Report: Avalanche Not Close to Extending Superstar Forward

The Colorado Avalanche will have their work cut out for them while negotiating with one of their star forwards.

Apr 14, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) talks to a team mate before a face off against the Vegas Golden Knights during the second period at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

The Colorado Avalanche are routinely one of the strongest teams in the NHL, and a lot of that is thanks to guys like Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar. While those two are some of the league’s best, the Avalanche have another massive key to their success.

High-scoring forward Mikko Rantanen has finished a season under 20 goals just twice in his career. In 2015-16 when the played just nine games, and in 2019-20 when the COVID pandemic cut the season short. Rantanen still had 19 tallies.

Rantanen is one of the Avalanche’s top goal-scorers, and he’s entering the final year of his contract. At $9.25 million, Rantanen is one of the highest-paid players on the Avalanche roster, and it’s likely he will see a raise in his next deal.

According to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun on Insider Trading, the Avalanche aren’t going to have an easy road to getting an extension signed with Rantanen.

“In this case, negotiations are yet to produce an extension… I think there is a gap here,” LeBrun said. “This should get done, but not everyone knows for sure if it will.”

On the open market, Rantanen could likely earn a king’s ransom, easily signing a contract that earns him over $10 million annually. He’s 27 years old, is a useful center, and has the ability to score 50 goals in a single season.

The only player on the Avalanche roster who earns a bigger payday is MacKinnon at $12.6 million, the highest average annual value in the NHL in 2023-24. Considering MacKinnon’s price tag, the Avalanche are likely using that as their team’s high-water mark.

“Let’s not forget Nathan MacKinnon at $12.6 million a year,” LeBrun said. Maybe a bit of an internal cap for Colorado.”

Rantanen can sign an extension at any point this season, whether or not he does it yet to be seen, but there could be a long negotiation ahead. The player is worthy of a raise, and the team needs to keep him at an affordable number.

In the opening game of the season, Rantanen already started showing off his worth. He picked up a hat trick against the Vegas Golden Knights.

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