Mikko Rantanen returned to Ball Arena with no one completely sure why he left. Regardless of Texas’ lack of state income tax, Sunday showed that he played right into the Avs’ hands. Colorado can win a Stanley Cup without him. And even better, in the playoffs, the Avs will have to go through him.

"I told them I'll be flexible and I want to play here for a long time. Then a couple days later they traded me," Rantanen said Saturday.

Mikko Rantanen tapped his heart as the video screen showed highlights of his Colorado Avalanche career, culminating with him hoisting the Stanley Cup.