You can throw all of your Mikko Rantanen extension predictions by the Colorado Avalanche out the window. In a sudden twist of events, the Avalanche have decided to move Rantanen via trade with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Mikko Rantanen is going to from Colorado to Carolina
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) January 25, 2025
Rantanen was due to hit free agency in the upcoming offseason if he and the Avalanche were unable to come to terms on an extension agreement. Now it’s in the hands of the Hurricanes to figure out how to proceed.
Necas has 55 points in 49 games, which is broken down to 16 goals and 39 assists. He’ll fit somewhere in the top-six as he brings some versatility to the Mile High City with experience as a wing and center. Necas is 26-years-old, and has spent the last eight years with Carolina after going 12th overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.
The Avalanche are also reportedly receiving Jack Drury from Carolina. Drury is a 2018 second-round pick by the Hurricanes and has played in 153 games, recording 15 goals and 31 assists as a center.
The Avalanche have had questions in terms of the salary cap over the past couple of years since Gabriel Landeskog had been out with his knee injury and with many questions about when he could return. The Avalanche have had to be careful as to plan around it. Additionally, they had to figure out how to be compliant with the return of Valeri Nichushkin after his suspension was lifted after six months.
As a fan, the news of Rantanen’s departure stings, but that’s the cost of doing business sometimes. You’re not always going to like what your team does, but they feel like they’re doing the right thing for their future, specially if they were truly far apart in contract negotiations like it was reported in the past. If that’s the case, it’s a no-brainer move. Instead of letting him walk in free agency, you go out and get something for him.
As of right now, the details are still coming out every couple of minutes. We’ll have more about this blockbuster of a trade coming up.
We wish nothing but the best for Mikko Rantanen, as he moves on from his magnificent career with the Colorado Avalanche.