The Colorado Avalanche beat the Dallas Stars 4-3 in overtime on Sunday. On paper, it was an important game in the Central Division race and could be a playoff preview. But the NHL trade deadline made this one of the must-watch games of the year. Mikko Rantanen made his return to Colorado with the Dallas Stars after two trades. Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar was happy that the fans welcomed Rantanen warmly, just like the Colorado players did.
“I think it should have been a warm welcome because he’s done so much for this team and this organization, and he’s a great guy and obviously an amazing player too,” Makar told NHL.com’s Ryan Boulding. “Obviously, it’s always good to see Mikko, and it’s unfortunate that we’ll be seeing a lot more of him now.”
The Avalanche traded Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes after contract negotiations stalled in January. Given less than two months to hammer out an extension, Rantanen and the Hurricanes could not agree.
He did sign an eight-year extension when he was traded to the Stars. He is back in the Central Division and will play huge games against the Avalanche for the rest of his career.
Colorado won on Sunday but Rantanen could get the final laugh come playoff time.
The Avalanche and Stars are set for a decade-long rivalry
The Avalanche and Stars both went through long rebuilds and long stretches missing the playoffs before this competitive stretch. While Dallas has not won the Stanley Cup in this window, both teams have Cup-caliber rosters. With Rantanen on the team for the next eight seasons, this is shaping up to be the best rivalry of the decade.
While the Avalanche and Stars are duking it out, the Winnipeg Jets are soaring to a division title. They are on a 118-point pace and have the best record in the entire league. That makes a Dallas-Colorado playoff matchup more likely, as the teams currently sit in the second and third spots in the Central respectively.
Despite all of this, the Avalanche are still friends with Rantanen. Erik Johnson told Boulding that they went out to dinner with him in Denver on Saturday night.
“Tight divisional game. We’re rivals now, unfortunately,” Johnson. “We had dinner last night, and I’m sure we’ll say hi after, but all business on the ice.”
Sunday’s game ended the season series between the Stars and Avalanche but they could face-off in a must-watch playoff series.
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