With Monday's signing of Mikko Rantanen to the Colorado Avalanche, it makes seven of the top 10 picks in the draft signed on to new deals with their NHL clubs and we should be expecting at least two of the final three to get done before too long.Taken 10th overall last month, Rantanen's size and compete level suggest that he is fairly close to being NHL ready for the upcoming season and from what I see in their depth chart, at this point in the Summer, the Avalanche have some spots available, if he competes his way in.
It would be difficult to project him right now, but if you keep a close eye on him in camp, you might be able to make a more educated guess. With a young lineup already being drawn up, he might just fit right in.
Also coming off the board, later on in the afternoon, was the #20 pick in the draft, Joel Eriksson Ek, who was picked by the Wild at the draft.
The Swedish centre is described as a good two-way centre with really good offensive instincts and touch, something that the Minnesota Wild could certainly use down the middle in their lineup. He'll have a couple of good mentors in Zach Parise and/or Mikko Koivu, if he was to make the team out of camp, which doesn't seem too far out of the question, looking at their current roster moving forward.
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