Former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper gave Carolina Hurricanes coach Rod Brind'Amour the state's highest honour in one of his final acts in the job late last year.
Apparently, Cooper doesn't exactly feel the same way about Mikko Rantanen.
After the Hurricanes dealt the star forward to the Dallas Stars before the NHL trade deadline Friday, Cooper took to X (formerly Twitter) to give his thoughts on Rantanen.
"Bad turnover, Mikko," Cooper wrote. "You would have loved it here but didn’t give NC a chance. On the bright side, if @Canes were getting for the playoffs what they got these last 13 games, then it’s for the best. Now it’s time for a Carolina Cup run!"
The Hurricanes acquired the pending UFA in a huge deal with the Colorado Avalanche earlier this season but couldn't come to terms on an extension.
Instead of keeping Rantanen as a rental, the Hurricanes dealt him to Dallas, with the Stars and player reportedly agreeing to an eight-year, $96-million extension.
Rantanen had two goals and four assists in 13 games for the Hurricanes.
Back in December, Cooper gave Brind'Amour the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, which is given to those who have made significant contributions to the state and their community.
The longtime Hurricanes fan finished his second four-year term as governor on Dec. 31, and was prevented from seeking another term.
