The Carolina Hurricanes are taking a big swing.
Carolina acquired two-time 40-goal scorer and Stanley Cup champion Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche and former NHL MVP Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks in a blockbuster trade Friday night.
Colorado received Martin Necas and Jack Drury from Carolina in the deal, along with a second-round pick and fourth-round pick. Chicago gets a third-round pick, helping to facilitate the deal by retaining 50% of Rantanen’s salary.
Carolina Hurricanes trade grade
Grade: B+
For the Hurricanes, the move for Rantanen is all about raising the ceiling.
Rantanen, 28, has been one of the NHL’s most productive wingers in recent seasons, putting up back-to-back 40-goal, 100-point campaigns (including 55 goals in 2022-23) and helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup in 2022. He’s also a pending unrestricted free agent poised to see his average annual value increase from the $9.25 million he was already making.
In a perfect world, the Hurricanes and Rantanen will be able to come to an extension. The fact we don’t yet know if an extension is in place is the only thing really holding this deal back from being an A. Worst-case scenario: This is last year’s Jake Guentzel trade, on steroids.
Even if an extension doesn’t come, Rantanen is the kind of high-end difference-maker who could help Carolina finally break through. The Hurricanes have been knocking on the door for years but haven’t reached the Stanley Cup Final in 19 years, with two conference finals appearances and three second-round exits since 2019.
Hall, 33, isn’t the player he was when he won the MVP award in 2018, but he’s still a solid enough depth option and will likely put up more points playing for a significantly better team.
Colorado Avalanche trade grade
Grade: C+
This deal seems to indicate Rantanen and the Avalanche did not see a path forward. Colorado already has one of the league’s most expensive players in MVP Nathan MacKinnon ($12.6 million AAV) and it frankly will be a surprise if defenseman Cale Makar does not clear the $10 million a year mark when his contract expires after the 2026-27 season.
Losing a homegrown player like Rantanen always hurts, but for a competing Colorado team, landing Necas will help soften the blow. Necas, 26, is actually the Hurricanes’ leading scorer right now (55 points in 49 games) and has another year left on his contract at a great price ($6.5 million AAV).
Drury, 24, is a young depth option under team control. And it never hurts to add picks.
NHL insider Chris Johnston says there is ‘more to come in Colorado.’
Chicago Blackhawks trade grade
Grade: C
Not much to see here. One of the worst teams in the league ships out Hall and gets a pick to help make the deal happen. Thus is the life of a rebuilding team already thinking about the draft lottery.