No. 4 – Mikko Rantanen
The 18-year-old Finnish forward can play both the center and wing positions, but will likely stay on the right wing for Colorado. He should find out on Tuesday if he’ll be sticking with the big club in his first year.
He’s described as a “physically strong power forward with very good playmaking abilities, smart, active and involved on every shift. He has very good speed and quickness for a big man and plays with authority. He’s difficult to check, protects the puck well and has good hands.”
If Rantanen stays in the NHL, Colorado will have four of its own top-10 draft picks playing at the forward position. Rantanen will have the least amount of pressure of the bunch, as the youngest and the lowest pick, but he’ll feel the heat that is quickly building around Matt Duchene, Gabriel Landeskog and Nathan MacKinnon.
