Yahoo Sports Three Big Things The NHL's Mega Mikko Rantanen Trade Tells Us
James Guillory-Imagn Images
The Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes and Chicago Blackhawks pulled off an unexpected, huge trade late Friday night, with the Avs sending star right winger Mikko Rantanen to Carolina for centers Martin Necas and Jack Drury.
Carolina also acquired veteran left winger Taylor Hall from the Hawks, who landed a third-round draft pick in return for Hall and for retaining 50 percent of Rantanen’s $9.25-million salary.
There are other components to the deal, including the Avalanche landing Carolina’s second-round pick at this summer’s draft, as well as Carolina’s fourth-rounder in 2026.
Related: Official: Hurricanes Trade For Mikko Rantanen, Taylor Hall From Avalanche, Blackhawks
So, in the aftermath of a blockbuster, here are three things this super trade tells us:
1. Guentzel Who? Carolina Is Done Being The Contender That Doesn't Win
The Hurricanes have swung for the fences of late, acquiring Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins last season in a deal that ultimately didn’t work out. Guentzel didn't re-sign in Carolina and had his rights traded to the Tampa Bay lightning.
But Tulsky just pulled off the biggest trade in Hurricanes franchise history, and he came away with the best player in the deal in Rantanen, in addition to another valuable veteran in Hall.
Carolina now has only about $1.23 million in cap space, but Tulsky doesn’t need to make any more moves than this one. Time will tell whether the Hurricanes can get Rantanen’s signature on a contract extension, but they’ve put the NHL on notice – this ‘Canes team intends to win it all. Their two Eastern Conference final losses and two second-round eliminations in the last six seasons made them fed up, and by bringing in a Cup champion in Rantanen, they’ve landed the superstar power their fans want to see.
Related: By Getting Rantanen, New Hurricanes Cowboy Eric Tulsky Pulls Off A Big 'Ole NHL Blockbuster
2. Colorado Gave Up On Rantanen But Not In General
The Avalanche definitely wanted to keep Rantanen in the fold, but given that he’ll be a UFA at season’s end, this trade signals they weren’t confident they could get him signed for the long term. The Rantanen camp is believed to be seeking something like the $14-million cap hit Edmonton Oilers center Leon Draisaitl agreed to, and Nathan MacKinnon is getting $12.6 million. It's tough to make that work.
Still, the Avalanche now have 26-year-old Necas, an excellent player in his own right who has a whopping 55 points in 49 games this season, as well as a young depth piece in Drury. That's a respectable return for a player on a time-sensitive deadline, considering it's tough to get equal value for players as good as Rantanen in a trade.
For years, the rumor mill in Carolina has posed that Necas wanted to play center and, because Carolina was a little log-jammed at that position, there was no room to try it. When he didn’t get it, rumor has it he wanted out.
Canes fans should also remember the trade Drury…— Bailey Curtis (@baileyycurtis) January 25, 2025
But something tells us this trade will be the precursor to more moves for the Avalanche that keeps them contending. They now have $5.61 million in cap space, and with less than six weeks to go before the NHL’s March 7 trade deadline, the Avs can go out looking for more talent in hopes of a long playoff run, such as another top-six forward.
They had to take a lateral step to be in their current position, but this Colorado team is built for the here and now. We don’t see them taking a back seat to anyone in the immediate future.
Related: NHL Power Rankings: Not All Roses For The Elite Teams As Capitals Hang On
3. The NHL's Trade Deadline Season Has Begun – And It Could Be Massive
Few, if any, observers expected this type of blockbuster move to happen, at least in January. There were expectations for trade action before the 4 Nations Face-Off, yes, but Rantanen moving? No, but there are always some teams that don’t want to wait until deadline day to address their needs. Certainly, the Hurricanes, Avalanche and Blackhawks have to be happy to get a head-start on their competitors on the trade market.
At this point, with so much at stake, you have to imagine other teams are now going to be all-in on the trade front. The Florida Panthers and Vegas Golden Knights made aggressive moves to win Stanley Cups with all the parity in the NHL, and it's a copycat league. If Colorado was prepared to give up on a franchise cornerstone piece like Rantanen, who’s to say there aren’t many other franchises that aren’t also in the process of drastically remaking their lineup? (The Vancouver Canucks and J.T. Miller, anyone?)
Related: NHL Rumor Roundup: Latest On J.T. Miller, Questions Raised About Simon Nemec
The possibilities are endless, and even at a point in time when the salary cap makes moves like this very difficult to pull off, where there’s a will, there’s a way. The race to bulk up before a deep playoff run is underway.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or by visiting our forum.
