WESTMINSTER — Mikko Rantanen made his NHL debut at age 18 last October, but considering what happened in the ensuing months, that wasn’t the highlight of his hockey season.
The Avalanche’s 2015 first-round draft pick captained host Finland to the World Junior Championship gold medal in Helsinki before becoming the second-youngest American Hockey League all-star in 80 years. Following the regular season, he joined Team Finland at the World Championship, coming home with the silver medal.
Rantanen, 19, played just nine games for the Avalanche last season — mostly because the team didn’t want to burn a year of his entry-level contract.