Avalanche trade Rantanen to Hurricanes in blockbuster deal
Mikko Rantanen was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in a massive three-team deal.
From Carolina, the Avalanche received forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick. Chicago received a 2025 third-round pick from Carolina in exchange for forward Taylor Hall and will retain 50% of Rantanen’s $9.25 million AAV salary.
Rantanen’s contract will expire at the end of the 2024-25 season. In his decade-long tenure with the Avs, Rantanen has 681 points in 620 career games, and with 64 points this season, he is ranked 6th in the NHL. With these numbers, Rantanen reportedly sought a contract similar to Edmonton’s Leon Draisaitl, whose recent 8-year, $14 million AAV deal makes him the highest-paid player in the league. Notably, Rantanen and Draisaitl are both represented by agent Andy Scott.
The Avalanche are projected to be $5,419,981 over the league salary cap at the end of the current season. They will need to plan for the future to retain core players like Cale Makar, whose $9 million AAV contract will expire at the end of the 2026-27 season. Though the salary cap is projected to increase next season, the Avs need flexible contracts to build a solid team around their remaining superstar players.
"It's clear we are not deep enough,” general manager Chris MacFarland said. “I think that you've got to be deep to go four rounds, and hopefully this is going to help that.”
This is a franchise-altering trade for the Avs. Rantanen, drafted 10th overall in 2015, ranks seventh for points in franchise history. He was a fundamental piece of the Avs’ 2022 Stanley Cup run, leading the team’s forwards with 26 points in 20 games.
Martin Necas led the Hurricanes with 55 points in 49 games. He’s a quick and dynamic skater, and his quick transition game is well-suited to the Avs’ playing style. After this season, Necas will have one year remaining on his $6.5 million contract.
Jack Drury is a hardworking bottom-six forward with a solid 56.3% face-off percentage. He follows in the footsteps of his uncle Chris Drury, who was a fan favorite with the Avs during their 2001 cup run. His contract, worth $1.725 million, will expire at the end of the 2025-26 season.
This trade signals a massive shift for the Avalanche, who look to extend their cup window while their core players are still in their prime. With multiple blockbuster trades already this season (the others being the acquisitions of goaltenders Mackenzie Blackwood and Scott Wedgewood) all eyes are on Chris MacFarland as the trade deadline inches closer.