A delivery system for percutaneously deploying a stented prosthetic heart valve, the system comprising: a distal portion located at the distal end of the system and configured to selectively engage the stented prosthetic heart valve; a spacing collar proximal to the distal portion, the spacing collar transitionable from a loaded state to an activated state wherein the spacing collar in loaded state has a radial dimension less than the spacing collar in the activated state; and an outer collar configured to be movable relative to the distal portion and the spacing collar such that the outer collar is slidably disposed over the spacing collar to provide the loaded state and is slidably retracted from the spacing collar when in the activated state, the system further comprising: an inner shaft assembly extending along an axis of the delivery system, the inner shaft assembly including the distal portion which provides a coupling structure configured to selectively engage the stented prosthetic heart valve; wherein the spacing collar is disposed on the axis of the delivery system, wherein the spacing collar includes a spacing member and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced fingers having a first end coupled to the spacing member and a second end yieldably urged away from the spacing member in a radial direction; wherein the fingers are transitionable from a first state, in which the second ends of the fingers are urged toward the spacing member, to a second state, in which the second ends of the fingers are expanded away from the spacing member, and wherein the second ends of the fingers are proximal to the stented prosthetic heart valve in the loaded state; and wherein the outer collar is disposed about the axis of the delivery system and slidably disposed over the distal portion including the coupling structure engaged with the stented prosthetic heart valve and the spacing collar including the plurality of fingers; wherein the delivery system includes a loaded configuration wherein the outer collar is disposed over the spacing collar and the fingers are in the first state and an activated configuration wherein the outer collar is distally retracted from the spacing collar and the fingers are in the second state, wherein typically the plurality of circumferentially-spaced fingers are self-expanding. a distal portion located at the distal end of the system and configured to selectively engage the stented prosthetic heart valve; a spacing collar proximal to the distal portion, the spacing collar transitionable from a loaded state to an activated state wherein the spacing collar in loaded state has a radial dimension less than the spacing collar in the activated state; and an outer collar configured to be movable relative to the distal portion and the spacing collar such that the outer collar is slidably disposed over the spacing collar to provide the loaded state and is slidably retracted from the spacing collar when in the activated state, the system further comprising: an inner shaft assembly extending along an axis of the delivery system, the inner shaft assembly including the distal portion which provides a coupling structure configured to selectively engage the stented prosthetic heart valve; wherein the spacing collar is disposed on the axis of the delivery system, wherein the spacing collar includes a spacing member and a plurality of circumferentially-spaced fingers having a first end coupled to the spacing member and a second end yieldably urged away from the spacing member in a radial direction; wherein the fingers are transitionable from a first state, in which the second ends of the fingers are urged toward the spacing member, to a second state, in which the second ends of the fingers are expanded away from the spacing member, and wherein the second ends of the fingers are proximal to the stented prosthetic heart valve in the loaded state; and wherein the outer collar is disposed about the axis of the delivery system and slidably disposed over the distal portion including the coupling structure engaged with the stented prosthetic heart valve and the spacing collar including the plurality of fingers;