Summary
Nathan MacKinnon expressed mixed emotions upon arriving for the 2025 IIHF men’s World Championship, reflecting on the Colorado Avalanche’s first-round playoff loss and his former teammate Mikko Rantanen, who scored a hat trick for the Dallas Stars to eliminate the Avalanche. Rantanen, who had a contract dispute leading to his trade, subsequently signed an eight-year, $96 million extension with the Stars and is currently leading the NHL in playoff points. Despite the sting of the loss, MacKinnon praised Rantanen as an amazing player and acknowledged the competitive rivalry with the Stars.
