The Colorado Avalanche has traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes, according to multiple reports. Rantanen is in the final year of his contract and can be an unrestricted free agent in July. He leads the Avs with 25 goals and has 64 points, which was sixth in the NHL entering Friday night’s games.

The Colorado Avalanche have traded 28-year-old star forward Mikko Rantanen. The team confirmed the move late Friday night.

The hockey world turned upside down on Friday when the Colorado Avalanche sent star forward Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes.Colorado shifted its attention to a Saturday game against the Boston Bruins in which it dropped 3-1,

Colorado Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland said it was a "tough business decision" to trade star winger Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes

Facing the prospect of Colorado’s star winger Mikko Rantanen becoming an unrestricted free agent after this season, general manager Chris MacFarland felt the timing was right to deal him away and bolster the Avalanche’s roster for the future.

The Colorado Avalanche stunningly traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday night, and he was reportedly blindsided.

The NHL's sixth-leading scorer heads to Carolina, while Martin Necas, Jack Drury, and picks head to Colorado, with Chicago also involved in the deal.

Colorado Avalanche right wing Mikko Rantanen (96) celebrates with the bench after scoring against Dallas Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger (29) during the second period of Game 3 of an NHL Stanley Cup second-round playoff series Saturday, May 11, 2024, at Ball Arena in Denver. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)

According to Elliotte Friedman, speaking on NHL Network Radio, and Frank Seravalli, doing so on Prime's "NHL Coast to Coast," negotiations between Rantanen’s camp and the Avalanche are at a standstill, and how the team handles the situation before the trade deadline will shape its future.

The Hurricanes made a statement move well in advance of the NHL trade deadline. Carolina GM Eric Tulsky explained the team’s move.

The Colorado Avalanche were at an impasse with Mikko Rantanen in terms of getting a contract done. There were talks at the beginning of the season as the unrestricted free agent was eligible to sign a new contract on July 1st,