The Carolina Hurricanes have dealt forward Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars in a delayed trade that was contingent on the winger signing an extension with his new team, sources told ESPN.
In exchange, Carolina will receive two first-round picks and forward Logan Stankoven. Meanwhile, representatives for the Stars and Rantanen were busy on Friday, ironing out an eight-year extension.
The Hurricanes, who traded for Rantanen in January in a massive three-way deal, tried to sign the 28-year-old winger to an extension. However, Rantanen told Carolina he wasn’t ready to make a decision, sources said, which led to the Hurricanes fielding offers from several teams.
Sources said the Hurricanes are comfortable keeping Rantanen as a rental player if they don’t feel they have good enough offers, which must include strong roster players as Carolina is not interested in futures deals.
Rantanen believed he would play his entire career with the Colorado Avalanche and was shocked by the January trade that sent him to the Hurricanes. He is now four months away from hitting free agency for the first time in his career.
He is represented by Andy Scott, the same agent who helped Leon Draisaitl sign an eight-year, $112 million extension with the Edmonton Oilers.
Only the team that has Rantanen before free agency can sign him to an eight-year contract, or he can sign for a max seven-year deal July 1.
Rantanen has 27 goals and 70 points this season. The 6-foot-4 power forward posted a career-high 55 goals with the Avalanche in 2022-23 and followed that with 42 in 2023-24.
