I met with Avalanche GM Joe Sakic after to specifically talk about rookie Mikko Rantanen, who had just played in his ninth NHL game. He will not play in his 10th this season, Sakic told me, to preserve the first year of his entry-level contract (three years). His ELC-slide will be used.
The expansion draft plays into the move, Sakic said, but Saturday’s loss did not.
Rantanen, 19, is still looking for his first NHL point. But he has torn up the American Hockey League, leading the San Antonio Rampage with 52 points (21 goals) in just 44 games. In addition to playing for the Avs, the AHL all-star captained Finland to the World Junior Championship gold medal. Rantanen will finish the season with San Antonio and become a full-fledged Avs winger in September.
“We’re not going to burn a year, first of all. He will start next year,” Sakic said. “(Expansion rules) can change, its got to be negotiated, but in his first two years he would be treated like a junior player. From our understanding, but not 100 percent, the first two years he won’t be exposed so you don’t have to protect them. So you can protect your other guys. If expansion (starts) in another year he would be a one-year pro not a two. If we have to protect him, that’s a guy we’ll protect. You only so many players to protect.”
More on this subject in Monday’s paper and online — in addition to injury updates on centers Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon. With Terry Frei in St. Paul with DU and my flight to Nashville Sunday morning, we have to save some material for the off day.
The Avs visit the Predators on Monday and St. Louis Blues on Tuesday.
