Reports: Avalanche Deal Star Winger Rantanen In Stunning, Three-Team Blockbuster Trade

According to multiple reports, the Colorado Avalanche stunned the hockey world Friday by trading star winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team deal.

As per multiple reports Friday night, the Colorado Avalanche pulled off a shocking, blockbuster three-team trade that will send star right winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in return for a package that brings forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury to the Avs. The Chicago Blackhawks also were part of this trade, although they were involved more as a trade facilitator on the salary cap front by retaining half of Rantanen's salary this season. Full details of the trade were unconfirmed, but THN.com will update this breaking news story as details come available.

Trading Rantanen at the height of his prime is a stunning move, to say the least. The 28-year-old was slated to be a UFA at the end of this season and he's earning $9.25 million per season, but Avs GM Chris MacFarland made a pre-emptive move by sending Rantanen packing. Rantanen leaves Colorado as a Stanley Cup champion and an all-time great Avalanche star.

Coming to the Avs is Necas, a 26-year-old center who is making $6.5 million both this season and next season. He currently has 39 assists and 55 points in 49 games this year. Meanwhile, Drury is a 24-year-old forward making $1.725 million, and he's posted six assists and nine points in 39 games. What the Avalanche lose in star power in Rantanen, they get back in terms of forward depth. And with both Necas and Drury signed beyond this season, there's a cost-certainty for Colorado that wasn't going to be there with Rantanen unable to come to terms on a contract extension.

Needless to say, this is one of the biggest trades in Avalanche history, and certainly the biggest trade in Hurricanes history. Colorado did not want to let Rantanen leave on the UFA market for nothing in return, and now, they have an elite player in Necas, and a building block for the future in Drury. 

You can't say the Avs are afraid of swinging for the fences in the trades they make -- and now, the makeup of the Avalanche has taken a dramatic turn. Time will tell whether this move was the right one, but for the moment, at least, Colorado has taken their future into their own hands and came away with a drastically different lineup. 

UPDATE: The Avalanche will also be receiving Carolina's second-round pick at this summer's draft, as well as the Hurricanes' fourth-round pick in 2026.