Replacing someone isn’t easy.

For the Colorado Avalanche to replace Mikko Rantanen is even harder.

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There are several reasons why this is the case. For starter’s, 100-point players don’t grow on trees. You want your team to have as much firepower as possible. So, having players that can put the puck in the net or create the plays that make that possible are extremely vital.

Trading for a superstar is even more difficult (unless you are the Carolina Hurricanes or the Dallas Stars).

However, with free agency around the corner, there is one potential free agent who might be able to replace Rantanen. His name is Mitch Marner.

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What Does Mitch Marner Bring To The Table?

Marner is an elite playmaker who can provide a solid volume of secondary scoring. Over the past four seasons he has scored 35, 30, 26, and 27 goals. 

Playmaking is really the highlight of his game, shown by his penchant for racking up assists. Marner has collected 62, 69, 59, and 75 assists in the last four years.

In the 2024-25 regular season he led the Toronto Maple Leafs in points (102), assists (75), even-strength points (67), and powerplay points (33). Marner was first among Maple Leafs forwards with total time on ice per game (21:19) and shorthanded time on ice per game (2:09).

The One Thing With Mitch Marner

The one knock against Marner right now is that he doesn’t have the same level of production in the playoffs as he does in the regular season. 

In my opinion, this is an unfair assessment of Marner. He has collected 13 points in 12 playoff games this season, and recorded 14 points in 11 games two postseasons ago.

It’s easy to argue that over his career he hasn’t been as successful as Rantanen in the playoffs. Rantanen has 120 points in 93 career playoff games to Marner’s 63 points in 69 games. 

But, you can always change your narrative.

One former Leafs forward, Zach Hyman, changed his narrative when he signed with the Edmonton Oilers. In 32 playoff games with the Leafs, he recorded 13 points. He’s played 64 postseason games with the Oilers and has put up 57 points.

Sometimes a change of scenery does a player wonders. Could Marner replace Rantanen? In the regular season, he probably could. The playoffs would offer him an opportunity to change the narrative surrounding him.

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