The Colorado Avalanche were at an impasse with Mikko Rantanen in terms of getting a contract done. There were talks at the beginning of the season as the unrestricted free agent was eligible to sign a new contract on July 1st, 2024. While many expected Rantanen to sign with the Avalanche, things took a turn right before the season.
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Once Leon Draisaitl signed with the Edmonton Oilers at a $14 million salary cap hit, that became the benchmark for the Rantanen camp. This was the hill his side was not budging from. Colorado Avalanche GM Chris MacFarland wanted to keep Rantanen under Nathan MacKinnon‘s $12.6 million AAV, as they had Cale Makar and other players to sign. MacFarland did not want to mess up his salary cap situation.
Not to mention, he knew that his team was not deep enough to win.
“It’s clear, we’re not deep enough. And I think that you’ve gotta be deep to go four rounds, and hopefully this is gonna help that. Obviously Mikko, he’s a superstar. You can’t replace that. But again, he’s a superstar that earned the right to be a free agent”
– Chris MacFarland
— Jesse Montano (@jessemontano_) January 25, 2025
Thus, MacFarland decided to trade him to the Carolina Hurricanes despite conflicting reports about whether Colorado and the Rananten camp actually engaged in trade talks.
Mikko Rantanen was completely caught off guard by the trade and was very upset. Colorado showed very little to no interest in attempting to re-sign him over the last several months. This was a panic move by Colorado.
— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) January 25, 2025
Rantanen was willing to continue negotiating throughout the season with Colorado. In fact, both sides had more contract talks this past week. Just couldn’t find enough common ground. The Avs, in the end, made the calculation they were never going to get there on a number…
— Pierre LeBrun (@PierreVLeBrun) January 25, 2025
Now it is on Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky to re-sign Rantanen. That will be the number one priority for the Canes heading into the March 7th deadline. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet was on NHL Network discussing the Mikko Rantanen trade and said it was on Carolina to get a deal done now.
“I think one of the key factors here is that there is not an extension as part of this trade for Rantanen and the Hurricanes, but the Hurricanes now have until the March 7 trade deadline to see if they can convince Rantanen to sign,” Friedman said. “One of Rantanen’s good buddies is Sebastian Aho of the hurricanes, and I have no doubt that Aho was going to lead the lobbying efforts to see if Rantanen will sign.”
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Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho will play on Team Finland for the Four Nations Faceoff. You expect Aho to see if he can convince him to stay. But every free agent has the right to go to market. This is another risk the Hurricanes are taking after trading for Jake Guentzel last year at the deadline.
The Hurricanes will have cap space next season to make things work with Rantanen. The key will be whether Tulsky can convince his owner, Tom Dundon, to spend the money. We know how much of a stickler he is for giving out long-term, high-dollar-amount contracts.
The next priority for the Carolina Hurricanes is to get Mikko Rantanen signed.
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