RALEIGH, NC (AP) — There was one thing Mikko Rantanen needed after he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes: his number.
Jack Roslovic had the No. 96 for Carolina before Rantanen was acquired in a blockbuster three-team trade last week that also involved the Chicago Blackhawks.
Rantanen made a deal with Roslovic for the number. It was Roslovic who set up Rantanen’s first goal with the Hurricanes during Thursday night's 3-2 win over the Blackhawks.
“That was a great play by Ros, the drop pass,” Rantanen said. “I was able to help the team, which was good.”
When it comes to his number, Rantanen said all he had to do was ask Roslovic.
“He’s a nice guy," he said. "I told him I’d buy him a nice watch.”
Carolina also got Taylor Hall from Chicago in the trade. But Hall missed the win over the Blackhawks because of an illness.
Carolina is hoping Rantanen's goal in his home debut with the Hurricanes is the first of many in his new jersey.
The 28-year-old forward was an elite scorer in his nine-plus seasons with Colorado, recording a career-best 105 points in 2022-23 and 104 last year. He is on track to pass 100 points again this season.
Carolina hasn’t had a player record 100 points in a season since Eric Staal in 2005-06 — the only time the Hurricanes have won the Stanley Cup.
“He knows he wants to come in here and help contribute right away,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “You’ve got to be on the scoresheet. That’s where everyone is looking. Now he has. Nice to see him get (the first one). Now he doesn’t have to worry about it.”
It was Rantanen's third game with Carolina. He had an assist in Tuesday night's 4-0 win at the New York Rangers for his first point with the Hurricanes.
Rantanen helped the Avs win the Stanley Cup in 2022. But he is eligible for free agency after this season.
The deal with the Hurricanes puts Rantanen on another good team with a group of his Finnish countrymen, notably center Sebastian Aho. That has made the transition easier.
“The guys have been great,” Rantanen said. “They’re a resilient group and they work really hard. You can tell they’ve had success in the last couple of years and they play really well together. I’m glad to be part of it.”
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Carolina Hurricanes' Mikko Rantanen waits for a face-off during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the New York Rangers, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
Carolina Hurricanes' Mikko Rantanen (96) chips the puck past Chicago Blackhawks' Alec Martinez (25) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
Carolina Hurricanes' Mikko Rantanen (96) battles with Chicago Blackhawks' Frank Nazar (91) following a face off during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Karl DeBlaker)
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Auckland was the first major city to ring in 2026 with a fireworks display launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, followed by a defiant celebration in Australia in the aftermath of its worst mass shooting.
South Pacific countries were the first to bid farewell to 2025. Clocks stuck midnight in Auckland 18 hours before the famous ball drop in New York’s Times Square. The five-minute display involved 3,500 fireworks.
Australia’s east coast welcomed 2026 two hours after New Zealand. In Sydney, the country's largest city, celebrations were held under the pall of Australia’s worst mass shooting in almost 30 years. Two gunmen targeted a Hannukah celebration at Bondi Beach on Dec. 14, killing 15 and wounding 40.
A heavy police presence monitored the thousands who thronged to the waterfront to watch a fireworks show centered on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Many officers openly carried rapid-fire rifles, a first for the annual event.
An hour before midnight, the massacre victims were commemorated with a minute of silence while images of a menorah were projected on the bridge pylons. The crowd was invited to show solidarity with Australia’s Jewish community.
New South Wales Premier Chris Minns urged Sydney residents not to stay away through fear, saying extremists would interpret smaller crowds at New Year’s Eve festivities as a victory.
“We have to show defiance in the face of this terrible crime and say that we’re not going to be cowered by this kind of terrorism,” he said.
In Indonesia, one of Australia’s nearest neighbors, cities scaled back festivities as a gesture of solidarity with communities devastated by floods and landslides that struck parts of Sumatra island a month ago, claiming more than 1,100 lives.
The capital, Jakarta, was not ringing in 2026 with its usual fanfare, choosing subdued celebrations with a program centered on prayers for victims, city Gov. Pramono Anung said last week.
Makassar Mayor Munafri Arifuddin urged residents of one of Indonesia’s largest cities to forgo parties, calling for prayer and reflection. "Empathy and restraint are more meaningful than fireworks and crowds,” he said.
Concerts and fireworks on Indonesia’s tourist island of Bali were canceled and replaced with a cultural arts event featuring traditional dances.
Hong Kong, too, was ringing in 2026 without the usual spectacle in the sky over iconic Victoria Harbor, after a massive fire in November killed at least 161 people.
The facades of eight landmarks were turning into giant countdown clocks presenting a three-minute light show at midnight.
Many parts of Asia welcome the new year by observing age-old traditions.
In Japan, crowds were gathering at a Buddhist temple in Tokyo for a bell striking at midnight. In the South Korean capital, Seoul, a bell tolling and countdown ceremony were being held at the Bosingak Pavilion.
Tourists and Berliners alike marked the end of 2025 by enjoying snowfall, taking selfies and making snowmen in front of the German capital's cathedral and the iconic Brandenburg Gate. The Berlin TV Tower was nearly invisible thanks to the falling flakes and fog.
Greece and Cyprus were ringing in 2026 by turning down the volume, replacing traditional fireworks with low-noise pyrotechnics, light shows and drone displays in capital cities. Low-noise fireworks avoid the explosive bursts that generate the loud cracks of traditional displays.
Officials in the countries said the change is intended to make celebrations more welcoming for children and pets, particularly animals sensitive to loud noise.
Police in New York City will have additional anti-terrorism measures at the Times Square ball drop, with “mobile screening teams” in search of suspicious activity. It is not in response to a specific threat, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
Zohran Mamdani will take office as mayor at the start of 2026. Two swearing-in ceremonies are planned, starting with a private ceremonial event around midnight in an old subway station.
Saaliq reported from New Delhi, India. Associated Press writers around the world contributed to this report.
The police stand guard during the 2026 Taipei New Year's Party celebration in front of the Taipei City Government Building in Taipei, Taiwan, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)
People gather to celebrate the New Year at the Zojoji Buddhist temple, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
A Buddhist prays in front of lanterns on New Year's Eve at the Jogye temple in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge during the New Year celebrations in Sydney, Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Swimmers enter the water during the traditional Sylvester swim at lake Moossee in Moosseedorf, Switzerland, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (Anthony Anex/Keystone via AP)
A child poses for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac at a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A person walks by illuminated decorations on New Year's Eve in Seoul, South Korea, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Fireworks burst over the Sydney Harbour Bridge as New Year's celebrations begin in Sydney, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Rick Rycroft)
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora, hosts of "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2026," in New York at the New Year's Eve Times Square Ball on Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey)
A vendor sells New Year's eve party goods at a market in downtown Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Guadalupe Pardo)
A families pose for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac as people visit a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
A child poses for a photo with a prosperity decoration to welcome 2026 Year of the Horse, following the Chinese zodiac at a shopping district on new year's eve, in Beijing, Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Andy Wong)
