Hockey Hall-of-Famer Teemu Selanne Believes Mikko Rantanen Made a Big Mistake
Photo credit: Mile High Sports
Teemu Selanne, the Finnish NHL legend, is calling out fellow countryman Mikko Rantanen regarding his trade from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes
Mikko Rantanen has delivered a heartfelt message to the players and fans of the Colorado Avalanche following his trade to the Carolina Hurricanes, but one NHL legend believes Rantanen and the Avalanche made a big mistake.
Teemu Selanne, just the second player to make it to the Hockey Hall of Fame from Mikko Rantanen's home country of Finland, says Rantanen was in a great organization and playing next to some of the best players in the league, but decided to price himself out of an extension with the Avs.
Selanne made the comments while responding on X to an Finnish article on Rantanen's trade to the Canes.
"The biggest loser is not only Colorado, but also Mikko. An incredible chemistry with the second best player in the world, an easy and enjoyable game with the help of the best defender in the world.
Colorado is a great place, everything is fine...I wouldn't have left at any price."
Colorado is a great place, everything is fine...I wouldn't have left at any price."
He's likely best known for his stints with the Anaheim Ducks, where he won a Stanley Cup in 2007, but Selanne did spend a season with the Colorado Avalanche in 2003-04, and says he just doesn't understand why Rantanen left.
"I, for one, think that if the game is on and you are happy in the right environment surrounded by the right people, even if you are a little underpaid, then you are definitely in the right place."
Selanne added the biggest disappointment regarding the trade is that fans will no longer get to see Rantanen and Nathan MacKinnon playing together, adding few duos have more chemistry than theirs.
While Rantanen has insisted that negotiations on an extension were already underway with Colorado, and he was willing to take a pay cut in order to stay, Elliotte Friedman recently leaked the final contract offer made by the Colorado Avalanche, and it was very lucrative.
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 28 | 343 ANSWERS Hockey Hall-of-Famer Teemu Selanne Believes Mikko Rantanen Made a Big Mistake Do you agree with Teemu Selanne that Mikko Rantanen should have done whatever possible to stay with the Colorado Avalanche? | ||
| Yes | 293 | 85.4 % |
| No | 33 | 9.6 % |
| Not sure | 17 | 5 % |
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