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Ranta Signs with Colorado Avalanche
4/3/2021 7:47:00 PM | Men's Hockey
The Colorado Avalanche selected Ranta in the third round (78th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
MINNEAPOLIS – First Team All-Big Ten selection and Gophers leading scorer Sampo Ranta has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Colorado Avalanche, foregoing his senior season at the University of Minnesota.
A native of Naantali, Finland, Ranta will report to the team's American Hockey League affiliate – the Colorado Eagles.
In his final season with the Maroon & Gold, Ranta led the team with career highs in both goals (19) and points (31) while also notching a new career high for assists (12). Skating in all 31 games this season, Ranta's 19 goals currently rank second in the nation while Minnesota was 20-3-0 this year when he tallied a point. The forward totaled 67 points (37 goals, 30 assists) in 102 career games with the Gophers.
A Big Ten All-Tournament Team selection, Ranta helped Minnesota claim the 2021 Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament title and a No. 1 seed for the 2021 NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Championships. The Gophers earned their 38th NCAA tournament berth (tied with Michigan for most among all programs) while making their first national tournament appearance since 2017 and winning their first NCAA tournament game since 2014.
A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time letter winner, Ranta helped Minnesota set a new program record with a 3.35 cumulative grade point average as a team in the fall of 2020, while the men's hockey team recorded a term grade point average of 3.46, which ranks second in program history after last spring's 3.64.
The Colorado Avalanche selected Ranta in the third round (78th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
A native of Naantali, Finland, Ranta will report to the team's American Hockey League affiliate – the Colorado Eagles.
In his final season with the Maroon & Gold, Ranta led the team with career highs in both goals (19) and points (31) while also notching a new career high for assists (12). Skating in all 31 games this season, Ranta's 19 goals currently rank second in the nation while Minnesota was 20-3-0 this year when he tallied a point. The forward totaled 67 points (37 goals, 30 assists) in 102 career games with the Gophers.
A Big Ten All-Tournament Team selection, Ranta helped Minnesota claim the 2021 Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament title and a No. 1 seed for the 2021 NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Championships. The Gophers earned their 38th NCAA tournament berth (tied with Michigan for most among all programs) while making their first national tournament appearance since 2017 and winning their first NCAA tournament game since 2014.
A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a three-time letter winner, Ranta helped Minnesota set a new program record with a 3.35 cumulative grade point average as a team in the fall of 2020, while the men's hockey team recorded a term grade point average of 3.46, which ranks second in program history after last spring's 3.64.
The Colorado Avalanche selected Ranta in the third round (78th overall) of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
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