Nathan MacKinnon, Avalanche react to 'shocking' trade of Mikko Rantanen

BOSTON - Trades happen in professional sports, but some sting more than others.

You could tell the trade of Mikko Rantanen really stung everyone in the Avalanche organization.

After Saturday's 3-1 loss to the Boston Bruins, Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar, and head coach Jared Bednar had to face the media and discuss all anyone really wanted to talk about - Chris MacFarland trading away one of Colorado's stars 15 hours before puck drop.

Mikko Rantanen forced Chris MacFarland's hand in Avalanche's blockbuster trade | Evan's take "Shocking," MacKinnon said of the trade.

"I'm upset about the loss, but obviously, bigger picture, losing Mikko...it's just sad.

I don't know exactly what happened.

I called Mikko pretty shortly after, we talked close to 20 minutes.

It's just unfortunate, obviously, losing a great friend, great teammate.

I'm going to miss him." MacKinnon wasn't saying words just to say them.

He really looked shocked.

Like most Avalanche fans, he didn't think this day would ever come.

The assumption all along has been that both sides would eventually find a middle ground and get a deal done.

"It's just tough.

You don't want to get in someone's business," MacKinnon said.

"I remember when (Landeskog) didn't sign, it went to like the last hour, so I just assumed it would be kind of the same thing." "I never thought in a million years he'd leave, so yeah, it just sucks." After the trade happened, MacKinnon said he spoke to Cale Makar and Gabriel Landeskog, who is on the trip, as leaders of the team.

They weren't the only players on the team shocked, as a night where a lot of the team was planning on going to bed early changed on a dime.

A deal of this magnitude usually happens in the summer, not less than 24 hours before the team starts a three-game road trip.

"It's pretty crazy someone like that getting traded right now," MacKinnon said.

"He's a big, big part of our team, our culture.

He's been here from the dog days in 2016-17 all the way up to now and helped grow these organization into a Stanley Cup winner.

That's just one part of it.

Mostly, we spend time together off the ice.

That's probably the time we'll miss most.

He's goofy.

Just a great, great teammate, great person." Makar talked about how the timing, with back-to-back afternoon games on the horizon, added to the chaos.

"Nobody's really talked.

It's just been breakfast this morning, then game time," Makar said.

"Obviously, it sent shocks through the team.

It's the unfortunate side of the business.

I trust management, whatever their plan is." Bednar, normally clean cut on gamedays, had the 5 o'clock shadow going.

Perhaps the travel day coupled with the quick turnaround in the morning had something to do with that, but it might have had more to do with him losing someone that helped bring this team a Stanley Cup nearly three years ago.

He didn't hide how difficult the last 24 hours were.

"Really tough day," Bednar said.

"You lose a good friend, good teammate, great player.

It's hard to see.

I understand the business side of things, and it's a two-way street and they weren't able to get a deal done.

I think we got some good players that can come in and help us, but it doesn't make it any easier." "It's tough to see Mikko go, for sure." What happened: Yes, there was a game played, and Colorado's struggles continued, as they gave up three straight goals in the third period for their third straight loss.

What went right: You couldn't tell the Avalanche were shell-shocked during the first 40 minutes.

They held the Boston Bruins to just eight shots on goal and dominated the majority of the play.

Bednar rolled four lines through two periods and all the lines were doing their part.

What went wrong: It doesn't take much for momentum to shift in the NHL.

A turnover by Jonathan Drouin in the offensive zone created an odd-man rush the other way that allowed the Bruins to tie the game up.

A few minutes later, the Bruins capitalized after Wedgewood gave the puck away behind the net.

Little mistakes are killing the team right now.

Avalanche goal scorers: Lehkonen (20) Bruins goal scorers: Geekie (14, 15), Pastrnak (24) Between the pipes: Scott Wedgewood barely saw the puck for two periods but took the loss with 12 saves on just 14 shots.

What's next: Colorado will take the train to New York to take on the Rangers at 11 a.m.

Sunday..

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