This year’s NHL trade deadline proved a captivating watch, with the league’s ecosystem pockmarked by a number of eye-catching trades. Ryan Lindgren swapped New York blue for the Denver altitude, while the Panthers beefed up their blue line by acquiring Seth Jones from the Blackhawks.
It was an event like few others in the NHL calendar, teeming with equal parts wonder and dismay. On Friday, it received its biggest shock — the Hurricanes agreed to send newly-acquired supernova Mikko Rantanen to the Stars in exchange for a cadre of picks and prospects.
The move was unprecedented in the world of hockey. Carolina only just secured Rantanen’s services at the end of January. Now, he’s off to pastures new, again, hoping to author up another impressive end to the season — and postseason — before cashing in on a big-money contract.
The Hurricanes, meanwhile, are in a bit of limbo. They fancy themselves Stanley Cup contenders in 2025. Yet, with Rantanen’s sudden departure, Carolina is left lacking that all important star-power on the first line.
Why did the Hurricanes offload one of hockey’s best players a little more than a month after landing him? Here’s what you need to know.
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Mikko Rantanen trade details
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Why did the Hurricanes trade Mikko Rantanen?
Carolina’s decision to acquire Rantanen was motivated by two simple factors: a) he’s one of hockey’s best players and b) he was available.
At the time of his exit from Colorado, Rantanen ranked sixth in scoring. He posted back-to-back 100-point campaigns in 2022-23 and 2023-24, earning Hart votes in the former. With his contract up at the end of the season, Rantanen figured to become one of the highest-paid players in the sport. The Avalanche weren’t willing to make such an investment, hence his high-profile exit.
The Hurricanes sprang into action upon Rantanen’s arrival, immediately offering the 28-year old a nine-figure contract during the 4 Nations break, according to The Athletic’s Chris Johnston. Rantanen needed more time — he only played in six games for Carolina before linking up with Finland for the two-week spectacle.
Not much changed in the weeks since Rantanen returned to Raleigh. His reputation precedes him — Moose has 101 points in 81 playoff games, good for a 1.25 points per playoff game average that compares favorably to noted luminaries Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin. And although his production has slightly tailed off with the Hurricanes, his underlying metrics are still glistening.
With Rantanen unwilling to commit, Carolina went shopping. The Hurricanes expressed interest in double-retaining a portion of his contract for the remainder of the season, coaxing sides to line up offers for their talismanic forward. In the end, the Stars won out, fortifying their push for a Stanley Cup while also locking down the talented Finn for the foreseeable future with an extension.
The Hurricanes got an impressive package in return, landing ___ and ___, both of whom figure to factor into Carolina’s future. All told, the move is an understandable one for both parties; Rantanen was uncertain about tying his prime to an organization he only just came into contact with, while the ‘Canes nabbed some quality assets in exchange for a player who wasn’t on their radar until a little more than a month ago.
Mikko Rantanen stats
Rantanen has enjoyed a glittering nine-year spell in the NHL. Most of those seasons have featured All-Star level production; Rantanen ranks fourth in points since the start of the 2020-21 season, only trailing Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and MacKinnon in that spell.
He’ll likely fall short of extending his 100-point season streak to three. Still, point-per-game production for the better part of nine seasons is nothing to scoff at. And with Rantanen just entering his prime, he could reach greater heights in the coming few seasons.
Here’s a look at Rantanen’s numbers since his 2015 debut.
| SEASON | GP | GOALS | G/GP | ASSISTS | POINTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 9 | 0 | 0.00 | 0 | 0 |
| 2016-17 | 75 | 20 | 0.26 | 18 | 38 |
| 2017-18 | 81 | 29 | 0.36 | 55 | 84 |
| 2018-19 | 74 | 31 | 0.42 | 56 | 87 |
| 2019-20 | 42 | 19 | 0.45 | 22 | 41 |
| 2020-21 | 52 | 30 | 0.58 | 36 | 66 |
| 2021-22 | 75 | 36 | 0.48 | 56 | 92 |
| 2022-23 | 82 | 55 | 0.67 | 50 | 105 |
| 2023-24 | 80 | 42 | 0.53 | 62 | 104 |
| 2024-25 | 61 | 27 | 0.44 | 43 | 70 |
| Career | 631 | 289 | 0.46 | 398 | 687 |
Mikko Rantanen contract
All signs were pointing towards Rantanen securing a long-term deal that will pay him around $14 million a season. As noted by Puck Pedia’s Aaron Schwartz — the Hurricanes’ former Director of Hockey Operations — the salary cap will swell to $95.5 million in 2025-26, $7.5 million more than its 2024-25 figure. Rantanen’s agent will likely use that total, coupled with the percentage of salary cap that other comparable wingers commanded, to dictate the Finnish star’s market value.
William Nylander inked an eight-year, $92 million extension with the Maple Leafs ahead of the 2024-25 season, good for an average annual value (AAV) of $11.5 million. However, Nylander’s salary ate 13.07% of Toronto’s salary cap. Rantanen’s agent will likely use that tally – $12.5 million – as a baseline, with salary cap projections for the 2026-27 and 2027-28 seasons also coming into account.
Rantanen, teeming with consistent point production, goal-scoring threat and a flair for the dramatic like few others, is one of hockey’s grandest spectacles. Soon, he’ll be paid like it, too.
