With a number of key restricted free agents having signed in the last few days, only a few holdouts remain. However, one has come off the board as the Colorado Avalanche have signed star winger Mikko Rantanen to a six-year, $55.5MM contract with an AAV of $9.25MM, according to NHL.com’s Brennan Klak.
“Mikko has established himself as one of the premier young wingers in the NHL and is a big part of our core group,” general manager Joe Sakic said. “We look forward to having him back with the team as we get ready to start the season.”
The breakdown of the deal is here as Rantanen contract is all base salary with no signing bonuses (according to CapFriendly):
2019-20: $12MM base salary
2020-21: $12MM base salary
2021-22: $10MM base salary
2022-23: $6MM base salary
2023-24: $9.5MM base salary
2024-25: $6MM base salary
The deal looks like a good one for the Avalanche if compared to the only other significant long-term deal to compare it to, which was Mitch Marner’s six-year deal worth $65.36MM and a $10.89MM AAV. With Rantanen locked up at $9.25MM and Nathan MacKinnon’s $6.3MM AAV, the team has a young tandem locked up for a inexpensive $15.55MM for the next four years.
Considering Rantanen’s statistical production, Colorado looks to have gotten a steal. Rantanen has potted 80 goals and 209 points over three seasons including a career-high 31 goals and 87 points and many believe that there is plenty more to come. Marner, on the other hand, hasn’t come close to putting up the same points over his three-year span as he has tallied 67 goals and 224 points, yet walked away with the bigger contract, suggesting that Colorado may have walked away with a impressive contract considering what they were up against with the Marner contract hanging over their heads.
The Avalanche still have a significant amount of cap space remaining as Puckpedia reports that Colorado still has $7.1MM remaining in projected cap space even after signing Rantanen to his deal.
As for Rantanen, who is currently overseas, he must pass through immigration before he can come to Colorado, although reports suggest there is still a good chance Rantanen could be available to the team for their season opener on Thursday, Oct. 3 when they play the Calgary Flames at home.
Elliotte Friedman was the first to report on the signing.
A bit of an overpay…should’ve been in the $8MM-$8.5MM range in some of our eyes. Underpaid compared to Marner, though.
bout time, now let’s play hockey boys season kicks off Wednesday, now Connor can get him a new pen to sign contract can get back to normalcy, Go Black Hawks!!!!!!!!!!
Wow good memory, Honka is more of shut down defenseman he has only produced 2 goals and 11 assists in 3 years thou some due to injuries , don’t see a lot of depth on defense in system and haven’t seen if he has participated in training camp and had a $863,333 cap hit , don’t see if he can’t sign with that maybe a little more not sure on Salary Cap for Stars , so I don’t know about his future with Stars haven’t seen or heard any news on him. he is last of RFA’s left , haven’t forgotten him it’s up to Stars, and Julius Honka, he’s not injured so don’t know what hold up is , don’t think he’s worth major deal. Keep that mind sharp may need you later to remind me of players have a good day.
This was the play. Thank you for front loading this Joey. We’ll have plenty of money come two years from now when Cale, Gabe and Gruby need new deals. This was the play!
Front loading deals doesn’t really have any impact when it comes to signing other guys. The AAV is still the same towards the cap
isn’t Johnson’s contract up by then , and have a few others like Cole may eventually be off the books. just curious. few others not sold on , yeah if not problems down road.
Brain Fart in PHR Mailbag Holger said if he doesn’t sign with Stars he may play overseas , thought you would mention that to me, lol