The hockey world turned upside down on Friday when the Colorado Avalanche sent star forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Colorado shifted its attention to a Saturday game against the Boston Bruins in which it dropped 3-1, but players had a chance to reflect on the trade thereafter.
Superstar Nathan Mackinnon shared “shocking” feelings about the departure of his longtime teammate.
Read more: Avalanche Face Deadline Dilemma with Mikko Rantanen’s Contract Extension
“It’s unfortunate,” MacKinnon said. “Losing a great friend, great teammate. I’m gonna miss him. It sucks. We’ve been together for 9–10 years. We won a Cup together, and it’s just sad. I don’t exactly know what happened, but I’m gonna miss him a lot.”
The trade sent Rantanen to Carolina in a three-team deal that also brought Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall to the Hurricanes. In exchange, the Avalanche acquired Martin Necas and Jack Drury from Carolina, along with a second-round and fourth-round pick.
Rantanen has been an essential member of the Avalanche’s core since arriving in 2015-16, having won the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. Widely regarded as one of the NHL’s premier offensive talents, he stands among the league’s top five scorers over the last five seasons.
“I never thought in a million years he’d leave. So, yeah, it just sucks,” Mackinnon said. “I called Mikko shortly after the trade, we talked for 20 minutes,” MacKinnon revealed. “It’s just tough. He’s such a great person, a great teammate.”
Rantanen is set to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the 2024-25 season, and with the March 7 trade deadline looming, the Avalanche had to come to a difficult decision to avoid letting him walk for nothing in the offseason.
Colorado’s management was unsure if the salary cap space was there to accommodate Rantanen in the long term given he was seeking league-high money. Both Necas and Drury arrive for not only cheaper but are on the books past this season, too.
The trade offers the Avalanche both short- and long-term salary cap flexibility, while also netting them two mid-round draft picks that could serve as valuable trade assets as they look to remain competitive.
“I don’t care (about money),” MacKinnon said. “I want guys to get paid. I think he’s earned it. Mikko has earned a big payday. He scored 50, 100 points every season.”
The Avalanche move on to face the New York Rangers on Sunday afternoon with a 28-20-2 record, leading the Western Conference’s wild-card race with 58 points.
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