Colorado Avalanche star Nathan MacKinnon couldn't hide his frustration when addressing the huge three-team trade involving historic teammate Mikko Rantanen.

Nathan MacKinnon wasn’t exactly impressed when he found out his linemate and close friend had been traded. The 29-year-old from Cole Harbour reacted to Colorado Avalanche winger Mikko Rantanen’s trade to the Carolina Hurricanes on the weekend and he didn’t have a whole lot of positives to offer.

The word “blockbuster” gets thrown around a little too often in today’s NHL, often for trades unworthy of the term, in the same way that anything might feel like a five-star meal to a starving man. But the deal that dropped on Friday night? That one deserves the title, no questions asked.

Chris MacFarland pointed to Rantanen’s pending free agency and the club’s desire to get deeper after three years of being short in that department as reasons for the trade. The NHL’s salary cap ceiling, which is set at $88 million this year but is expected to rise — possibly significantly — in the next couple of seasons is also a factor.

As pundits and fans assess the fallout, the Rantanen trade had an immediate effect on the NHL trade market. Related: Three Big Things The NHL's Mega Mikko Rantanen Trade Tells UsPatrick Johnston of The Province cited TSN's Pierre LeBrun claiming the Vancouver Canucks were close to a trade with the Hurricanes before the latter opted to acquire Rantanen.

The hockey world is still in a daze following the late Friday night trade that sent Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes. General manager Chris MacFarland addressed the media early Saturday before a matinee matchup against Boston.

The Colorado Avalanche were at an impasse with Mikko Rantanen in terms of getting a contract done. There were talks at the beginning of the season as the unrestricted free agent was eligible to sign a new contract on July 1st,

Colorado Avalanche captain Nathan MacKinnon spoke candidly about his feelings following the blockbuster trade that sent his longtime teammate Mikko Rantanen away from the only franchise he'd ever played for.

Trading Moose is fan abuse. Surely, they’re not done. Right? Shipping out Mikko Rantanen has to be the beginning of a mid-season makeover — not the Finn-ishing piece. Surely, somebody’s coming. Somebody big.

Where does the NHL's biggest in-season trade in decades leave the Canes, Avs and Blackhawks ... and the Canucks and Rangers? Let's dig in.

Nathan MacKinnon shares his thoughts on the recent trade that sent Mikko Rantanen from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes.