"Trade came as a surprise to me": Emotional Mikko Rantanen bids heartfelt farewell to Colorado Avalanche after being traded to Carolinas Hurricanes

Mikko Rantanen’s blockbuster trade to the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday is still making waves. The Finnish forward was reportedly in the dark about leaving the Colorado Avalanche, with whom he won the Stanley Cup in 2022.

In a farewell message posted on Instagram on Sunday night, Rantanen all but confirmed he didn't know about the move.

“The trade to the Carolina Hurricanes came as a surprise to me, and it is still sinking in,” Rantanen wrote. “That said, I am incredibly excited to join such a talented team and I can’t wait to get to work and contribute to their success this season.”

The hockey star also wished his former Avalanche teammates, the franchise and the fans all the best:

"To my Colorado Avalanche teammates, the incredible fans in Denver and the entire organization, words cannot fully express how much these past 10 years have meant to me.

"Winning the Stanley Cup here was a dream come true, and sharing that moment with all of you is something I will cherish forever."

The news about the three-way Rantanen deal involving the Hurricanes, Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks broke on Friday.

Veteran hockey insider Andy Strickland posted on X that the trade had come as a surprise to Rantanen.

“Mikko Rantanen was completely caught off guard by the trade and was very upset,” Strickland said. “Colorado showed very little to no interest in attempting to re-sign him over the last several months. This was a panic move by Colorado.”

Why didn't the Avalanche re-sign Mikko Rantanen?

On Saturday, hockey pundits were scrutinizing the impact of the trade from every angle and dissecting the exact way it went down.

Pierre LeBrun, a hockey columnist for The Athletic, broke the news that Mikko Rantanen was likely expecting a new contract at Colorado and was willing to continue negotiating throughout the season.

"In fact, both sides had more contract talks this past week," LeBrun said. "Just couldn't find enough common ground. The Avs, in the end, made the calculation they were never going to get there on a number."

NHL insider Elliotte Friedman also opined on why Colorado had not settled the contract negotiations with the star for months.

"I just think the Avalanche didn't want to go where Rantanen was going to cost them, and they made the decision," Friedman said via the NHL Network.

The analysts also claimed that the Hurricanes signed Mikko Rantanen after talks with the Vancouver Canucks over J.T. Miller stalled.