Ex-NHLer can’t examine Mikko Rantanen to anybody besides one legendary NHL nice and it isn’t Wayne Gretzky

Former NHL participant Craig Ludwig shared robust reward for Dallas Stars ahead Mikko Rantanen on the Spittin’ Chiclets podcast. He stated he can’t examine Rantanen to anybody, not even legend Wayne Gretzky. The one exception he talked about was Mario Lemieux.

Ludwig stated Lemieux had uncommon measurement (6 ft 4 in, 107 kg), energy, and talent. He believes Mikko Rantanen (6 ft 4 in, 98 kg) exhibits comparable traits in right this moment’s sport.

“I am unable to examine him to anyone I performed with, or, I imply, the man, to me, I do not suppose he bought sufficient credit score, was Mario Lemieux,” Ludwig stated. “Like, I’ve stated this earlier than. I even stated it to Gretzky when he was in school. You understand, I do know Gretzky is the best man to have ever performed this sport, however for me, Mario was that man.”

Ludwig advised a narrative about making an attempt to cease Lemieux years in the past. He grabbed Lemieux to take a penalty, however Lemieux didn’t transfer. As an alternative, Lemieux carried him and nonetheless scored a objective. Ludwig stated that the play confirmed Lemieux’s energy.

“So for me, his measurement, imaginative and prescient, his fingers, every part that he did (stood out),” Ludwig stated.

Ludwig stated Rantanen has the identical sort of capacity in his personal period.

“However like when it goes to Rantanen, the issues that he does, and he is gonna put up one other 100 plus factors round right here or extra with with this group that he has, if all of them keep wholesome,” Ludwig stated.

Mikko Rantanen is having a powerful season with the Stars. He has 26 factors in 19 video games this yr. He performs greater than 21 minutes per sport on the wing and has scored 9 objectives.

“I do not know a man that may – that on this period or my period, our period – I do not keep in mind a man that might do the identical issues that he can,” Ludwig stated.

“As a result of, once more, the rationale I feel I say that’s as a result of I am sitting right here going, ‘He’s the most effective participant’, I personally have to take a seat and have the privilege to observe each single evening.”

Cause why Ludwig sees Lemieux-like qualities in Mikko Rantanen

Mario Lemieux, the participant Ludwig talked about, is a Corridor of Famer. He gained a number of main awards and two Stanley Cups (1991, 1992) as a participant. He scored 690 objectives and 1,033 assists in his profession. He’s thought of among the best gamers ever, and Ludwig’s comparability exhibits how extremely he views Rantanen.

In the meantime, Mikko Rantanen began his NHL profession with the Colorado Avalanche. He had a number of 90-point seasons there. His finest yr was with 55 objectives and 105 factors in 2022-23. He adopted that with 44 objectives and 104 factors the subsequent yr. He was traded twice in 2024-25 earlier than becoming a member of Dallas. He now has 303 objectives and 731 profession factors in 671 video games.

So, contemplating Rantanen’s efficiency, he’s actually one of many NHL’s elite forwards in right this moment’s period, like Lemieux in his time.