4 Dream Mikko Rantanen Trade Landing Spots If Avalanche Continues to Struggle
The Colorado Avalanche got off to a shockingly slow start by losing each of their first four games thanks to a brutal combination of injuries and bad goaltending. They have started to turn things around with wins in their past three games and should eventually get back on track when they start getting players back in the lineup. They should hopefully start getting some better goaltending, too.
But what happens if they do not turn it around?
What if Alexandar Georgiev continues to struggle, and what if they find themselves in a down year?
It could get interesting, as they have one of the top potential free agents on their roster in star forward Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen is one of the best offensive players in the NHL and still very much in the prime of his career, and he should be in line for a huge payday whether it be in Colorado or somewhere else starting next season. He already makes over $9 million this season and should easily top that on his next deal.
Given the Avalanche's future salary-cap situation (which is extremely tight) and Rantanen's potential demands, a "what if" scenario exists if the Avalanche does not turn things around by the trade deadline. So, let's play that what-if game and try to think of some potential dream landing spots for Rantanen should that situation unfold.
Now, calm down Avalanche fans. The key word here is "dream." The most likely outcome here is the Avalanche turn things around, roll into the playoffs and keep playing like a Stanley Cup contender with Rantanen having a key role. It is also very likely that Rantanen re-signs in Colorado before he ever has a chance to go elsewhere. So let's have some fun and try to dream a little.
Boston Bruins
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The Bruins are still in a contending phase, and if they are going to get back to a Stanley Cup level, they could use another impact player like Rantanen.
For one, their offense has been one of the worst in the NHL so far this season in terms of generating shots and chances.
Entering play on Tuesday night, they were 28th in shots on goal per 60 minutes, 30th in total shot attempts per 60 minutes, 27th in expected goals per 60 minutes, and 14th in goals per 60 minutes. That is not good enough, and outside of David Pastrnak and Brad Marchand, they are short on impact players.
Rantanen's flexibility to play center could also help them fill the one need that has plagued them the past couple of years—the lack of an impact scorer at the position.
The Bruins tend to prefer defensive-minded, two-way players and do not always go after high-scoring offense-first players, but their approach has not gotten them a championship in nearly 15 years. They need a scorer. Rantanen is the best that could be reasonably available, if not during the season then potentially after the season.
Utah Hockey Club
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It is hard to imagine Colorado allowing Rantanen to end up in its division, but again, we are just dreaming here, and this would be a fun spot.
Utah is rapidly building something exciting and has a real ownership situation that might allow the franchise to try and compete.
They already made two big moves this offseason to strengthen the defense with Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino, and they have two rising star forwards in Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther to go alongside established players like Clayton Keller.
Now they just need something to bring it all together.
Adding a bona fide top-line talent and superstar would help energize a new fanbase and potentially help them leap to contender status.
Long shot? Sure. But it would be a heck of a lot of fun.
Philadelphia Flyers
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Hear me out.
Are the Flyers a Stanley Cup contender this season? Heck no.
Are they a playoff team? Most likely not.
But we need to normalize teams in a rebuilding mode not being afraid to add impact talent even if it will not result in an immediate championship that season. With Matvei Michkov arriving and making his debut in Philadelphia this season, it is time for that team to take a big step forward and start trying to win sooner rather than later.
The Flyers have a solid defensive structure under head coach John Tortorella, and they play hard. The one thing they are lacking is impact offensive talent.
Michkov is a start.
They need somebody more established that is already proven and a go-to-player.
Rantanen would be that type of player.
Carolina Hurricanes
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The Hurricanes have been one of the NHL's best teams for the past seven years.
They consistently finish near the top of the Eastern Conference standings, consistently win a couple of rounds in the playoffs and make it to at least the second round, but there is always just one thing missing for them when it comes to breaking through and becoming a Stanley Cup team.
They play with structure. They defend as well as anybody in the league. They get good enough goaltending. They do pretty much everything well.
While they do have a roster full of outstanding players, and even a couple of stars, they still do not have a true superstar player at the top of the lineup.
Sebastian Aho is great. But he is not a player who is going to contend for scoring titles and be the type of high-end producer that Stanley Cup teams typically have and need.
Andrei Svechnikov is outstanding and loaded with talent. But he has not really taken the big leap forward toward superstardom. Can he do it? If so, when will he do it?
Adding a player like Rantanen could be the missing puzzle piece and help put them over the top.
They stepped out of their comfort zone at the trade deadline a year ago and went all in for Jake Guentzel. It was a great move that certainly helped improve their chances. The end result, however, was still the same. They simply did not go far enough. Rantanen would be an even bigger swing—the type they might need to eventually take.
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