Rantanen wasn’t done moving, either. He declined to sign a contract extension with the Hurricanes before the trade deadline, so one of the 10-15 best players in the world was traded again, and this time to the franchise that knocked the Avalanche out of the playoffs in 2020 and 2024.

Mikko Rantanen was at ease Friday when talking about the excitement of starting the playoffs, which the standout forward experienced with the Colorado Avalanche each of the past seven seasons that included a Stanley Cup title.

Rantanen, selected by Colorado with the No. 10 pick of the 2015 NHL Draft, spent 10 seasons with the Avalanche. He went from the lowest of lows, finishing last in the NHL in 2016-17, to the highest of highs, winning the Stanley Cup in 2021-22, and was a key part of their rise.