Despite being a fan favorite and a key part of the Avalanche's recent success, the salary-cap reality forced their hand.

Carolina Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky is explaining his reasons for pushing for Mikko Rantanen, in a trade with the Colorado Avalanche. Carolina engaged in a trade with the Avalanche, as well as Chicago on Friday. The end result is that Rantanen is now a Hurricane.

Speaking to The Athletic’s Peter Baugh on Monday, Rantanen shared his thoughts on the trade, his contract talks with the Avalanche and his new chapter in Carolina. Most interestingly, Rantanen confirmed that he was "ready to take a significant discount" to stay in Colorado, as initially reported by Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

Mikko Rantanen's trade from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes shocked the NHL world on Saturday, but it didn't take him long to fit in with his new team.

Here are three blockbuster Avalanche trade targets in the wake of the stunning Mikko Rantanen trade with the Hurricanes.

The Colorado Avalanche have traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes, according to multiple reports. Once official, this will be one of the most stunning transactions in franchise history. Martin Necas and Jack Drury are coming to Colorado as part of the deal,

The Colorado Avalanche has traded Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in one of the most stunning transactions in franchise history.

The word “blockbuster” gets thrown around a little too often in today’s NHL, often for trades unworthy of the term, in the same way that anything might feel like a five-star meal to a starving man. But the deal that dropped on Friday night? That one deserves the title, no questions asked.

Who won Friday night's blockbuster that saw Mikko Rantanen go from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes?

After the blockbuster trade, the Hurricanes are the favorites to come out of the East with a 12.7 percent chance of winning the Cup.

The Carolina Hurricanes had a big shakeup to their roster last night, adding superstar winger Mikko Rantanen and forward Taylor Hall in exchange for Martin Necas and Jack Drury. The two forward made their way to New York today and are in the lineup for the Canes' 7:30 game against the New York Islanders.