Avalanche general manager Joe Sakic held a season-ending news conference Tuesday, less than a week after his team lost Game 7 of a Western Conference semifinal playoff series to the San Jose Sharks. Sakic touched on numerous important topics — none more important than re-signing star right winger Mikko Rantanen.
Rantanen, 22, is a restricted free agent coming out of his three-year, entry-level contract which carried a modest annual cap hit of $894,167. He finished the regular season second on the team with 87 points, despite missing the last eight games with an injury, and led Colorado in the playoffs with 14 points and tied for first with Nathan MacKinnon with six goals.