All that can be asked following last Friday's earth-rocking trade involving Mikko Rantanen is, "How will this affect the trade deadline as it approaches on March 7?"
According to reports from The Athletic, general managers around the NHL do not anticipate any market shake-ups after Colorado hit the eject button.
"For us, it doesn't change anything," Tom Fitzgerald, president of hockey operations and GM of the New Jersey Devils, said. "We go through a process on evaluating our team and identify the areas where we want to improve. We want to be intentional on adding the right piece or pieces while being cognizant of the cost and our future."
Read more: Avalanche Star Nathan MacKinnon Speaks Out on Blockbuster Mikko Rantanen Trade
The Avalanche sent Rantanen, their No. 2 point scorer and a top-five point collector in the league over the last five seasons, to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for forwards Martin Necas and Jack Drury. The Chicago Blackhawks also chipped in Taylor Hall to Carolina while acquiring a third-round pick and retaining 50 percent of Rantanen's $9.25 million salary.
This was unexpected on all fronts — from Avalanche players to personnel around the NHL. Rantanen's contract is set to expire at the end of this season, marking him an unrestricted free agent, and rather than working to negotiate an extension, Colorado pulled a move that many perceived as a panic.
But teams around the league are standing pat across the board and if their club is already competitive in most areas, they are not looking to let this deal influence them.
"We've spent the entire season on it: You look at your assets, you look at your standings, you look at your projections, you have your plan, and my plan is to put together the best possible team we can," said president of hockey operations and GM of the Florida Panthers Bill Zito. "I can't get a better team now than I could a week ago, right?
"So, I just don't think keeping up with the Joneses is part of the equation for teams. We'll always do our best to get any players and pursue any situation that's going to give us the best chance to win. But I don't think it changes because everyone else is doing it. It's the same."
Read more: Hurricanes Mikko Rantanen 'Blindsided' by Trade, Would Have Taken 'Pay Cut' to Remain With Avalanche
The Washington Capitals, who have skyrocketed into the stratosphere by leading the Metropolitan Division with 73 points, are even confident they won't need to adjust anything, even with the Hurricanes seven points behind them in second place.
"It doesn't really change anything for us," Chris Patrick, GM of the first-place Washington Capitals, said. "We will follow the same process we always do at this time of year, and if there are opportunities to improve our team, we will pursue them."
This all goes to show that what Colorado decided to do was an isolated incident. It revealed more about their front offices mindset about managing their cap space long-term than it does anything else. The Hurricanes benefited, but the rest of the league will carry on with business as usual.
More NHL:
Knights Star Alex Pietrangelo Withdraws From 2025 4 Nations Face-Off
Blue Jackets, Provorov Begin Extension Talks Amid Trade Uncertainty: Report
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