Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon breaks silence on Mikko Rantanen's trade, with dig at the front office

The Colorado Avalanche completed a blockbuster trade in the NHL as they shipped Mikko Rantanen off to the Carolina Hurricanes, in a move that made waves all over the league. Though a bold decision, star Nathan MacKinnon was not happy to see the trade go down, as he sent a very strong message to the organization.

Amid a disappointing slump, the Avalanche believed moving on from one of their best players, before he turned into an unrestricted free agent during the upcoming offseason, was the best move. It’s safe to say not many inside the Avs’ locker room thought alike.

After Rantanen was sent to the Carolina Hurricanes, in exchange for Martin Necas and Jack Drury, team star MacKinnon dropped a very honest admission about the move.

“It’s pretty crazy someone like that getting traded right now,” MacKinnon said, via The Denver Gazette. “He’s a big, big part of our team, our culture. He’s been here from the dog days in 2016-17 all the way up to now and helped grow these organization into a Stanley Cup winner. That’s just one part of it.

Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche arrives for their game against the St Louis Blues during Game One of the Second Round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena at Ball Arena on May 17, 2022 in Denver, Colorado.

“I’m upset about the loss, but obviously, bigger picture, losing Mikko…it’s just sad,” MacKinnon admitted shorty after the 3-1 loss against the Boston Bruins during the Avs’ first game without Rantanen. “I don’t know exactly what happened. I called Mikko pretty shortly after, we talked close to 20 minutes. It’s just unfortunate, obviously, losing a great friend, great teammate. I’m going to miss him.“

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Similar situation

During the 2021 offseason, the Avalanche signed captain Gabriel Landeskog to an eight-year contract extension with just hours before the deadline. Many believed the Avalanche would do everything on their power to keep Rantanen on the roster, though the winger was seeking higher compensation than Landeskog’s $7million AAV.

Regardless, it came as a big surprise when Colorado decided to ship their iconic core player off to Raleigh. MacKinnon didn’t expect the trade to happen, whatsoever.

Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Colorado Avalanche celebrates following Game Six of the 2022 NHL Stanley Cup Final at Amalie Arena on June 26, 2022 in Tampa, Florida. The Avalanche defeated the Lightning 2-1.

“It’s just tough. You don’t want to get in someone’s business,” MacKinnon told reporters. “I remember when (Landeskog) didn’t sign, it went to like the last hour, so I just assumed it would be kind of the same thing. I never thought in a million years he’d leave, so yeah, it just sucks.”

Turn the page

Though Rantanen’s departure is a huge blow to the culture in Denver, the Avalanche must put the trade on the rearview mirror and hold down the pedal as they chase a Stanley Cup Playoff berth in the Western Conference.

The Avalanche snapped a three-game losing streak with a big 5-4 win against the New York Rangers on the road. The Avs scored the game-winning goal with mere seconds remaining, silencing Madison Square Garden in dramatic fashion.