Mikko Rantanen had been the cornerstone of success for the Colorado Avalanche, a top-line right winger, a Stanley Cup champion, and a piece central to the franchise’s core. This is what made last week’s reported news of a trade that sent him from the Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes send shockwaves throughout the NHL. Stunned fans came in droves, while even within the Colorado locker room, such a move seemed sudden, unanticipated, and hard to grasp.

Trades of this size with a player of Rantanen’s caliber are rarely completed without much debate. In this case, however, it felt like a very quick decision, with many analysts and players scratching their heads. NHL veteran and analyst Bill Lindsay certainly had no problem voicing his opinion on Colorado’s front office regarding the move. On NHL Network, Lindsay questioned the reasoning behind the move, stating that it didn’t have good communication and wasn’t well thought out.

“Usually, you run it through the player,” Lindsay said. “You go to the agent and say, ‘We’re not on terms; we’re going to start shopping you. But it feels like they just decided to move him without warning.”

The lack of clarity didn’t stop at Rantanen. It reportedly went all the way up to head coach Jared Bednar and even team captain Nathan MacKinnon.

Mikko Rantanen, himself, could not believe that since he had come into the season willing to take a pay cut to stay in Colorado, instead, with no final discussions, he was outta here. The move really questions how the Avalanche handled this process, especially for a player who spent a decade with the team and helped to contribute to the championship legacy there. And to add insult to injury, the way Rantanen was informed of the deal was cloaked in controversy. He wasn’t afforded the respect of an extended conversation, let alone some form of negotiation. He got a call to the GM’s hotel room, where he was afforded a few minutes to process the information and told to pack his bags for Carolina.

The latter type of treatment may be what a depth player might get, but in the case of a franchise cornerstone such as Rantanen, it had many questioning the ethics of the decision.

Avalanche’s decision regarding Mikko Rantanen sparks fallout in the locker room

The reaction within the Colorado locker room further underscored the questionable handling of the trade. Players reportedly were in disbelief, as many learned through rumors rather than official communication. Some teammates were in a group chat, texting each other in shock over what had just happened. Even MacKinnon himself, one of the most influential guys on the roster, had not been given any forewarning.

Lindsay added that, with cap space and long-term planning perhaps the biggest roles, he and others had speculated that the trade would be a financially influenced one. But if Mikko Rantanen was openly willing to take a discount, there really wasn’t much clarity on the urgency, and one must wonder why the Avalanche didn’t see every avenue of retaining him.

Why wasn’t this kept in his ear? All of these beg questions, as many question Colorado’s front office and how they go about their roster decisions. While the dust may settle with Rantanen heading to Carolina, the debate about how the Avalanche handled this blockbuster trade will continue. Be it a move based on hard-nosed business or a rash mistake, there is one thing for sure: the way this event played out isn’t getting cleared from the minds of the NHL world anytime soon.