The Toronto Maple Leafs had the best offer on the table to the Carolina Hurricanes to trade for Mikko Rantanen.
The Hurricanes acquired Rantanen back in January from the Colorado Avalanche. But, the pending free agent didn’t want to re-sign with Carolina so he was traded to the Dallas Stars on March 7 at the trade deadline.
Although the Hurricanes got a haul, which included Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks, NHL insider Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, the Maple Leafs offer was better.
“Maple Leafs had best offer on table for Rantanen today and the Hurricanes refused to take it. We’ll discuss in detail and so much more on trade deadline,” Kypreos wrote on X.
Speaking on his Real Kyper & Bourne Show on March 7, Kypreos claimed the Maple Leafs offered Easton Cowan, Fraser Minten and two first-round picks as the main part of the package for Rantanen. Whether or not there were other smaller pieces involved in the potential deal is unknown.
Kypreos also reported that Carolina didn’t want to trade Rantanen to an Eastern Conference team in fear of seeing them in the playoffs.
Rantanen is in the final year of his six-year $55.5 million deal. As part of the trade to the Stars, he signed an eight-year $96 million deal.
Rantanen Says Trades Have Been Crazy
Rantanen is a star player in the NHL and he has now been traded twice in less than two months.
After being deal on deadline day, Rantanen went on TSN and said the past couple of weeks have been hectic and crazy for him.
“It’s been crazy,” Rantanen told TSN. “It was the first time I’ve been traded from Colorado. It happened quick, everything. All of a sudden you’re on a new team for the first time and then this situation comes with the contract and stuff. So it’s been something that I never thought I would fully experience, but here we are.”
Rantanen says there were several reasons why he didn’t re-sign in Carolina, but he’s excited to join the Stars.
“When you look around at your situation and you see what’s best for you, and that’s what I was kind of doing for a month or so and think about everything,” Rantanen added. “But just the fit in Dallas and just to be a part of the group, it’s a great team and they have been successful the last couple of years, so hopefully I can jump in there and help the team.”
Rantanen has skated in 62 games recording 27 goals and 43 assists for 70 points.
Maple Leafs Make a Pair of Moves
After not getting Rantanen, Toronto made a pair of big moves on deadline day.
The Maple Leafs acquired centerman Scott Laughton a fourth-round pick in the 2025 NHL Draft and a sixth-round pick in the 2027 draft to the Philadelphia Flyers for forward prospect Nikita Grebenkin and a first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. The Flyers are also retaining 50% of Laughton’s contract.
Laughton has another full year left on his deal. He has 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points this season.
After the Laughton deal, Toronto acquired defenseman Brandon Carlo from the Boston Bruins. In return, the Maple Leafs dealt forward prospect Fraser Minten and a first-round pick.
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