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Colorado Avalanche: Musing on a Mikko Rantanen Contract

ByNadia Archuleta|
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 13: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche skates during warm ups prior to the game against the Calgary Flames at the Pepsi Center on October 13, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - OCTOBER 13: Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche skates during warm ups prior to the game against the Calgary Flames at the Pepsi Center on October 13, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen will be due for a pay raise this summer. How much do you think he’ll make, and for how long?

The Colorado Avalanche are paying right wing Mikko Rantanen only $894,167 a year, and that’s pert-near a crime. Both Sheldon Dries ($925,000) and Gabriel Bourque ($950,000) make more — that really is a crime.

Of course, the reason Rantanen is so underpaid is that the 22-year-old is still in his entry-level contract. He signed three years ago when he was still an unproven talent at the NHL level.

Well, he’s a proven talent now. He had a solid rookie year that saw the Finn earn 38 points (20 goals, 18 assists) in that dreadful 48-point season. He led the team in goals that year, but the way. He followed that performance with a breakout year — 84 points (29 goals, 55 assists) in 81 games.

Let’s look at the ridiculousness the young winger has been up to this season:

  • NHL’s leading scorer with 32 points (8 goals, 24 assists).
  • First in the NHL to reach 30 points this season.
  • First Star of the Month for October.
  • Leads the NHL in assists.

A little perspective:

  • 3rd Avs player to earn 30 points in 20 games, matching Peter Forsberg and Joe Sakic (both 1996-97).
  • Also the 3rds Avs player to be the first to 30 points in the NHL. Forsberg did it in 1997-98, Sakic in 1995-99.

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That’s some heady stuff, eh, Avs Nation? I don’t think we’re calling Rantanen the reincarnation of those greats, but his agent, Mike Liut, might. Especially since it came out of his camp that they want to wait and see how how things play out this season before negotiating the next contract.

Rantanen will be a restricted free agent this summer. He’s currently on pace for 131 points (32 goals). I doubt he’ll reach that benchmark, but it’s a good bet he’ll at least match last season’s 84 points.

Several factors go into musing about Rantanen’s next contract.

First, he plays on a line with superstar center Nathan MacKinnon. Can his brilliance be part of the reason Rantanen is producing at such a high rate? After all, the majority of his points are assists — many of them on MacKinnon’s goals.

MacKinnon eschewed a bridge deal. He opted for a seven-year contract worht $6.3 million annually. He’s a Calder Trophy winner and All Star, not to mention Hart Trophy finalist.

Players in Rantanen’s age and talent range make between $6.75 million (6 years, both David Pastrnak and Johnny Gaudreau) to $8.5 million (8 years, Leon Draisaitl).

The Colorado Avalanche have the cap space, for now ($11.3 million). However, they have Alexander Kerfoot, Vladislav Kamenev and, especially, Nikita Zadorov coming up as RFAs this summer. Captain Gabriel Landeskog is only locked up at $5,571,429 through 2020-21, if you’re looking at the long-term.

Mike Liut wants to do away with bridge deals. He wants to see his best players signed for both money and term.

So, what do we think this valuable Colorado Avalanche player might command? It’s hard to know if GM Joe Sakic is still of the mindset that your best player makes top dollar and no one can make more than him. At one time, Matt Duchene was the internal cap. Now, you have to imagine MacKinnon would be that internal cap.

Or is Sakic going to be more philosophical? He certainly isn’t going to want to see Rantanen go all William Nylander and stay in his home country next season to play hockey there — that’s certainly not going to help the rebuild any. But will he agree to vastly inflate Rantanen’s contract over MacKinnon’s, at the risk of alienating his superstar?

I’m notoriously terrible at predicting outcomes for these types of disputes. A part of me adheres to the internal cap rationale, but I realize in the real world different decisions have to be made.

I’d hope the Colorado Avalanche and Mikko Rantanen could reach a compromise. Because of the timing, he’ll probably end up making more than MacKinnon. However, hopefully it’s just a little more money, for maybe a little less time. Maybe he makes $7 to $7.25 million for six years instead of seven.

What do you think, Avs Nation? What will Rantanen’s next contract look like?

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