The first anniversary of the initial three-team deal that brought Mikko Rantanen to Raleigh is coming up in the next few weeks, but the idea of revenge remains fresh on the minds of the Caniacs after his first visit to Raleigh on Tuesday. The Hurricanes got the last laugh in the win, with one major part of the second deal playing a big part.
I've said many times that it was a night that every Caniac will remember for a long time. However, none of us expected that it would go down quite like this, with another trade made before the trade deadline. In all, four teams combined for a pair of deals that are certain to shape seasons to come. Just look at what it has done already this season.
There are three main actors in the drama. The Chicago Blackhawks are the only one of the four teams for which I don't think things worked great. They served as a facilitator in the initial trade, sending Taylor Hall to Raleigh and eating half of Rantanen's contract. They got a pick out of it, but that's about it. Otherwise, I want to focus on how this trade affected the other three.
Rantanen got what he wanted and helped Dallas beat Colorado
At the heart of it all was Mikko Rantanen. The lifelong Avalanche was in the final season of his current deal, but this trade felt like it came out of left field. It certainly caught him off guard. It was evident early that his style didn't mesh well with the Hurricanes, scoring just two goals and six points in 13 games. By the time another trade was made, it felt like the right decision.
Rantanen being moved to the Stars was exactly what he wanted. He made that clear by agreeing to a long-term extension with the team as part of the trade. The Stars reaped the benefit immediately. Rantanen scored 18 points in 20 games to finish the regular season. Then, he bested his old team in the playoffs, scoring a hat trick in Game 7 to get the job done.
Things have been even better for both Rantanen and Dallas in his first full season. He's in the Top 6 in scoring this season with 61 points. Despite the jeering from the Caniacs on Tuesday, Rantanen provided a goal and an assist, albeit in a 6-3 loss. Dallas is firmly in the Top 3 of the Central Division, and they're looking like a threat for many seasons to come.
Colorado added another star to play with MacKinnon, Makar
When you're trying to reel in a big fish, you have to be willing to lose a big-time player. Martin Necas was the Hurricanes' leading scorer at the time of the deal. He'd been simply outstanding through 49 games. However, it was a risk you were willing to take, especially since it felt like he was going to be traded during the offseason before signing a short-term deal.
While Necas was good down the stretch last season, the Avalanche have really seen what he can do this season. He's in the Top 10 in scoring, forming an incredible duo with Nathan MacKinnon for the President's Trophy favorites. Necas inked the long-term deal he was looking for earlier in the year, proving that Denver is a perfect fit for him.
Lost in the shuffle was Jack Drury, who has been a perfectly serviceable center for the Avalanche. He's on pace to break double digits in goals for the first time in his career. Drury is also one of the best face-off guys in the league, winning almost 58 percent of his draws. He has one more season of team control before becoming a UFA.
Hall, Stankoven have provided plenty of spark for the Hurricanes
While Taylor Hall and Logan Stankoven lack the star power of Necas or Rantanen, they play their roles perfectly in the Canes' system. Hall spent a little more time with the group last season, and he really started to come on at the end of the year. There was a slight transition period, but things took off in March. Hall signed a three-year extension in April, keeping him in Raleigh a while longer.
Stankoven made his presence felt in his team debut after the trade with Dallas, scoring on the power play. His was a slower burn, though he took off in the playoffs. In Game 1 against New Jersey, he scored twice. He scored a massive goal in Game 1 against Washington. Stankoven was also one of the better Canes in the Eastern Conference Finals. It certainly earned him his new deal this summer.
This season, the pair looks far more comfortable. Through 45 games, they each have 22 points, with Stankoven scoring one more goal and Hall adding one more assist. They've spent a lot of time on a line recently, and it has helped Stankoven score goals in four straight games. Neither will provide the production of the players they were traded for on their own, but the Canes don't need them to.
It makes perfect sense that Colorado, Dallas, and Carolina are among the best teams in the league this season and will be three of the favorites to win the Stanley Cup in June. These two trades have positioned them for success this season, but it could prove incredibly beneficial for years to come, with all three signing players to big deals.
We rarely see a situation such as this work out for pretty much everyone. More often than not, someone is left in the dust. Instead, while the caliber of player might not be the same, I fail to see this as one team running away with it. Of course, all of that could change in the future, depending on who wins the most Cups. Until then, we must acknowledge that it worked out the way all trades should.