As the third wheel in Friday’s blockbuster deal involving the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, and superstar forward Mikko Rantanen, the Chicago Blackhawks played kingmaker, agreeing to take on half of Rantanen’s salary cap hit in exchange for a third-round draft choice.

The dust is still settling on the deal that sent Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes. However, the question marks that still exist regarding Rantanen's future in the NHL (i.

The Chicago Blackhawks traded forward Taylor Hall in a three-team deal with the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes, the team announced late Friday. The trade involves sending Hall and Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes,

The Avalanche began the process of moving on with its first win since the deal Sunday afternoon against the Rangers. Drury scored a goal. Necas was dynamic, collecting two assists and hitting both the crossbar and post with shots while playing in Rantanen’s old spot next to MacKinnon.

Here are our Mikko Rantanen trade grades for the Blackhawks, Avalanche, and Hurricanes after Friday's stunning deal.

Colorado Avalanche star Mikko Rantanen was reportedly acquired by the Carolina Hurricanes in a three-team trade on Friday night. Chicago Blackhawks

The trade is a stunning midseason swap of point-per-game players in their primes, an anomaly in the NHL trade market in the salary-cap era.

The Carolina Hurricanes have acquired forwards Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche and Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks in a three-team trade.

“Taylor Hall said he had a good sense he was going to be traded to Carolina a couple days before the deal went down. He was playing pregame soccer with Chicago when Pat Maroon — who was supposed to be a scratch — joined the game. That gave the players a cue a deal might be afoot.”

The Blackhawks moved Taylor Hall in a three-team deal, but a deeper look into the deal highlights a trade that left much to be desired.

The Carolina Hurricanes are acquiring superstar Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche and Taylor Hall from the Chicago Blackhawks, per multiple reports.