Avs GM Chris MacFarland reveals why he traded Rantanen.

On Friday, the Colorado Avalanche and the Carolina Hurricanes pulled off one of the biggest trades in modern National Hockey League history when star winger Mikko Rantanen was sent packing by the Avalanche and welcomed with open arms by the Hurricanes.

It will be a trade that we will likely be discussing for years to come and it is one that many are still shaking their heads at, with a ton of fans in Colorado still in disbelief that the team dealt away one of their franchise players.

On Saturday, Avalanche general manager Chris MacFarland spoke to members of the media about a trade that will likely define his tenure as the organization's general manager and revealed some of his reasons for making the deal a reality.

"It's a bittersweet day," admitted MacFarland. "Mikko is a decorated player for us, he is an elite winger in this league, it was a tough few days but we just felt the timing was right. The last few days it kind of came together and it wasn't without a lot of serious thought I can assure you that."

It seems fair to suggest that the Avalanche felt they would be unable to find common ground on a new contract for Rantanen and as a result felt they needed to make the trade while they had the chance to do so.

"He had the UFA card," said MacFarland flatly. "We felt this is what we had to do."

And as for how fans in Colorado are reacting both yesterday and today following the shocking news? MacFarland says he understands the reaction from fans and even went so far as to suggest that it is exactly that level of passion that makes sports so fun.

"It hurts, right?" said MacFarland. "He's a homegrown talent, a superstar talent, a superstar human being. But that's sports. Your heartstrings get tugged. That's why we all do this."

Only time will tell how this trade will shape MacFarland's legacy in Colorado in the years to come.