Rumor: Hurricanes could look to flip Rantanen if he doesn’t extend by the deadline

[japhi27returns]

They should keep him and add a 2C, and make a run. There just won’t be value in a trade; there are questions around his performance away from Mack and he is going to FA. So his value is at all time lows, this isn’t 100 point Rants being traded.

So lets go, find some C depth and trust your team to make a run. Doesn’t have to be a cup win to be a success, a long run will do. Then you wake up next year with a good prospect pool and a ton of cap and retool.

Or, you can concede on the year, take a guaranteed L on the trade. Personally I’d push my chips all in.

 

[Osakahaus]

Aho isn't good enough? Slavin isn't good enough on the breakouts? I mean, are you saying he needs to play with McDavid, Matthews, Kucherov, or Barkov to be effective?

Aho isnt a great center. He's on the same tier as a Barzal IMO. He's amazing but not able to carry you to a championship. He'll beat the islanders and devils in a playoff round, but he isnt getting you past the Rangers or Panthers

 

[Peter Tagli Eddie]

I don't understand , why would the Canes acquire him if they aren't willing to pay him like 12-13 mill?

Because he's not worth 12-13 mill IMO.

 

[SeanMoneyHands]

this isn’t 100 point Rants being traded.

Rantanen is still a 50 goal/100pt guy, he's a stud and players like him dont grow on trees. The Rantanen of the past 6 weeks isn't vintage Rantanen. Put him on a more offensive team with star players and he will be back to 90-100pts. At the very worst he puts up 80pts a year.

 

[FerrisRox]

+ the fact that they couldn't re-sign Guentzel as well during the off-season. Pure shit show lately and really embarrassing. It blows.

And before that, they gross over pay to acquire - then extend - Jesperi Kotkaniemi wasn't a very good look either.

That's a lot of money and a lot of term for a 27 point scorer who was given extended looks in the top six.

 

[PAZ]

There’s loads of reasons why Carolina thought this move would work. On paper they’re one of the more desirable destinations for Rants, but I don’t think anyone expected the fit to be so poor.

Initially I thought it was just getting use to the change, but it’s getting hard to give him the benefit of the doubt. It makes you question how important Mack is to Rants, and if this is just a transition phase or if this is who he is away from Mack.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Because he's not worth 12-13 mill IMO.

Well obviously but he's a 28 year old UFA with all the leverage

 

[LOFIN]

I don't understand , why would the Canes acquire him if they aren't willing to pay him like 12-13 mill?

Because he's not worth 12-13 mill IMO.

By all accounts, Carolina has made an offer in that ballpark. It's not about the money, Rantanen isn't comfortable enough in Carolina to sign an extension at this time. Maybe he would sign one in 7 weeks, but seems like the Canes are not going to be waiting for that.

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

It still boggles my mind how the Canes traded away Necas for a player that didn't have an extension in place, especially having Necas still under contract till 2026

All things considered that's only one extra year- really one more playoff run. For a guy everyone on this site considered far superior at the time of the trade

 

[japhi27returns]

Rantanen is still a 50 goal/100pt guy, he's a stud and players like him dont grow on trees. The Rantanen of the past 6 weeks isn't vintage Rantanen. Put him on a more offensive team with star players and he will be back to 90-100pts. At the very worst he puts up 80pts a year.

I imagine Carolina would argue that he is still that guy. They thought they were getting 50g Rants and if he needs to play with a top 5c that impacts his value.

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

I don't understand , why would the Canes acquire him if they aren't willing to pay him like 12-13 mill?

Didn't they allegedly already offer 8 years, $100m to him?

 

[The Grinder]

Yea I don’t thinks it’s a money issue. Canes are likely offering him a fair deal, he just doesn’t want to commit right now mid season, or at all, with Carolina. If that’s the case yea trade his ass and get some return on their investment. A contender will pony up for even rental Rantanen.

 

[Nikishin al Gaib]

There’s loads of reasons why Carolina thought this move would work. On paper they’re one of the more desirable destinations for Rants, but I don’t think anyone expected the fit to be so poor.

The fit hasn't been poor, he's been a good player for us, he's just pressing and its impacting the points tally. In every other metric he's been one of our best players since the trade, driving offensive play every time he's on the ice. Once he stops pressing, he's going to be collecting points.

 

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

Let's see here... has Rantanen re-signed... nope!

 

[Osakahaus]

There’s loads of reasons why Carolina thought this move would work. On paper they’re one of the more desirable destinations for Rants, but I don’t think anyone expected the fit to be so poor.

Initially I thought it was just getting use to the change, but it’s getting hard to give him the benefit of the doubt. It makes you question how important Mack is to Rants, and if this is just a transition phase or if this is who he is away from Mack.

Going from Nathan Mackinnon, the games best skater arguably, to Sebastian Aho, is like changing your internet speed from 5G to LTE. You're gonna lose a ton of speed down the middle. The Hurricanes issue is that they also aren't like the Avalanche where you have the benefit of a Cale Makar and Devon Toews on your blue line. Its the DNA of a roster that can turn a guy like Rantanen, who's a dynamic scorer, into someone who's mediocre and probably just lost 2-4M extra dollars per year

 

[LOFIN]

Going from Nathan Mackinnon, the games best skater arguably, to Sebastian Aho, is like changing your internet speed from 5G to LTE. You're gonna lose a ton of speed down the middle. The Hurricanes issue is that they also aren't like the Avalanche where you have the benefit of a Cale Makar and Devon Toews on your blue line. Its the DNA of a roster that can turn a guy like Rantanen, who's a dynamic scorer, into someone who's mediocre and probably just lost 2-4M extra dollars per year

Yeah, that's not going to happen lol.

 

[Osakahaus]

The fit hasn't been poor, he's been a good player for us, he's just pressing and its impacting the points tally. In every other metric he's been one of our best players since the trade, driving offensive play every time he's on the ice. Once he stops pressing, he's going to be collecting points.

...So the same exact issue that Timo Meier has where he has all the impact in metrics but no goals and points to show for it. Again, proving the point of why some people should be analytical people and not general managers of a hockey team.

 

[KingsHockey24]

Mikko Rantanen RW


Jordan Spence RD
Alex Turcotte C/LW
2nd Round Pick

This trade happens today.

 

[AhosDatsyukian]

Genius move by the Hurricanes to trade away their 2nd best player from their roster for a guy who doesn't fit at all, and then trade him potentially because he won't get an insane payday and want to be in Carolina

10/10 general managing, would give them their GM of the year award to a dude who does computer work

Necas was maybe our 5th best player and heading to UFA himself in a year. It was a mistake trading for Rantanen without an extension in place but even if Rantanen just walks at the end of the year it's really not going to have a big negative impact on this team going forward. The team will just use the cap space they would've used on Rantanen or Necas elsewhere.

 

[AvsGuy]

Mikko Rantanen RW


Jordan Spence RD
Alex Turcotte C/LW
2nd Round Pick

This trade happens today.

Big oof if that's all it takes. I'd expect something more like:



Quinton Byfield
Brandt Clarke



Mikko Rantanen
Jaden Chatfield

 

[Finlandia WOAT]

Something to consider about Carolina's reasoning- when they acquired Guentzel there were concerns he, too, was merely a passenger to Crosby and wouldn't be nearly as effective away from him. Then Guentzel arrived in Raleigh, and had immediate chemistry with Aho, it was actually kind of shocking how quickly they started producing together. I'd guess they were hoping for something similar between Rantanen and Aho, especially considering they're countrymen, and that just hasn't happened. Didn't help the first chunk of time here the team was dealing with flu in the locker room, but oh well.

 

[habamillions]

Be funny he goes to florida with tkachuk on ltir money and then tkachuk comes back 1st game of the playoffs. Problem is what does florida even have to offer carolina at this point

 

[unicornpig]

Big oof if that's all it takes. I'd expect something more like:



Quinton Byfield
Brandt Clarke



Mikko Rantanen
Jaden Chatfield

haha, canes have no leverage. they have a player that isn't going to re-sign. why would the kings do that when they can re-sign him for free in 4 months. either ride him out for the season or getting a significantly less return than what they give up for him

 

[VeteranPresence]

Edmonton offers one of Matt Savoie, Sam O'Reilly or Beau Akey plus their 2026 1st and whichever of Jeff Skinner or Viktor Arvidsson would waive for Carolina. That helps Carolina keep their forward ranks respectable today while also adding two decent futures.

 

[KrisLetAngry]

+ the fact that they couldn't re-sign Guentzel as well during the off-season. Pure shit show lately and really embarrassing. It blows.

My understanding is they negotiated hard and only caved in the last few days. Guentzel went to free agency. Simple as that.

Big oof if that's all it takes. I'd expect something more like:



Quinton Byfield
Brandt Clarke



Mikko Rantanen
Jaden Chatfield

Byfield with his contract is worth more than Rantanen.

There's no way I'd do that as LA.