01/27/25
January 25, 2025
Avalanche trades Mikko Rantanen to Carolina Hurricanes as part of blockbuster three-team deal: The man they call “Moose” has left the Rocky Mountains for Tobacco Road.
The Colorado Avalanche traded Mikko Rantanen, one of the top goal scorers in team history and a key member of the 2022 Stanley Cup title team, Friday night to the Carolina Hurricanes in one of the most seismic transactions since the franchise moved to Denver.
Colorado received Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a second-round pick in the 2025 NHL draft and a fourth-round selection in 2026 from the Hurricanes as part of a three-team deal announced late Friday night. Former league MVP Taylor Hall also went from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Hurricanes as part of the blockbuster.
posted by tommybiden to hockey at 10:54 AM - 8 comments
I think you're right, NoMich, generally the team that gets the best player wins the trade. It's an expensive rental if that's what it turns into, but you have to roll the dice.
posted by tommybiden at 09:38 PM on January 25, 2025
GM Eric Tulsky is saying how they are already in negotiations with Rantanen's agent, but will probably take a while to hammer out a deal. He's very optimistic right now. Us fans had a feeling something was going to happen because the team was making roster changes almost daily in an effort to free up what little cap space they had.
The Canes do have close to $40 million in cap space starting this summer and I don't think that's taking future cap space increases that will more than likely occur this summer into account.
posted by NoMich at 10:30 AM on January 26, 2025
If you assume Colorado wasn't going to be able to sign Rantanen this is a pretty good deal for them as well as Carolina. Gonna be weird seeing him in a new uniform.
posted by rcade at 03:10 PM on January 26, 2025
It absolutely was a good trade for Colorado. Martin Necas has a ton of talent, but maybe Rod Brind'Amour's system wasn't right for him. Speaking for myself, the dude is mostly razzle dazzle with the puck, but he can kinda be a turnover machine at the end of the razzle dazzle plays. But hey, being in a different system may tap into all of his potential.
Jack Drury will be one of those guys that won't get a lot of points, but is excellent everywhere else, and he'll probably be doing it for 20 years.
posted by NoMich at 03:20 PM on January 26, 2025
Us Canes fans are all pretty much pooping ourselves from excitement over this trade. Sucks to lose Necas and Drury, but we're getting the best player of the trade. Plus, the Hurricanes have about $5,000,000,000 in cap space starting this summer so I can see them re-signing Rantanen to a huge deal. Plus, we got Taylor Hall pretty much for free.