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

Facing the prospect of Colorado's star winger Mikko Rantanen becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season, general manager Chris MacFarland felt the timing was right to deal him away and bolster the Avalanche's roster for the future.

Colorado Avalanche shock the NHL by trading high-scoring Mikko Rantanen to Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas

Chris MacFarland pointed to Rantanen’s pending free agency and the club’s desire to get deeper after three years of being short in that department as reasons for the trade. The NHL’s salary cap ceiling, which is set at $88 million this year but is expected to rise — possibly significantly — in the next couple of seasons is also a factor.

After that game, Avalanche players finally had a chance to publicly react to the trade, and the team's best player, Nathan MacKinnon, had one of the stronger reactions.

The Carolina Hurricanes are wasting no time introducing their latest acquisition to the organization. After swinging a massive trade for superstar Mikko Rantane

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates with the bench after scoring against Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)

The Rangers look to rebound from a disappointing loss to the Avalanche. After facing Martin Necas and Jack Drury with their new team Sunday, New York gets to take on Mikko Rantanen on his. The Blueshirts are on the midst of a critical and rough seven game stretch leading into the 4 Nations Faceoff with games against Boston (home and away),

The Buffalo Sabres 7-2 victory over the Boston Bruins on Tuesday was a positive moment in an otherwise dreary and disappointing season. Tage Thompson and JJ Peterka each registered a hat trick; the first time that a pair of Sabres have scored hat tricks in 17 years (Drew Stafford and Derek Roy did it in January 2008 against Atlanta),

Determining just how deflating their 4-0 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes was for New York Rangers. Plus lates form NHL, including Kirill Kaprizov surgery and Sidney Crosby trade rumors nixed.

The #NYR have the distinction of allowing the first post-trade point to everyone in the Mikko Rantanen blockbuster. Rantanen and Taylor Hall each have assists tonight, their first points as Hurricanes. Jack Drury scored against NY on Sunday, and Martin Nečas had two assists.