The Blackhawks' salary cap space assisted the Stars in eliminating the Avalanche

It would have been better for the Chicago Blackhawks to have just acquired Mikko Rantanen instead of taking a portion of his salary cap to get a better second-round pick back from the Carolina Hurricanes.

Given that Rantanen did not sign an extension with the Hurricanes, it would have been unlikely he would have signed one with the Blackhawks. Plus, the Blackhawks did not have enough assets to help the Colorado Avalanche win now.

Also, it would be hard to see Rantanen approving a trade to a last-place team if the Hawks were one of the teams on his limited no-movement list.

However, money talks, and if Rantanen agreed to a massive extension with the Hawks, the Avalanche should have taken the draft picks or young prospects from the Hawks in a hypothetical deal. They should definitely regret it after Rantanen ripped the heart out of his former team, now that he is with Dallas.

By the way, you're welcome, Dallas.

Well, the Hawks cannot take a lot of credit. It was the Hurricanes' panic that sent Rantanen to the Stars in the first place.

Normally, a Stanley Cup-contending team embraces having an elite rental player like Rantanen and worries about his long-term status in the offseason.

Not the Hurricanes.

They panicked when they could not get Rantanen signed to an extension and focused on making sure they did not lose him for nothing.

Still, the Blackhawks assisted the Hurricanes in getting Rantanen in the first place. That eventually helped the Stars acquire the hero of Game 7 against the Avalanche.

Although instead of trading Rantanen in the first place, maybe the Avalanche should have just extended Rantanen. The cap is set to go up, so paying the man turned out to be the better move.

Clearly, Dallas got the memo, and that is why they are still playing hockey. Carolina tried and may end up ruing the day that they decided to trade him instead of using him as a rent-a-player who helps them win the Stanley Cup.

The Blackhawks at least benefited from Colorado's short-sightedness while Carolina briefly tried to think big. That is why the Hawks do not need a full thank you from the Stars, but their available cap retention spot did indirectly help Dallas out. Maybe a nice thank-you card is in order.