Mikko Rantanen says Colorado ‘was always where I wanted to stay’
Mar 13, 2025, 1:14 PM | Updated: 1:14 pm
Former Colorado Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen is now playing on his third team in fewer than two months.
Rantanen was traded to the Dallas Stars just before the NHL trade deadline last week after only skating in 13 games with the Carolina Hurricanes. The Avalanche made the tough decision to trade Rantanen at the end of January with the fear of losing him this summer for nothing in free agency.
And there’s been plenty of drama surrounding the whole situation, especially with Rantanen now landing on Colorado’s rival after GM Chris MacFarland flipped him to the Eastern Conference in exchange for Martin Necas and Jack Drury.
Rantanen ended up signing an eight-year contract with Dallas, worth $12 million per season. A recent report says the Avalanche offered Rantanen $11.5 or $11.6 million per year, he countered with $12 million and was dealt the next day.
Regardless, Rantanen is now with the Stars and they’re on a collision course with the Avalanche in the first-round of the Stanley Cup playoffs.
In his first comments to Dallas reporters, Rantanen maintained his goal was always to be in Colorado.
“Colorado was always where I wanted to stay, but I understand it’s business and they made a decision,” Mikko Rantanen said. “I tried my best in Carolina and I’m here now and I’m so happy to be here, locked in for eight years with a good team and with good coaches. I’m thankful for Dallas to have the trust in me.”
Rantanen has stayed consistent that he thought he and his agent had more time to work out a deal with the Avs, but MacFarland had heard enough and pulled the trigger on the trade six weeks before the deadline.
It’s a shame it all went down the way it did, but you can make a case that Colorado is now better with all the other moves MacFarland executed, including landing Brock Nelson, Charlie Coyle and Ryan Lindgren.
Rantanen will make his return to Ball Arena against the Avalanche on Sunday, and how the crowd reacts to the former Stanley Cup champion will be interesting to watch. He might get booed, might get cheered, or it could be a smattering of both.
And at the end of the day, Mikko Rantanen is sticking to his story he wishes he was still in Denver, while also being grateful to the Stars.
