Mikko Rantanen is no longer part of the Colorado Avalanche. What led to this? How did it happen? Why did it happen?
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All that and more on this edition of Deen’s Daily — January 25.
Colorado Hockey Now
The Avs sent shockwaves through the hockey world on Friday night, trading superstar Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and more.
The deal is tough to stomach. But it starts to make more sense as you dig into all the many reasons why the team felt this was necessary. Even if it’s a calculated gamble, it still comes with a lot of risk. Catch my complete in-depth review of the trade here. This one’s behind the paywall but you can get 25% off an annual subscription with promo code Deen10.
Chris Johnston of the Athletic also wrote an analysis of the deal. The part that stuck out most to me was when he said Rantanen was completely blindsided by the trade. He had no idea it was coming.
I can’t imagine what it’s like to go through something like that. From a hockey standpoint, there’s a lot of excitement from Hurricanes fans and players. Sebastian Aho is one of Rantanen’s closest friends. But the human element is hard to ignore. Rantanen and the Avs flew to Boston on Friday. At the time the trade was announced, he was probably somewhere in a hotel room or around his now former teammates winding down on a Friday night for an early 1 p.m. ET puck drop in Boston on Saturday. Then, this happens, and you have to juggle emotions, adrenaline, and logistics all at once. I’ll miss Rantanen. He was one of the best on the ice and in the room. Salt of the Earth type of guy.
Have you subscribed to the Rinkside with Aarif Deen Podcast? Listen to my late Friday night episode — Stunner: Avalanche Trade Mikko Rantanen | January 24, 2025
Around the NHL
NYI Hockey Now: The Islander signed controversial Tony DeAngelo. He’ll have to clear waivers before joining the team.
Vegas Hockey Now: Central Division Dallas Stars defeated the Golden Knights on Friday.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: On the trade front, the Pens are being linked to Buffalo Sabres prospects.
