The trade that saw the superstar dealt to Carolina sent shockwaves through the league and up and down the Colorado franchise.
The Colorado Avalanche (28-19-2) open a three-game road trip against the Boston Bruins (24-20-6). Puck drop is scheduled for 11:08 a.m. MT. READ MORE: Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen to Carolina in 3-Way Deal for Martin Necas and Jack Drury This post-Mikko Rantanen era starts now.
Chris MacFarland pointed to Rantanen’s pending free agency and the club’s desire to get deeper after three years of being short in that department as reasons for the trade. The NHL’s salary cap ceiling, which is set at $88 million this year but is expected to rise — possibly significantly — in the next couple of seasons is also a factor.
The Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks got together on Friday night and gave us one of the biggest blockbuster trades in
Colorado Avalanche shock the NHL by trading high-scoring Mikko Rantanen to Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas
The Carolina Hurricanes are wasting no time introducing their latest acquisition to the organization. After swinging a massive trade for superstar Mikko Rantane
Boston Bruins (24-20-6, in the Atlantic Division ... David Pastrnak has 10 goals and eight assists over the past 10 games. Mikko Rantanen has 25 goals and 39 assists for the Avalanche.
In a blockbuster three-team deal, the Carolina Hurricanes acquired Avalanche star forward Mikko Rantanen and former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall of the Chicago Blackhawks while sending forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury to Colorado on Friday night.
After that game, Avalanche players finally had a chance to publicly react to the trade, and the team's best player, Nathan MacKinnon, had one of the stronger reactions.
The hockey schedule waits for no one. The Avalanche were preparing for an early matinee matchup on Saturday when they made the late Friday night whopper of a trade with Carolina. Without Mikko Rantanen,
According to one NHL insider, the Bruins remain as a "dark horse" for Vancouver Canucks top-line center J.T. Miller.