The fallout from the NHL’s biggest blockbuster trade of the past season continues to be seen, as all the main players involved in the trade tree – Dallas Stars right winger Mikko Rantanen, Carolina Hurricanes center Logan Stankoven, and Colorado Avalanche left winger Martin Necas – all continue to be active in their team’s Stanley Cup playoff action.
Let’s break down how each of Necas, Rantanen and Stankoven have been doing since the two trades were consummated:
1. Mikko Rantanen
As the only Cup-winner of the players involved in these two main trades – sending him first from Colorado to Carolina, then from the Hurricanes to the Stars – Rantanen has the highest expectations on him.
While Rantanen didn’t adjust well to the ‘Canes in his brief time with the team – posting only two goals and six points in 13 games – the 28-year-old performed far better after being shipped out to Dallas, putting up 13 assists and 18 points in 20 games as a Star.
Rantanen hasn’t found his playoff footing thus far with Dallas, generating just one assist in three post-season games against the Avalanche. But considering his career post-season statistics – 34 goals and 102 points in 84 playoff games – it’s safe to say Rantanen will almost assuredly ratchet up his game this spring. He’s too talented and too accomplished not to be a significant post-season point producer.
2. Martin Necas
In 49 games with the Hurricanes prior to the trade, Necas was averaging 1.12 points per game, with 39 assists and 55 points. And in 30 regular-season games with the Avalanche, Necas was still highly productive, posting 17 assists and 28 points.
Meanwhile, in Colorado’s first three playoff games, the 26-year-old is tied with Rantanen, the star he was traded for, with one assist. Like Rantanen, Necas also has played significantly better in previous playoffs, as Necas had 19 assists and 30 points in 59 career playoff games before the current post-season.
Given that Colorado has superstars Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, Necas doesn’t have to do all the heavy lifting for the Avs. But the Avalanche definitely need more from Necas if they’re going to eliminate Dallas and get at least to the second round.
3. Logan Stankoven
As the centerpiece in the second trade that sent Rantanen from Carolina to Dallas, Stankoven immediately became a big piece of the puzzle for the Hurricanes. And right away, Stankoven hit the ground running, putting up five goals and nine points in 19 regular-season games for a points-per-game average of 0.47 – nearly identical to the 0.49 points-per-game average he had in 59 games when he generated 20 assists and 29 points for the Stars prior to the trade.
Stankoven posted three goals and eight points in 19 games in his first taste of playoff action with the Stars last season, and in the current post-season, Stankoven has two goals in three games for the ‘Canes. Stankoven’s importance to Carolina’s playoff aspirations is only going to grow, but as the youngest star player in this trade tree, Stankoven has plenty of runway left to evolve into a major-league difference-maker.
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