Mikko Rantanen Faces Mixed Reception in Emotional Return to Colorado

The former Avalanche star reflects on his unexpected trade and decade-long legacy in Denver during his first game back as a Dallas Star.

Mikko Rantanen returned to Ball Arena for the first time since being traded, receiving both cheers and boos from Avalanche fans.
Rantanen was traded from Colorado to Carolina in January before being moved to Dallas, where he signed an eight-year, $96 million contract.
The forward expressed his shock at the initial trade, stating he never wanted to leave Colorado and had hoped to remain with the team long-term.
Rantanen struggled during his brief stint with the Hurricanes, recording only six points in 13 games, but has started to regain form with the Stars.
His former teammate Nathan MacKinnon described Rantanen's departure as emotional and lamented the end of their nine-year partnership and shared Stanley Cup victory in 2022.