After the blockbuster trade, the Hurricanes are the favorites to come out of the East with a 12.7 percent chance of winning the Cup.

There have been some significant “what ifs” in the aftermath of the Avalanche’s run to the Stanley Cup in 2022, but there’s a new one near the top of the list. What if Gabe Landeskog’s knee hadn’t failed him?

NHL teams will qualify for the playoffs. The Stanley Cup Playoffs begin in mid-April and last through June. Which teams are most likely to win the Stanley Cup? NHL Power Rankin

BOSTON -- As Chris MacFarland wrapped up his remarks Saturday, as he explained the forces that had caused him to send forward Mikko Rantanen across the country from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes, a blockbuster trade that shook the franchise and fanbase, he uttered the words that were at the bottom of everything.

Rantanen said he thought talks with the Avs had been productive before the shocking trade to the Canes: "I didn’t know we were in a rush."

Rantanen admitted he spent a lot of time staring at the ceiling Friday night. The goal celebrations with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are no more. The bonds he made are likely unbreakable, but now it’s time to make new ones in his new home.

Who won Friday night's blockbuster that saw Mikko Rantanen go from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes?

Will he re-sign in Carolina after this season -- and if not, where else? And what will other contenders do to keep pace ahead of the March 7 deadline?

The Avalanche made one of the biggest trades in Colorado sports history last week when it sent away star forward Mikko Rantanen to the Hurricanes in a deal that included the Blackhawks. In return, the Avs received forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury, plus a pair of draft picks (2025 second-rounder and 2026 fourth-rounder).

The Carolina Hurricanes pulled off one of the biggest in-season trades of the salary cap era this weekend, acquiring both Mikko Rantanen ... Hurricanes Cup Contenders and Stanley Cup favorites.

The league announced Friday that the cap, which currently sits at $88 million, will surge up to $113.5 million by 2027-28. That could help the Hawks, as a big-market team, in some ways — and hurt them in others.