different players a lot and it's tough to get good chemistry. We had good chemistry last year. We just couldn't score goals."
Rantanen put up pretty good numbers as a rookie last season, finishing with 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists), but he was sidelined early. He injured his ankle during the Avalanche's Rookie Showcase game against the San Jose Sharks on Sept. 17, 2016, missed training camp and the first five games of the regular season. But while last season continued, Bednar said Rantanen got more and more dangerous.
"He started hanging around the net more, scoring goals. With that comes confidence," Bednar said. "That growth and consistency comes with him moving his feet. When he does that, he's a lot to handle. He's a big guy. He has all the tools and now he's putting together consistency [that] makes him tougher to handle."

Rantanen said he feels more comfortable on and off the ice.
"You're not in a rush when you have the puck," he said. "There's time to make plays, so you just have to read when you have time and when you don't, so try to make the right play always. That's the biggest difference."
The Avalanche's top line has been great, but Rantanen's individual improvement during his second NHL season can't be ignored.
"Ever since he came into camp he wanted to be a big part of our offense and wanted to be a big part of our team," Landeskog said. "He's shown that in taking big strides as far as his strength. His skill and speed have always been there, but for the plays he's making, he's got a lot more patience and poise with the puck. He sees the plays develop before they happen and he's been a big part of our success so far, no doubt."