Lost in all the injury woes is what could be a special year for a very special player. The man in question is Mikko Rantanen, who is singlehandedly keeping the Colorado Avalanche afloat until they get more reinforcements off the injured list. He’s certain to be an all-star this season and could possibly be the only representative from Colorado.
Rantanen, who is affectionately nicknamed “The Moose” because of his 6-foot-4 size and beast-mode-type quality, has been an elite player in the NHL for several seasons now but could approach career numbers in this 2022-23 campaign. Already at 25 goals through 36 games, Rantanen is likely to smash his career high of 36 as he is on pace for 57 goals.