Three days after the blockbuster trade of Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes for Jack Drury and Martin Necas — it still hasn’t sunk in for fans and/or media. As a journalist, I have to handle it with a neutral perspective and look at the situation from all viewpoints.

The trade that saw the superstar dealt to Carolina sent shockwaves through the league and up and down the Colorado franchise.

Following a 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday, the first game without Rantanen, Avs superstar Nathan MacKinnon sat down in the locker room with reporters and reminisced on his old friend and former teammate.

The trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes surprised many people, including the player himself.

As much as the Colorado Avalanche would've liked to cap off this whirlwind of a road trip on a positive note, they failed to do so. The team, which looks a little different having replaced Mikko Rantanen with Martin Necas and Jack Drury,

Nathan MacKinnon wasn’t exactly impressed when he found out his linemate and close friend had been traded. The 29-year-old from Cole Harbour reacted to Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen’s trade to the Carolina Hurricanes on the weekend and he didn’t have a whole lot of positives to offer.

Jared Bednar has been known to rely heavily ... Two, the Avalanche's big trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to Carolina Friday brought in additional depth. Martin Necas has stepped in and fit in ...

After the trade happened, MacKinnon said he spoke to Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog, who is on the trip, as leaders of the team. They weren't the only players on the team shocked, as a night where a lot of the team was planning on going to bed early changed on a dime.

Mikko Rantanen is now with the Carolina Hurricanes, something he did not envision happening. He was discussing a contract extension with the Colorado Avalanche before the surprise move. He admitted he was willing to take less than his market value to stay. Via Athlon Sports, the winger said:

It’s become a pattern now — the Colorado Avalanche look like the better team for the better part of the first 40 minutes and then the final period is a problem.

ELMONT, N.Y. -- Simon Holmstrom had two goals and an assist for the New York Islanders, who won their fifth straight game with a 5-2 victory against the Colorado Avalanche at UBS Arena on Tuesday.