DETROIT — With a concussion limiting longtime Avalanche defenseman Erik Johnson to only four games in 2020-21, Mikko Rantanen filled in as an alternate captain, wearing an “A” on his sweater while putting together an All-Star season. Coach Jared Bednar saw enough to give him a full-time letter in 2021-22, even with Johnson back in the lineup. He cited his leadership and emphasized that the Avalanche lean on Rantanen every night.
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“It’s an honor,” Rantanen says. “I don’t think about it too much, but I’ll do my best to carry it with pride. It’s a legendary organization, the history they have. I’m really proud of it.”
His play has backed up Bednar’s decision. Sometimes overlooked because of the Avalanche’s other star players, Rantanen has 61 points and a team-leading 26 goals on the season, and he had two assists Wednesday against the Red Wings. You can make a case he’s been the team’s MVP so far this season: He’s tied with Nathan MacKinnon and Nazem Kadri for the club lead in primary assists (26) and trails only Kadri in points. He’s also filled in as top-line center when MacKinnon has been hurt.
Advanced metrics love Rantanen, too. According to The Athletic’s Dom Luszczyszyn, he’s first on the team and fourth in the NHL in Game Score Value Added.
“He’s really come into his own,” Bednar says. “If he’s not feeling great or it’s not his night or he’s fighting it a little bit, he just finds a way to make a play a game, or two, to get on the scoresheet, and he’s really consistent at it. To produce even when you’re not at your best, it’s hard to do. It takes a special talent.”
The 25-year-old is also well-liked among his fellow Finnish players. Just ask Columbus forward Patrik Laine, who won world juniors with Rantanen in 2016.
“He’s such a good, nice overall guy,” Laine told The Athletic earlier this season. “He might seem like a quiet guy, but that’s probably the furthest away from his actual personality if you get to know him.”
So let’s take Laine’s advice and get to know Rantanen a bit better off the ice. He had a brief chat with The Athletic in Detroit about everything from Finnish chicken wings to the best road cities to visit. Hint: He likes warm weather.
(Editor’s note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.)
What’s your favorite road-trip city?
Los Angeles is really nice, and I like Anaheim a lot. Wherever the weather is really good. Tampa and Florida, too. Vancouver is actually one of my favorites. There are really good restaurants, clean city.
What’s your favorite meal you’ve had on the road this year?
In Tampa Bay, we went to one steakhouse. I don’t remember the name of the steakhouse, but it’s really old. It’s a 70-, 80-year-old restaurant, so that was really cool and a really good meal.
(Note: Rantanen was possibly talking about Bern’s Steak House, which opened in 1956, or Iavarone’s Italian Steakhouse, which opened in 1948.)
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Is there a Finnish food you miss while in the U.S.?
During Christmas, there are always some dishes that you never see here in the states. I’m not that good of a cook to make my own, so during Christmas, you miss some of those. Finnish chicken wings are actually pretty elite.
Really? I’m not a huge American chicken wings fan.
Me neither, so I think those are probably what I miss the most.
Is there a fellow Finnish player you like watching the most?
There are a few of my good friends. Sebastian Aho is one of them I like to watch, and it’s always fun to play against him. We’re good buddies. And obviously, Aleksander Barkov is one of the best players in the world, too. So those two and Laine. He’s a great goal scorer, so it’s fun to see him doing well right now.
I played with Aho at two world juniors and one Under-18s. I played with him a lot, and Laine at Under-20s.
Which of your teammates is the chattiest guy on the team plane?
Guys are kind of doing their own thing. We have two seats and a table across from two seats, so I’m there with J.T. Compher and Andre Burakovsky and Nazem Kadri. We usually don’t nap. We play some cards and stuff like that. But at the back of the plane, I think Darcy Kuemper is pretty chatty. I’m never really there, but when I go to the bathroom I always see him talking.
Which teammate picks the restaurants?
Kadri a lot. He’s been around, so he knows a lot of places. And Erik Johnson. The veteran guys.
Who is one guy on the team that people around the NHL might not appreciate for how good they are?
Devon Toews. He’s gotten more recognition last year and this year, but still I don’t think people know how good he is and how well he plays both ways. He can play offense, too. It’s not flashy, but it’s really damn good. He’s very effective on both ends of the rink. It’s really fun to have him.
(Top photo: Michael Martin / NHLI via Getty Images)
