Mikko Rantanen played on three teams this year, a rarity in the NHL for such a talented player. Rantanen, a true star, was dealt at the deadline to avoid him walking in free agency. Then, to avoid him becoming a rental, he was dealt again.
When the time came for that second trade, the Carolina Hurricanes, who’d acquired him several weeks earlier, were racing to find a good deal to offset the loss they took when trading for him in the first place.
Among those deals they were looking at was a swap involving Rantanen for Mitch Marner. Hockey insider James Mirtle said, via The Athletic:
“There were also discussions around a Marner-to-Vegas transaction before the trade deadline this year, a move that would have involved the Hurricanes in a three-way deal. Theoretically, the Leafs would have received Mikko Rantanen while the Golden Knights got Marner and sent something to Carolina.”
It would’ve been a major three-team swap, but those talks may not have gotten very far off the ground. Mirtle said it’s “unclear” if Marner was asked to waive his no-trade clause to go to Vegas.
Ultimately, the Hurricanes got Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks, and two third-round picks from the Dallas Stars for Rantanen.
Hurricanes coach thanks Mikko Rantanen
Mikko Rantanen did not have a great run with the Carolina Hurricanes, as he was blindsided by his trade from the Colorado Avalanche and did not want to sign an extension.
The Canes parted with picks and Martin Necas for Rantanen, but they then ended up with a lesser package in return for the forward than they paid initially. However, they might’ve ended up fine.
Necas was likely leaving in free agency, and Rantanen wasn’t staying, either. Logan Stankoven, the centerpiece, starred in the playoffs and signed an extension.
Head coach Rod Brind’Amour said, via Bolavip, that Rantanen never outright said he didn’t want to be in Carolina, but the coach knew what he felt:
“There’s a bigger backstory, but point of the whole thing is: Mikko did us a favor. It wasn’t that he didn’t like us. Everything just got poured on to him, he needed to take a break, and I get it. He made a decision and he actually helped us.”
He said that Rantanen got them a player they thought they might like and, as it turns out, they really liked Logan Stankoven.
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Edited by Rajdeep Barman
