Who says there is a Friday night news dump? The Carolina Hurricanes made serious headlines on Friday night as they Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche and Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks.
BREAKING: Sources tell @DailyFaceoff that #GoAvsGo are in the process of trading Mikko Rantanen to #Canes.
Sounds like this is a complex three-way deal and I believe Taylor Hall is also involved in the deal going to Carolina from Chicago.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) January 25, 2025
A couple of weeks ago, there was a report that if the Avalanche could not sign Rantanen to an extension, they would look to move him, as Full Press Hockey documented.
Renaud Lavoie says if Colorado can’t extend Rantanen they will trade him
— David (@DcalabrettaTFP) January 9, 2025
However, the only way Rantanen was getting traded from Colorado was for another superstar player. As mentioned, say the Avalanche wanted to trade Rantanen to the Vancouver Canucks they would need Elias Pettersson in return.
?Night Cap Recap ?
Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall heading into the Carolina Hurricanes #goavsgo #raiseup #blackhawks pic.twitter.com/vQxrdTpatz
— Jim Biringer (@JimBiringer) January 25, 2025
Well, the Avalanche got that with the acquisition of Martin Necas and Jack Drury from Carolina. Meanwhile, the Chicago Blackhawks will get a third-round pick to retain 50 percent of Rantanen’s salary, which is about $4.6 million. Colorado also gets as part of the deal a 2025 2nd Round Pick and a 2026 4th Round Pick.
Big deal looks something like this:
Carolina: Mikko Rantanen, Taylor Hall
Colorado: Martin Necas, Jack Drury
Chicago: third-round pick, 50 per cent of Rantanen salaryThe big question becomes: can the Hurricanes convince Rantanen to sign? Sebastian Aho will lead the lobbying
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 25, 2025
The Colorado Avalanche were at an impasse with Mikko Rantanen. Rantanen was looking for $14 million on a new contract extension. That is more than what Nathan MacKinnon makes at $12.6 million. Rantanen was an unrestricted free agent and was eligible to sign an extension on July 1st.
However, once Leon Draisatil signed his deal with the Edmonton Oilers and the market was set at $14 million, you knew Rantanen wanted that number and more. In 619 regular season games, Rantane had 691 points (287 goals and 394 assists). Rantanen just recorded back-to-back 100-point seasons. So it was going to take a lot to replace his production.
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But they are good a good player in return in Martin Necas, who has this year and next at $6.5 million. He is eligible to sign an extension on July 1, 2025, and it will be easier to get him under the $12.6 million if Avalanche decides to extend him.
Necas has recorded 55 points (16 goals and 39 assists) in 49 games this season, with Carolina playing in a top-six role. Those numbers could increase playing alongside MacKinnon.
This is the second year in a row that the Hurricanes have acquired an unrestricted free agent. Jake Guentzel was acquired before the deadline last year from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Now, the Hurricanes are getting Rantanen without an extension involved. It may be easier for him to sign an extension with a $13-$14 million AAV with Carolina.
We know the Carolina Hurricanes were active in the trade market. Carolina was in discussion with the Vancouver Canucks about J.T. Miller as RG Media reported, but was also talking to Colorado about Rantanen.
Canucks and Carolina were talking all day. Everything was available for Carolina. Decided to go with Rantanen. https://t.co/qCymzNdCzT
— Irfaan Gaffar (@irfgaffar) January 25, 2025
Remember when Carolina and Vancouver talked about Necas for Pettersson last year? Colorado added Drury and Necas to replace the production of Rantanen, whom they just could not sign. So, the irons were hot enough to make a deal, and the Avalanche took the best one available and did not wait.
This is a huge blockbuster trade, and now the Colorado Avalanche may not be done, as they have cap space to add. We know they need a center, and Sidney Crosby, a player from Nova Scotia who plays for Pittsburgh, could head to Colorado to play with MacKinnon. Again, that will probably not happen as Crosby owns a no-movement clause and is untouchable, but Colorado will look for a center.
Colorado is not done adding, so we will wait and see. But the Avalaby movingwaves moving out Mikko Rantanen when most thought he would stay except a handful.
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