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Mikko Rantanen was the premier storyline entering the first-round playoff series between the Colorado Avalanche and Dallas Stars. It could've easily failed to meet expectations, but it delivered, and then some. The first-round series between these two teams couldn't have had a better ending if it were written in a Hollywood screenplay, as Rantanen recorded four points in Game 7 to lead his new team to victory.
The Avalanche were firmly in control in Game 7 with a 2-0 lead in the third period. Rantanen cut the lead to one before he banked one in off ex-teammate Samuel Girard to tie the game. After a costly Jack Drury penalty put the Stars on the powerplay, Wyatt Johnston scored the go-ahead goal, and Rantanen iced it with an empty-netter.
Game 7 was special, but the whole series was a masterpiece: It was top-to-bottom one of the best playoff series we've ever seen, filled with drama and storylines.
So much has happened over the past week, and we have nearly forgotten that one of the craziest things happened in Game 3 when Gabriel Landeskog returned after an injury that had sidelined him for almost three years. The fact that Landeskog returned for the first time since hoisting the Stanley Cup and played so many meaningful minutes is unbelievable.
Dallas' performance is even more unbelievable considering they were without Miro Heiskanen and Jason Robertson. Winning a series against the Avalanche without two of your top players is a performance that people will remember for a long time, especially if this can kickstart a long run.
Chris MacFarland will have nightmares about this loss
Stories will be written about Chris MacFarland for years to come. Other general managers will use his strategy this season as an example of “what not to do.” Gone will be the days of trading away expiring contracts when you have a chance of making the playoffs, as the embarrassing outcome of this series for MacFarland will be a feeling that no general manager will ever want to know.
Of course, MacFarland had no way of knowing Rantanen would single-handedly destroy his team's season when he traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes at the end of January. Rantanen was a long-time member of the Avalanche, part of the 2022 Stanley Cup Championship team, and a brilliant running mate alongside Nathan MacKinnon. However, when it didn't look like a contract would work out, MacFarland decided to accrue some assets and trade him to the Hurricanes.
The Avalanche acquired Drury, Martin Necas, and some draft picks in the deal, which in a cruel twist of fate featured another player to blame after Game 7. Rantanen had scored two goals to tie the game before Drury took a questionable penalty to put the team down with less than 10 minutes to play. Rantanen then assisted on the powerplay goal on the ensuing man advantage, which just rubbed salt in the wound for the general manager in the press box.
How did Rantanen have four points in this game for the Stars when the Avalanche traded him to the Hurricanes? The Avalanche did a good job selling him to the Eastern Conference, where he couldn't interfere with their playoff dreams. However, the Hurricanes couldn't figure out a contract, which led them to trade him back into the Central Division.
That unfortunate turn of events wasn't MacFarland's fault, but the simple fix would've been to hold on to a franchise superstar instead of receiving pennies on the dollar in return.
MacKenzie Blackwood might not be the Avalanche‘s answer
Blackwood was lights out on a bad San Jose Sharks team this season, and unsurprisingly, he succeeded with the Avalanche. The problem was that he hadn't played a single playoff game in his career, which put him at a significant disadvantage against all the other starting goaltenders in the Western Conference.
Blackwood wasn't horrible in this series against the Stars, but he didn't do enough to lead them to victory. The Avalanche allowed more than 26 shots once in the series, and the last three games were atrocious. The worst was Game 6 when he allowed five goals on 18 shots, but he also allowed four on 26 in a Game 6 victory.
Blackwood looked fine through 48 minutes on Saturday night, but the lasting memory will be allowing three unanswered goals in the final 12 minutes. The Avalanche's defense should never take a loss in the playoffs when allowing only 18 shots, and acquiring Blackwood as the starter could be another move that leaves MacFarland awake at night.
