Should Avs GM be fired for the Rantanen trade backfire?

[Lloyd Braun]

I mean, this is the all-time backfire of backfires.

They trade their 100 point superstar, cause they were a little over $1 million off in negotiations for an extension.
They get a nice player in Necas, but he isn't even close to Mikko. Jack Drury was a throw-in.

Rantanen gets 11 points in the final 3 games to beat his former team. Scores a third period hatty in game 7. First in NHL history. What's worse is that Drury was awful and led directly to Dallas' game winning goal, by taking an inexcusable penalty in the final 5 minutes. He just ripped his opponent to the ice away from the puck, making it impossible for the refs to ignore.

Necas did not score a point in game 7. Had only 1 goal in the series and was pointless in 4 of 7 games. Drury had no points in his final five games in the series, but he did manage to take a series losing penalty in his 10 minutes of ice time last night.

Colorado will claim that they needed to trade Rantanen so that they didn't lose him in FA. Don't fall for that [nonsense]. That would mean they traded him over a silly 1% of the Salary CAP.

They refuse to go over the $12.6 million per that MacKinnon is inked to. That's great news for everyone in the Western Conference. Colorado has publicly admitted they will not trade for, sign, or re-sign any players until 2032... if said player is a threat to overtake Nate's contract that he signed in 2022 before the CAP increase.

Smart business. Love to see it, cause Colorado couldn't be any easier to dislike and root against.

[zamadoo]

It was very interesting to watch unfold.

Dallas likely inked him @ $12M due to being in Texas with lower taxes vs COL (if he was truly seeking more than MacKinnon and that was the reason COL chose not to re-sign him).

Great move by Dallas, as they've got aging vets coming off the books and would've needed to fill that top-6 somehow. Now they've got some top dogs inked for 3+ seasons and can stay very competitive with a nice prospect pool to fill in the gaps on the cheap. By signing and extending, they didn't have to worry about acquiring him or someone else in the offseason, and managed to get it done to help this season with LTIR.

Tough price, as they gave 2 1sts, 2 3rds, and Stankoven, but they got a beast of a player back who is likely better now than Stank will ever be. I was happy to see Rantanen leave the Central and West, and now here he is back for the long haul on the team we will face if we win tonight.

I was hoping somehow the Blues could land him, but at that price (both in acquisition cost and salary) that was just a pipe dream.

[rangergiff]

No. In my opinion Colorado needs a goaltender more than another top end forward. Check out how Toronto has done to see it. Edmonton is another example. At least The Oilers have made it to the finals.

[TheHighHat]

This year's trades were a disaster for MacFarland.
He trades Rantanen and somehow does not get back a 1st rounder in the deal.
Necas was the prize return in the trade. He only has 1 year left on his deal.

MacFarland then trades away a 1st rounder in 26 which by all accounts is going to be a deeper draft than 25 to the Isles.
Nelson was a big disappointment in the playoffs and is now an UFA.
Coyle was also a disappointment and only has 1 year left on his contract which is a good thing for the Avs.

Colorado currently does not have a pick in the first 3 rounds of the next 2 drafts.
They lose in the 1st round to a team without their best d-man and their 1st line LW
How are they going to keep up with the Joneses in the West?

Yes, the Avs still have 2 of the top 4 players in the game on their roster, but MacKinnon will be 30 before the 25-26 season starts and Makar will break the bank with his next contract which is probably the main reason they traded Rantanen anyway.

BTW: You know who doesn't look quite as bad right now? E. Tulsky, the Canes GM.
He basically traded Necas, Drury, a 2nd, and a 4th for:
Stankoven
Hall
Two 1st rounders and a 3rd rounder.

Necas will put up pretty good numbers playing with the 3rd best center in the game, but was not a Brind'Amour type playoff player.
Drury is a 4C

Those 2 1st rounders that the Canes hold in 26 might be bargaining chips at next year's TDL.
Maybe by then they'll figure out they need a major 2C upgrade to make them legit Cup contenders.

[moose-and-squirrel]

all the being said, with 4pts last night, was just a +1

makar had zero pts.. Mac just 1 iirc

[The Original Nick]

How MacKinnon and Macar, never being able to win a Game 7? Why didnt MacKinnon take over the 3rd?

[bluetunehead]

I think it’s less a question about MacFarland and more about Sakic, as I assume he gave the go ahead to move Rantanen. I think the return value they got wasn’t bad. Necas on his own is worth a 1st and an A-grade prospect.

The money is the big question. The internal cap they have relative to Mackinnon is just silly at this point with the way the cap is slated to skyrocket. It sure sounded like Rantanen wasn’t looking to leave either. Even with the tax differences, the deal with Dallas wasn’t some astronomical contract outside of expectations.

[Cujo's Mask]

I agree with what a lot of others said. It somewhat depends on what Rantanen's ask was relative to their stance on MacKinnon's number and their budget. But I think the Avs did pretty well in that trade overall. Plus, the trades early in the year to swap the goalies basically turned their season around. Blackwood was good in the playoffs as well.

If they play things right, the Avs will have a chance to spread that 13mil or so across a couple of good players moving forward.

But yeah, watching Mikko go nuclear in the 3rd last night must have been excruciating for Avs fans (and their oh so wonderful owner). Lol

[SpacemanSpiff]

For a lot of these guys, it's about ego. If McKinnon stated to the Avs he wanted to be highest paid player on the team, and they want to honor that, then it's easy to see why Rantanen was traded.

I remember when McKinnon signed that deal - it was just a shade higher than McDavid's at the time, making him the highest paid player in the league. Seems silly that you'd have to trade off a talent like Rantanen just to appease another star player on your team.


Rantanen is a year younger and already making 9.25 and he's put up great numbers in Colorado. And with Colorado's moves this past season, they've stripped out a lot of their assets - in another 3 years, they could be really hurting.

[thegibby.]

I agree with what a lot of others said. It somewhat depends on what Rantanen's ask was relative to their stance on MacKinnon's number and their budget. But I think the Avs did pretty well in that trade overall. Plus, the trades early in the year to swap the goalies basically turned their season around. Blackwood was good in the playoffs as well.

If they play things right, the Avs will have a chance to spread that 13mil or so across a couple of good players moving forward.

But yeah, watching Mikko go nuclear in the 3rd last night must have been excruciating for Avs fans (and their oh so wonderful owner). Lol

I thought there were plenty holes in Blackwood's game and Dallas was just missing all series. Getting Jason Robertson back should help with that. Avs small D caught up with them. Samuel Girard looked like a peewee player out there; Lindgren and Malinski ??. Makar had to be playing hurt. MacKinnon is the king of the no look pass; with a whole lot of misses last night.

and my guess, like every team before them, it's time to move on from the Jonathan Drouin experiment (he doesn't even play with MacKinnon); he's just hockey dumb. Coyle has to be moved back to Boston; he looked spent.

Logan O'Connor deserved a lot more ice time. plus- the Drury penalty absolutely killed them (what little momentum they had left was gone). plus their own power play was a joke throughout the round.


JMO

[Tony Palazzolo]

I've wondered if Landeskog coming back had anything to do with it. I don't follow their cap situation but figured that had something to do with it.

[a smell of green grass]

The role of the GM is to acquire talent.

The Avs GM had at least 3 players which would demand a King's ransom in trade. By contrast Douglas P Army does not have a single player that could attract that kind of interest and trade value.

The Avs GM deserves a pay raise, and Army and every scout and development person within 100 miles of Army should be fired.

[Aesa]

The role of the GM is to acquire talent.

The Avs GM had at least 3 players which would demand a King's ransom in trade. By contrast Douglas P Army does not have a single player that could attract that kind of interest and trade value.

The Avs GM deserves a pay raise, and Army and every scout and development person within 100 miles of Army should be fired.

More non-sensical ramblings from an alleged Blues fan.

[Pierre McGuire]

Might not have even been the GM’s call…ownership might have demanded they move on from Rantanen

[DawgDad]

Who tracked mud in on the carpet?

Goodness, a team that was projected to be at best on the bubble for a playoff spot set a club record for consecutive wins, is on a sizzling home ice winning streak, and has taken the President's Trophy team to game 7 while utterly destroying and embarrassing the Vezina Trophy frontrunner and Hart Trophy finalist!

Army did this. It's his team. I'm LOVING EVERY MINUTE OF IT!