Mikko Rantanen can probably envision himself streaking down the wing in a blue-and-white jersey, collecting a pass from one of the best centers or defensemen in the world and scoring one of the biggest goals of his hockey career.
Sure, that can happen in a Stanley Cup Final with Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and the Colorado Avalanche. But this version of his dream could include Aleksander Barkov and Miro Heiskanen, and the jersey would have a golden lion on the front.
Rantanen, like MacKinnon, Makar and so many of the NHL’s greatest players under the age of 30, has not had the chance to play for his country in the Winter Olympics, let alone any best-on-best tournament with his national team.