Yahoo Sports Rantanen Could Find His Way Back to Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks had Mikko Rantanen momentarily in the blockbuster 3-team trade with the Colorado Avalanche and Carolina Hurricanes, but only to retain $4.625 million on his contract. There's still a chance Chicago gets to take a real stab at him in the off-season though.
The Blackhawks are in no place to be adding a player on the last year of his deal without an extension attached mid-season. The Hurricanes also had more to give the Avalanche that would help them right now than the Blackhawks as Colorado tried to get what they could for Rantanen since a deal wasn't going to be struck before free agency.
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Pushing the trade itself aside, there seems to be an even higher chance that Rantanen now becomes a free agent on July 1. Carolina has added big pieces before the deadline in recent years and haven't been able to keep them around. Take Jake Guentzel as an example from last season.
At $9 million AAV, Guentzel seemed to be too rich for the Hurricanes. So what does that say about the state of Rantanen who is reportedly looking for Leon Draisaitl money ($14 million AAV) on his next deal? Whether the Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup or not with the roster they have assembled, the team will have to decide whether they want to pay a newcomer over $4 million more per year than Sebastian Aho, the highest paid player on the team.
If the Hurricanes are willing to give up the bag to keep one of the best players in the league that they gave up a good amount to get, the money should be available. Not only is the cap going up, the list of UFAs on Carolina who are coming off the books after the season is plenty.
Anticipating that Rantanen will get just short of $14 million AAV, that means that the Hurricanes have to open $9 million in cap space in the summer. The jump in NHL salary cap, Dmitri Orlov ($7.75 million), Taylor Hall ($6 million), Brent Burns ($5.28 million), Frederik Andersen ($3.4 million), Jack Roslovic ($2.8 million), and Jesper Fast ($2 million) are all contributing to the room the Hurricanes will have.
That being said, it still doesn't mean Carolina is willing to spend that much on a player long-term. They still have to either re-sign or replace all of those players. Finnish-born Aho and Rantanen will be something to behold and might sway the latter to take less, but Chicago has a Fin of their own in Teuvo Teravainen. If Rantanen hits free agency, Chicago has to be throwing all $14 million per season at him.
While it wouldn't be fun for Rantanen to play on a rebuilding team in 31st place this season, 2025-26 is a new season and he would not only get his money due to the large amount of cap space the Blackhawks have, but would be a long-term linemate of Connor Bedard. It would have an incredibly positive impact on the second-year star and take Chicago right out of the rebuild they are in.
If a player like that becomes available for the Blackhawks, it is a no-brainer to do what they can to get him. It's not a pipe dream and it's definitely not a guarantee, but as history could repeat itself with the Hurricanes and with the opportunity the Blackhawks have, Rantanen to Chicago could very well happen in a matter of months.
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