The Colorado Avalanche will be a team worth watching over the next four days -- and not just because they’re in the thick of the Western Conference wild card race.
With injuries sidelining top scorers Matt Duchene and Nathan MacKinnon, the Avs have recalled Mikko Rantanen, the 10th overall pick at the 2015 draft.
To say Rantanen is an exciting prospect would be putting it mildly. Still just 19 years old, he’s been tearing up the American League this year -- he has 52 points in 44 games, was named to the league’s annual All-Star Game, leads all AHL rookies in scoring and recently set a new San Antoino franchise record for points and assists by a first-year player.
The catch, of course, is that Rantanen was sent down to the AHL earlier this year after playing six NHL contests.
He participated in his seventh in Sunday’s win over Edmonton, meaning he’s got two more before he hits lucky No. 9 -- at which time the Avs have to decide whether he’ll play No. 10, and “burn” the first year of his entry-level deal, or be sent back to San Antonio.
Colorado plays Philly tonight, then has a huge tilt against Minnesota on Saturday.
So, what’s the plan for Rantanen?
“Ask me the question on Sunday, I’ll be very happy to answer the question,” head coach Patrick Roy said, per the Denver Post. “As of right now, the focus is on tonight. He’s been working very hard on his game and let’s see where he is after those two games.”
Guess we’ll find out in 96 hours, then.