In a scathing warning to Montreal Canadiens fans, Elliotte Friedman spoke of a reality that many fans hoped to avoid: there is no shortcut to speeding up the CH’s rebuild, short of successfully attracting an elite player , like the impact that Artemi Panarin had with the Rangers under the direction of Jeff Gorton.
Next summer, the scarcity of options available makes the situation even more complex, and Friedman warns that to truly hope to turn the team around, CH must target a player of “Panarin 2.0” caliber.
And for him, this player can only be one: Mikko Rantanen.
Rantanen, one of the best power forwards in the NHL, is often overshadowed in Colorado by superstars like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar.
Yet his impact is undeniable: since the 2019-2020 season, he ranks eighth among the NHL’s top scorers with 408 points, surpassing names like Sidney Crosby and Steven Stamkos.
This offensive production makes him one of the most productive players in the league, a leading offensive weapon.
But the idea of Rantanen leaving seems difficult to imagine. Colorado is already under pressure with the heavy contracts of MacKinnon, Makar and Devon Toews, not to mention Landeskog, Nichushkin and supporting players like Samuel Girard and Artturi Lehkonen.
The Avs are constantly juggling salary constraints, and although they have benefited from the help of the long-term injured list (LTIR) and the upcoming increase in the salary cap, the situation remains precarious financially.
This opens a possibility that Rantanen, despite his importance, could test the market if Colorado fails to manage its finances.
CH, with its desperate need for a star forward capable of changing the game, should turn to Rantanen.
More accessible than players like Mitch Marner, who would never see himself in blue-white-red, Rantanen could represent the long-awaited shock to accelerate CH’s transition to a competitive team.
In addition, he already has links with Patrik Laine, who is a good friend and compatriot. The addition of Rantanen would allow CH to fill its offensive gaps, improve its power play, and establish a formidable top 6 that could compete with the best in the league.
Other names are also mentioned for the summer of 2025, such as Nikolaj Ehlers, a winger also close to Laine, and Brock Boeser, who could strengthen the Montreal attack.
But Friedman and several observers agree that the only one who really has the stature of “Panarin 2.0” remains Rantanen.
For the Montreal Canadiens, it is clear that a player of this caliber could mark a turning point in their reconstruction.
Without such an addition, the team risks sinking into a rebuild that, ultimately, could end up discouraging the most passionate fans.
Friedman’s warning is therefore a difficult reality to swallow, but it also gives direction: if the CH really wants to get back into the race, they will have to strike hard and aim high.
Especially since tensions between the attacker and those around the Avalanche have been intensifying for some time. Rantanen is not only frustrated with the lack of talks for a contract extension, but he has also entered into open conflict with Ismo Lehkonen, the father of Artturi Lehkonen, who is himself a renowned analyst in Finland.
Ismo Lehkonen was quick to criticize Rantanen’s summer work ethic, insinuating that he had a summer of partying to the detriment of his training. Rantanen never accepted being attacked like this.
“He’s making up stories. Shut up now. If you speak against others, it will backfire on you. » he replied.
This public confrontation cast a chill within the team, creating obvious unease in the locker room.
The situation is all the more urgent as Rantanen, clearly irritated by the absence of concrete discussions for an extension, could be more receptive than ever to the idea of a departure.
Especially if there are Finns in Montreal. Joel Armia will be gone, but Patrik Laine and Oliver Kapanen will indeed be present
For Kent Hughes, Jeff Gorton and the CH, the opportunity is real. Rantanen is the ideal player to revive Montreal in the race for the Stanley Cup.
It’s really time to take a close look at the one who could really change the face of this team.
Mikko Rantanen, with his talent and his thirst for recognition, he who wants to be the “number one guy” and not the eternal third behind MacKinnon and Makar, is perhaps the “Artemi Panarin 2.0” that Montreal needs to finally stop to talk about reconstruction.
Rantanen in Montreal…what to dream of…
