Mikko Rantanen wanted more money than what the Colorado Avalanche were offering him in the final year of his contract last year. As a result, he was traded away and a whole saga followed that resulted in him winding up with the rival Dallas Stars for a number that reportedly wasn’t too far off of what the Avs’ camp was offering.
To add more fuel to the fire, Rantanen reached a level of hockey in Game 7 of the first round that had him looking like The Great One as he sent his former team home.
Fast forward a few months, and the Finnish star is in some trouble with his home country. According to Finnish publication Helsingin Sanomat, Rantanen is facing a fine upwards of $99,000 as a result of an unauthorized absence from military service. The 28-year-old did not report for service by the required deadline in April 2024 — when he was gearing up for a playoff run with the Avalanche — and submitted a deferral application after the deadline to do so had come and gone.
Male Finnish citizens, once they turn 18, are subjected to conscription, meaning that they are liable to serve in the country’s military for either 165, 255 or 347 days before they turn 30. NBA star Lauri Markannen did so back in 2023, so even the most talented athletes still have to represent the nation in some capacity.
Amidst the chaos of Rantanen missing the deadline, he was “was reminded of the risk of being declared a wanted person,” per the report.
All of this unfolded at the start of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Rantanen’s last chase for a Cup with the burgundy and blue. He did not miss any of the Avalanche’s 11 games in that playoff run and tallied 14 points (4G/10A).
Maybe Rantanen was being stringent with his contract negotiations with the Avalanche because he knew he needed every dollar when these fines hit the table. Nonetheless, it’s still a wild scenario for a guy who Avs Faithful loved for so many years.
