Avalanche trade Rantanen to Hurricanes in 3-way megadeal

The Colorado Avalanche shook up the NHL in a big way Friday, trading superstar winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a blockbuster three-way deal, the teams announced.

The Avalanche are receiving forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury, plus a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-rounder, from the Hurricanes.

Carolina is also getting winger Taylor Hall and the rights to prospect Nils Juntorp - a 2022 sixth-round pick - from Chicago in the deal. The Blackhawks are retaining 50% of Rantanen's $9.25-million cap hit and getting their own 2025 third-rounder back from the Hurricanes as part of the trade.

Carolina center Jesperi Kotkaniemi was originally reported to be going to Colorado as part of the trade, but he's staying put with the Hurricanes.

Rantanen and Hall are pending unrestricted free agents. Necas ($6.5 million annually) and Drury ($1.75 million) are signed through next season.

It was reported last week that the Avalanche and Rantanen were in a contract stalemate. Rantanen is reportedly seeking a deal in the range of Leon Draisaitl's $14-million average annual value, while Colorado was hoping he'd take a number closer to Nathan MacKinnon's $12.6-million cap hit.

There were no advanced extension discussions between the Hurricanes and Rantanen's camp before the deal was completed, sources told The Athletic's Chris Johnston. Rantanen was reportedly "completely blindsided" by the trade.

Rantanen ranks sixth in the NHL with 64 points in 49 games this season. The 6-foot-4, 215-pound power forward is coming off back-to-back 100-point campaigns and was an integral piece of Colorado's 2022 Stanley Cup victory. While primarily a winger, he's dabbled at center over the years. The 28-year-old is still firmly in the prime of his career.

In Carolina, Rantanen can form a dynamic duo with fellow countryman Sebastian Aho. The two have played together for the Finnish national team on multiple occasions. The Canes entered Friday sitting second in both the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference in points.

The Avalanche are also contenders again this season. They currently sit in the Western Conference's first wild-card spot, though they're just two points back of second in the Central Division.

Necas, 26 years old and primarily a winger, is in the midst of his best season with 55 points through 49 contests. He notched a career-high 71 points in 2022-23. The Hurricanes reportedly shopped Necas in the offseason as a restricted free agent before ultimately signing him to a two-year deal. That's when preliminary discussions of a Rantanen-Necas swap first took place - initiated by the Avalanche - though the deal never got close, sources told Johnston.

The 24-year-old Drury has tallied three goals and nine assists in 39 appearances as a depth center. He'll help the Avalanche in the faceoff circle, where he's won 58.8% of his draws this season. His uncle - Chris Drury - played four seasons in Colorado from 1998-2002 and helped the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2001.

Hall is no longer the same player he was when he won the Hart Trophy in 2018, but the 33-year-old's still managed a respectable nine goals and 15 assists in 46 games with the Blackhawks this season.