Ice Hockey World Championships | A feature of Mikko Rantanen’s character was revealed that has remained almost completely hidden – this is Finland’s biggest star

In spring 2015 Mikko Haapakoski the phone rings. The head coach of Turku Palloseura’s A-youths was facing a tight spot. The semifinal series against Kärppi had progressed to the fifth and decisive match.

The caller was voted to the top of the next summer’s NHL booking event Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen was the young vice-captain of the league team and the golden helmet at the end of the season, when the power man Ryan Lasch was on the sidelines.

There were a few games left in the season in the league, but TPS had nothing to do with the playoffs. Thirdly, the last game for TPS was on Saturday in Turku against Tappara.

Now Rantanen wanted to ask Haapakoski if he would be able to play in the Oulun game on Sunday, when the league team had a break.

“I said that on our behalf, but we have to get permission from the league team,” Haapakoski says he answered.

The permit was lost. So, after the Tappara game, Rantanen jumped on the train with four other juniors who played in the league and was in Oulu in the morning, where the rest of the team had already traveled.

TPS turned the series around, and Rantanen celebrated the U20 Finnish championship in the spring in the last game he played for the Turku club. After that, the journey to brighter lights began.

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“There was never any need to force, he asked himself to join.”

Rantanen arriving in Leijonien’s jersey for the home games starting today on Friday is a little surprising.

Last summer, Rantanen won the Stanley Cup in Colorado, this season he became the third Finnish player in history to score 100 points in the regular season. The previous ones are Jari Kurri and Teemu Selänne. Rantanen’s balance was 55+50=105.

Last summer, the games continued for a long time, and the summer training period was shorter. The head coach Jukka Jalonen said at Leijoni’s media conference that many would have kicked themselves out of the Games in Rantanen’s situation.

But even now Rantanen, 26, wanted to play, as he did in the spring of Turun 2015 and many times before. The desire to play has always been deep in Rantase.

Father Hannu Rantanen saw it up close while coaching SBS Masku’s girls, where Miko’s sisters played Nora and Laura.

“He was sometimes there at the girls’ training, he got a little lost. There was never any need to force, he asked to join himself. He was so enthusiastic about it,” says Hannu Rantanen.

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“A relaxed guy who knows how to have fun.”

At home the desire to exercise was not prevented, but sports were encouraged. Miko’s mother Hannamaija has competed as an all-around athlete at the WC level in the Kaleva Games, until her career ended due to injuries at a young age. Hannu Rantanen has been actively involved in “hunting”, but he has little background in competitive sports.

At the same time, at home, they wanted to stick to values ​​both in everyday life and in sports.

Those who worked with Mikko Rantanen in puck circles repeatedly highlight the importance of home education in what the Leijoni star is like as a person.

In his teams, Rantanen has repeatedly ended up in the captaincy, in the TPS league team already at the age of 18. Agent Petteri Lehton according to the description, Rantanen is a “relaxed guy who knows how to have fun when it’s time”.

The defender of the Lions who played with Rantanen in TPS as an adult Niklas Friman says Rantanen, paying attention to everything. The captain of the Lions who played with 16-year-old Rantanen in TPS Marko Anttila says that the humility to work and the will to win shone through even then.

According to Hannu Rantanen, at the bottom are the basics of life; from considering the living environment to greeting and striving for positivity; honesty, openness and consideration for others; in sports, the desire to work, i.e. to train.

“You must not be discouraged by adversity. When the time is right, the children go off on their own and take care of the things that they feel are right and in line with their own feelings.”

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“He picked up on the advice very quickly even then.”

Before when Rantanen lifted the A-youth victory trophy into the air, he was already known as Turku’s promise. Miika Elomo was TPS’s assistant coach in the 2012–13 season, when Rantanen played his first 15 league matches.

Elomo tells his and Jani Kiviharjun having been appointed head coach in the middle of the season From Juha Pajojoja the task of finding out which of the A-youths could be promoted to the league.

The promise, who turned 16 in October 2012, made an impression and made it to the league ring. In December 2012, Rantase became the youngest league goal scorer in TPS history.

“He took advice very quickly even at that time, even though physics was not yet at such an animal level as it is today,” says Elomo.

The development of physics was influenced by the teenage growth spurt. Hannu Rantanen says that his son has grown almost 20 centimeters in two years. Time was required.

“There were, for example, extra falls on the ice. It probably hit him in the head, but it was related to the fact that there was no strength in his legs and his motor skills were lost. He could be on his roof in places where it looked like you couldn’t fall there,” Hannu Rantanen recalls.

“He was used to doing fast spins near the corner. When there were problems with coordination, he fell down often,” says Mikko Haapakoski.

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“He knew how to do the exercises correctly, so you get a better response from them.”

A-youth after winning the championship, Rantanen was drafted to the Colorado Avalanche in the first round with number ten. In the reserve summer, he stepped into the training for the first time, which was held by those who had become familiar with running the ice hockey players’ summer training Hannu and Marko Rautala. Little by little, the baton has passed to son Marko Rautala.

Rantanen’s versatile childhood sports background began to bear fruit.

“He knew how to do the exercises correctly, so that you get a better response from them. He also knew how to run properly. The position of the pelvis must be high enough, the knee comes straight in front and we are on our feet. It all comes naturally at Rantase, usually it has to be taught, for many even two summers gradually, says Marko Rautala.

Last year, Rantanen sweated through an intense six-week stretch during summer training. According to Rautala, that was made possible by the fact that the soles were polished in 2016–18. The top level was reached during the following years, now the goal is to return to the same level during the summer. Power levels no longer need to be increased.

“He pulls 140 kilos on his chest. A hockey player doesn’t need to pull a single kilo more,” says Rautala.

Training focuses on speed and explosiveness.

“Sustainability is not done to the extent that is generally thought to be necessary in Finland, but last summer sustainability was at the best level. Muscles can also be used for endurance. It has to be such that you can play 23 minutes in the NHL.”

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“I don’t miss that practice, but when January comes and there are a lot of games, I’m grateful that I managed to go there.”

Iron houses the role comes up repeatedly in interviews. Hannu Rantanen says he appreciates their role in his son’s development.

In addition to help, a motivated athlete is always needed. Rantanen’s player agent Petteri Lehto reminds that an athlete’s approach to training must be determined.

“Only the athlete himself knows, for example in the leg squat, whether he’s getting the most out of it. If you don’t take it, you won’t develop”, says Lehto.

Last year, Rantanen’s summer included a trip to London as a guest of the football club Arsenal, because he is an American Stan Kroenke owns both the Colorado Avalanche and Arsenal.

On the day of his departure, the training program included training on the steps of Kuuvuuori, and he also arrived there. Marko Rautala praises Rantanen for understanding that the exercises must be done.

The training includes six minutes of pulling with short recoveries on a nearby coal crushing field and on top of that six times running up the stairs with walking recoveries. It’s on the stairs Ilta-Sanomi’s story from last year including 112 steps. According to Rautala, the times tell well whether the condition is at the required level.

Rantanen admits the effect himself.

“I don’t miss that practice, but when January comes and there are a lot of games, I’m thankful that I was able to go there. It’s never nice, but it bears fruit,” Rantanen said at the Leijonie media conference.

Years have also made Rantase a skilled and interested listener of his own body.

“He is precise, and does maintenance training. Sharp when there is an opportunity, working together with Colorado”; Rautala says.

After the World Championships, Rantanen will take a break. After Midsummer, it’s time to join Rautala’s group.

But what kind of member does the group have in Rantase?

“He is quite a velmu. Prankster. Always coming up with little tricks for others,” Rautala says, but considers the details of tricks to be an internal matter for the group.

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