Avalanche’s Rantanen leaves game after big hit by Oilers’ Ekholm

The Colorado Avalanche are down one one of their most important players.

Avalanche forward Mikko Rantanen left Friday’s game against the Edmonton Oilers in the second period with an upper-body injury after defenceman Mattias Ekholm landed a big hit and will not return, per the team.

Rantanen was in the defensive zone on the backcheck and was preparing to move the puck into the neutral zone when Ekholm skated through and hit the 6-foot-3 forward. Rantanen looked wobbly as he stood, but was able to skate off with the help of a member of the training staff.

There was no penalty called on the play.

Rantanen, 27, is enjoying his second consecutive 100-point season, scoring 40 goals and notching 61 assists.

He was selected by the Avalanche 10th overall at the 2015 NHL Draft.