Rantanen to return Saturday following 16-game absence

Mikko Rantanen has been given the green light.

Colorado Avalanche head coach Jared Bednar confirmed Thursday that his blue-chip winger will be in the lineup against the Chicago Blackhawks on Saturday after missing what will be 16 games with a lower-body injury, according to The Athletic's Ryan Clark.

The Avs be without Rantanen for their game Friday before he returns for the second half of the home-and-home set.

Rantanen tallied five goals and 12 points in nine games before the injury. He was held pointless just once.

After jumping out to a 7-1-1 record to begin the year, the Avalanche have gone 7-7-1 with Rantanen out of the lineup.

The 6-foot-4 Finn notched a career-best 87 points last season and ranks 12th in the league with 1.12 points per game since the start of 2017-18.