A stunned Nathan MacKinnon tried to make sense of the Colorado Avalanche trading Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night.

The Colorado Avalanche were involved in one of the NHL's biggest recent blockbusters on Friday night when they sent star forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes as part of a three-team trade that brought them forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury.

Rantanen has been an essential member of the Avalanche's core since arriving in 2015-16, having won the Stanley Cup in 2021-22. Widely regarded as one of the NHL's premier offensive talents, he stands among the league's top five scorers over the last five seasons.

Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon spoke candidly about his feelings following the blockbuster trade that sent his longtime teammate Mikko Rantanen away from the only franchise he'd ever played for. "It's unfortunate," MacKinnon said, per DNVR Avalanche. “Losing a great friend, great teammate. I’m gonna miss him.

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NHL trade deadline is over a month away, with plenty of time for big moves, yet we’ve already seen a splash that can’t be topped. The Colorado Avalanche traded superstar winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Martin Necas in a move that will have massive ramifications this season and for years to come.

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Caption: The Penguins' Sidney Crosby, left, and fellow centre Connor McDavid, right, of the Oilers will sport the red Maple Leaf on their jerseys as first-time teammates next month at the 4 Nations Face-Off. (Justin Berl/Getty Images/File)

The word “blockbuster” gets thrown around a little too often in today’s NHL, often for trades unworthy of the term, in the same way that anything might feel like a five-star meal to a starving man. But the deal that dropped on Friday night? That one deserves the title, no questions asked.

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