With rumors flying around the hockey world, General Manager Eric Tulsky made the first big move of the trade season on Friday night. Frankly, to call it "big" would be a disservice to the word big. It's more like "gargantuan." The Carolina Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks completed a trade that landed the Canes Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall.
Taylor Hall is a former top pick, drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2010. His career has been very unconventional, including stops in New Jersey, Arizona, Buffalo, Boston, and Chicago during his 15 years in the league. Hall won the Hart Trophy in 2018, scoring a career-high 39 goals and 93 points. He hasn't had the career of a #1 pick, but he could provide incredible offensive value.
The big catch in the deal is Mikko Rantanen from the Avalanche. In the final year of his current contract, Rantanen is a certified producer, spending a lot of time next to Nathan MacKinnon at even strength and on the power play. The tenth pick in the loaded 2015 draft, Rantanen has put up back-to-back 100-point seasons. He's Top 10 in goals (25) and points (64) this season.
Acquiring big pieces means giving up a good bit. Along with a few picks, the centerpiece in the package for Rantanen is Martin Necas. It's no secret that contract negotiations and trade rumors have surrounded Necas for several years. It felt like he was all but gone during the offseason before agreeing to a two-year bridge deal. Necas was on fire to begin the season and while he slowed down a little, he was starting to find it again. His 55 points paced the group through 49 games.
Along with Necas, the Canes are sending Jack Drury to Colorado. Drury established himself as a full-time NHLer last season, playing 78 games after suiting up for 40 combined in the two years before. He scored eight goals and 27 points last season, but he's struggled to find points this season. While the points have been limited, Drury is a 200-foot player, deployed on the penalty kill and in some high-leverage situations.
At face value, this is an excellent and aggressive move for the Carolina Hurricanes. Bringing in one of the most talented scorers in the league and a former Hart winner shows the team is going for it all. Giving up Necas stings and Drury is a great fourth-line center, but you'd think the overall swap favors the Canes by a considerable margin.
The biggest question hanging over the deal is Mikko Rantanen's expiring contract. The Finnish winger is set to hit the market this summer and his asking price will be very high. Current rumors state he is looking at around $14 million. It sounds too big, but I think the Canes could pull it off. Dmitry Orlov, Brent Burns, Frederik Andersen, Jack Roslovic, and more are also pending UFAs, and Necas' $6.5 million is now in Colorado. The Canes can look internally to fill some spots, leaving room for a big contract for Rantanen.
Obviously, we won't know who "won" the trade until further down the line, but the growing sense around Caniac Nation is that of excitement and anticipation. It's the biggest trade in recent memory and could be in the conversation to be the franchise's biggest ever. Eric Tulsky is swinging big in his first season as the GM.