NHL Insider Gives Major Update On The Mikko Rantanen Situation In Carolina; Trade Likely Incoming
Mikko Rantanen doesn't appear motivated to remain in Carolina beyond this season, and according to Frank Seravalli, it could lead to another blockbuster trade.
Mikko Rantanen was absolutely blindsided by the Colorado Avalanche when he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season, as GM Chris MacFarland did not want to pay him more than superstar forward Nathan MacKinnon.
In making the deal, GM Eric Tulsky and the 'Canes believed they could lock Rantanen up long-term, but after almost a month with the team there's been no movement, with plenty of people believing that he doesn't want to sign there ahead of unrestricted free agency in the summer.
Now, in his latest piece, Frank Seravalli has revealed the thought process of the Hurricanes, noting that they likely won't want to redo the situation that unfolded with Jake Guenztel last season.
"Is the owner willing to roll the dice, to your point, on the back end of this? And potentially have him walk for nothing, on July 1. I really have a lot of hesitancy to say that he'll be comfortable with that on the back end. Meaning oh yeah, no problem, we traded those assets for this guy and one playoff run. If he's not committing, I'm not a believer that Tom Dundon loves that idea, just based on what I know of the situation."
Seravalli would follow this up by saying that if the 'Canes believe their offer to Rantanen is fair and he doesn't want to sign before March 7th, moving on would be the best move for the team.
"So I would lean toward, if you've truly put the dollars on the table, and you've put what you believe is a fair eight-year deal on the table. And he's not committing to you or is non-committal, my money would be on them flipping him."
At this point in time, all signs are pointing towards a trade for Rantanen, who hasn't been setting the world on fire for Carolina thus far, and if they don't move him and he walks for free, it could be a major mistake for this organization that sets them back for years.
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