Emotional Crowd at Ball Arena for Rantanen’s Return

How Mikko Rantanen would be received in his first game back at Ball Arena with the Dallas Stars was a mystery. At the first commercial break of the nationally televised game, there was a tribute to Rantanen on the jumbotron. It was a mixed bag but loud nonetheless.

Cheers, boos and "Moose" filled Ball Arena when Mikko Rantanen's tribute was run on the Jumbotron. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/ekhZsBXm2C

— Colleen Flynn (@CHNFlynn) March 16, 2025

Rantanen spoke to a select few reporters at the team’s hotel on Saturday afternoon after practice. He was emotional and honest about his last few weeks and how things transpired.

“Six weeks before the deadline, we were still negotiating, and I felt at that time I needed to go talk to front office, which I did, face to face,” Rantanen said. “I told them I’ll be flexible and I want to play here for a long time. Then a couple days later they traded me.”

Read More: Rantanen Speaks to Avs Media for First Time Since Trade

Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24 for Martin Necas. He and the Avalanche could not agree on a contract extension as he was to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. Right before the trade deadline, the 28-year-old Finn signed an eight-year deal with the Dallas Stars and there has been controversy around the way things went down since leaving Colorado.

“I always wanted to stay in Colorado. That was the plan, and that’s what I told front office, too,” Rantanen said. “I told them, face-to-face that I was going to be flexible, but I understand it’s better players than me have been traded in history of NHL. So it happens, it’s part of the business so I totally understand it.”

Nathan MacKinnon Honored for 1,000th Point Before Game

MacKinnon’s parents and fiance Charlotte were on the ice to honor the Avs’ superstar for his 1,000th NHL point ahead of the puck drop to start the matchup against the Stars. He earned the historical milestone in the 3-0 win over the Chicago Blackhawks on March 10.

Former Avs forward and now special assistant to the GM Andrew Cogliano and Gabriel Landeskog presented MacKinnon with accolades.

Golden. #GoAvsGo pic.twitter.com/KimWuWvvIq

— Colorado Avalanche (@Avalanche) March 16, 2025