NHL.com’s fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we take a look at the blockbuster trade between the Carolina Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche.
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Forward Mikko Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes from the Colorado Avalanche on Friday, boosting their Metropolitan Division title and Stanley Cup chances this season. In return, the Avalanche acquired forward Martin Necas, pairing two of the NHL’s fastest players in him and Nathan MacKinnon.
Rantanen, who ranks fourth in the NHL in points (431 in 338 games) over the past five seasons combined, played mostly on a line with MacKinnon, the reigning Hart Trophy winner, at even strength and on the first power play in his career. Now Rantanen, who’s 28 years old and a potential unrestricted free agent after this season, joins Carolina and fellow Finland-born forward Sebastian Aho; in terms of career points per game among active Finland-born players, Rantanen (1.10) and Aho (0.94) rank first and third, respectively; Aleksander Barkov of the Florida Panthers is second (0.97).
While Rantanen may not put up as lofty totals moving away from MacKinnon, he’s still one of the most dynamic power forwards in the game, can play center or wing at an elite level and has excelled in plenty of advanced stats categories. Rantanen should see plenty of ice time with Aho, but, if Rantanen plays center, he could also address the second-line hole the Hurricanes have had at the position in recent seasons and still skate with Aho on the first power play.
Per NHL EDGE stats, Rantanen ranks in the 95th percentile in three categories: offensive zone time percentage at all strengths (47.0), midrange goals (eight) and midrange shots on goal (50). He’s also among the League’s best in total skating distance (159.97 miles; 97th percentile), top shot speed (92.09 miles per hour; 90th percentile) and top skating speed (22.89; 84th percentile).
The Hurricanes have won at least one postseason round in each of the past six seasons but have yet to reach the Stanley Cup Final since winning the championship in 2006. Carolina has the best 5-on-5 shot attempts percentage (59.2), and, per NHL EDGE stats, leads the League in offensive zone time percentage (47.1). Carolina (63 points through 49 games) is currently second in the Metropolitan Division standings behind the Washington Capitals (71 in 48 games).
Rantanen is one of the NHL’s top playoff performers; he ranks fourth among active players in career playoff points per game (1.25) behind Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (1.58), Leon Draisaitl (1.46) and his now former teammate MacKinnon (1.30) and helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022.
Last season, Carolina made a splash to land wing Jake Guentzel from the Pittsburgh Penguins prior to the NHL Trade Deadline but failed to break through in the second round of the playoffs against the New York Rangers; Guentzel was then traded to and signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the offseason.
This is the biggest in-season NHL trade in recent memory considering Rantanen ranks sixth in points (64 in 49 games) this season, while Necas is tied for 11th (55 in 49 games). Per NHL EDGE stats, Necas has the fastest max skating speed (24.49 mph) in the League and ranks third in 20-plus mph speed bursts (240) behind only his new teammate MacKinnon (361) and McDavid (266). Necas has a chance to sustain his breakout season if he plays on the top line and first power play with MacKinnon, who leads the NHL in points (75 in 49 games) and assists (56) this season.
Necas has an impressive EDGE stats profile and has an even better offensive zone time percentage (48.8; 98th percentile) and top shot speed (94.62; 96th percentile) than Rantanen. Necas also ranks highly in total skating distance (151.56; 95th percentile), midrange shots on goal (40; 90th percentile), midrange goals (six; 89th percentile) and average shot speed (62.14 mph; 86th percentile).
Also a part of this three-team trade was forward Taylor Hall going from the Chicago Blackhawks to Carolina, where he can be an important secondary scorer for a potential deep postseason run. Hall, who won the Hart Trophy with the New Jersey Devils in 2018, gives Carolina back some of the speed they lost in giving up Necas; Hall ranks in the 86th percentile in 20-plus mph speed bursts (93; 86th percentile).
Hall has bounce-back potential in Carolina with a much better supporting cast than he had in Chicago, where he was not always skating on the top line with elite center Connor Bedard when healthy; Hall was limited to 10 games because of injury last season, his first with the Blackhawks. This season, in terms of skating distance, Hall ranked highly in average per 60 minutes at all strengths (10.29 miles; 92nd percentile) and especially on the power play (10.65; 99th percentile).
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More: NHL EDGE stats for Rantanen | Necas
