MONTREAL >> The best hockey players in the world of a certain age have been waiting for this week for their entire lives.

Nathan MacKinnon, Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews and many more of the NHL’s stars in their 20s had never represented their country in a best-on-best men’s tournament before the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

For more than a year, they’ve answered questions in anticipation of the event, and the experience they’ve dreamed of is finally here. Every one of them answered the same questions at media day Tuesday, and the answers were filled with excitement and jubilation.

Except for Mikko Rantanen.

The recently former Colorado Avalanche star did get a few inquiries about the event, but the majority of his media session was dedicated to the seismic trade that sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes.

“Yeah, it’s different, for sure,” Rantanen said Friday afternoon at Bell Centre. “A lot of questions, which I understand. It was a big trade, and a big change. It’s been alright. I’ve been able to answer all the questions, so it’s all good.”

The end of his time in Denver was a shock — to fans, his teammates and Rantanen himself. Morsels of information have filtered out about the time leading up to the trade. Hurricanes center Sebastian Aho said someone from the organization had talked to him about Rantanen, but even on the day of the trade he was surprised that his friend was suddenly going to be a teammate.

Colorado and Carolina spoke about a potential trade as far back as the 2024 NHL draft in June, but neither side has offered a specific moment when it became clear a blockbuster deal could, or would, happen.

Rantanen’s world has been upended. He joined the Hurricanes during a road trip. Carolina has played seven games since the trade, but Rantanen missed one with a minor injury.

He does have an apartment now in Raleigh but hasn’t spent much time there.

“I think it’s only been two weeks, so I think it’s too quick to get settled after a long time in the other place,” Rantanen said. “We were on the road a little bit, so many games. I was just focused on the games. I think it’s going to take some time, for sure.”

There’s a clear contrast between his answers about the trade and the ones from his old pals in Denver. To be clear, they still miss him. But Martin Necas and Jack Drury have been very good for the Avalanche.

Necas, in particular, has fit like a glove next to MacKinnon. His style of play is different than Rantanen’s, but the production has been similar.

Rantanen’s traditional numbers don’t look great — one goal and one assist in six games. But the underlying numbers have been fantastic. He has 21 shots on goal and 40 shot attempts. His pairing with Aho has been as dominant as the MacKinnon-Necas duo … except on the scoreboard.

Someone asked Rantanen at media day if he’s noticed that Necas is playing so well in his old spot.

“I try to focus on my stuff,” Rantanen said. “You see scores. I haven’t watched games, because it’s so early. I’ve been trying to focus on my own thing. I wish the best for everybody, for everybody in the league. I’m not against anybody.”

MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Devon Toews were going to play against Rantanen at this event no matter what. The trade changed the dynamic.

The questions to them have been worded differently, with their time as his teammate in the past tense.

“I don’t think it will be as sentimental as it will be when we play him in Colorado,” Toews said. “He’s done so much for the organization. A (Stanley) Cup winner, a great person — the fan base loves him, and rightfully so. He deserves that. I think that will be a little more emotional than playing him on this stage where there’s not that history involved.

“Either way, it’s definitely going to be different seeing him on the other side.”

For Artturi Lehkonen, it’s also a very different situation. He spent the first game against the United States on Finland’s top line, playing next to Rantanen and Aleksander Barkov.

That became a reunion, instead of a continuation of their work together.

“I talked to him for a little bit after the trade. It’s kind of weird, I would say,” Lehkonen said. “But also at the same time, like nothing has changed with our relationship. We’re still talking about the same stuff all the time.

“He’s a good friend of mine, so it sucks. It’s part of the business.”

It was pretty clear the raw emotions of the trade had not entirely subsided for Rantanen when he got to Montreal.

It might be a long time before he can fully move on. He’s still a pending free agent, so the questions about his next contract remain — only the context has changed.

Rantanen had another large group of reporters in front of him Friday, one day before the biggest international game of his life. Finland was about to play archrival Sweden, in what was essentially an elimination game.

A European reporter asked him a brief, but blunt, question: What do you hate about Sweden?

There was a quick smile, and then a very Rantanen response.

“I wouldn’t say I hate Sweden. They have good candy, good chocolate, good meatballs,” Rantanen said, with plenty of laughter around him. “So I don’t hate Sweden. I think the rivalry in hockey is … not sure if it’s hate, but it’s big for sure.”

It was a huge game, and he delivered. Rantanen scored Finland’s second goal Saturday and helped set up the third in a 4-3 overtime victory.

The Moose got loose at Bell Centre, and looked a lot more like the guy Avalanche fans adored for a decade. He’ll play against the trio of Avs and Canada on Monday in Boston.

Life, as it does, goes on for everyone involved.

“It’s going to be different,” Makar said. “Obviously we were going to play against each other anyways, but it will be good to maybe meet up with him after. Mikko is a great guy and I wish him all the best. But that will be a weird feeling playing against him, that’s for sure.”