Mikko Rantanen puts the Colorado Avalanche on blast following blockbuster trade

The Hurricanes made massive deals. Friday night, Carolina traded for Colorado Avalanche superstar winger Mikko Rantanen in a three-way deal with the Chicago Blackhawks, that also saw them acquire Taylor Hall.

Colorado gets its hands on Martin Necas and Jack Drury, both centers, and Carolina's 2025 second-round and 2026 fourth-round picks. Chicago gets a third-round selection and will have 50% of Rantanen's $9.25M in cap hit.

Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported Friday that no current extension for Rantanen is in place. Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos recently revealed Colorado extended an eight-year, $90M offer early in the season to re-sign Rantanen, but it wasn't an actual one.

In shock over Friday's trade, naturally, Rantanen, according to a report, was completely blindsided.

Colorado hadn't even bothered to go through the motions of actually offering him a contract in months, and many counted it a desperate ploy in trading him to Carolina, confused about a player who'd played for them singlehandedly for 10 years, winning a championship in 2022.

Selected 10th overall in 2015, having played 10 years with Colorado, one All-Star game, and 2022 Stanley Cup winner with Colorado, Rantanen has 25 goals, 39 assists, and 64 points in 49 games, and he has been rock-solid for Colorado, a pillar player.

The end of a glorious stint with Colorado, this Carolina trade instantly makes the Hurricanes a championship favorite.