Rantanen said he thought talks with the Avs had been productive before the shocking trade to the Canes: "I didn’t know we were in a rush."

The Avalanche began the process of moving on with its first win since the deal Sunday afternoon against the Rangers. Drury scored a goal. Necas was dynamic, collecting two assists and hitting both the crossbar and post with shots while playing in Rantanen’s old spot next to MacKinnon.

The Avalanche made one of the biggest trades in Colorado sports history last week when it sent away star forward Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes in a deal that included the Blackhawks. In return, the Avs received forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury, plus a pair of draft picks (2025 second-rounder and 2026 fourth-rounder).

The Blackhawks could expedite their painstaking rebuilding process and be significant players in free agency this summer.

The Avalanche have been making major changes to their roster all season. But there's a former Av who is a free agent -- and a potential reunion for him in Colorado is intriguing.

Mikko Rantanen says he was willing to take a discount to stay with the Avalanche before the Hurricanes trade happened.

There were many teams that were shocked that the Colorado Avalanche traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. One

Will he re-sign in Carolina after this season -- and if not, where else? And what will other contenders do to keep pace ahead of the March 7 deadline?

The Colorado Avalanche has traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in one of the most stunning transactions in franchise history.

The trade that saw the superstar dealt to Carolina sent shockwaves through the league and up and down the Colorado franchise.

In a blockbuster NHL trade, the Colorado Avalanche have sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for Martin Necas. Taylor Hall will also be going from the Chicago Blackhawks to the Hurricanes as part of the three-way deal.