Rantanen traded to Stars by Hurricanes, signs 8-year, $96 million contract
Carolina unable to sign forward after acquiring him from Avalanche in January; gets Stankoven, picks
© Katherine Gawlik/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
It was an offer Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars couldn’t refuse.
After weeks of uncertainly about his future NHL home, Rantanen was traded to Dallas by the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday, and then signed an eight-year, $96 million contract.
The trade and new contract capped a wild six-week stretch for the 28-year-old forward, who had only played for the Colorado Avalanche before he was traded to the Hurricanes in a three-team deal on Jan. 24.
He was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1, which is why the Avalanche dealt him.
“It’s been crazy,” Rantanen told TSN. “It was the first time I’ve been traded from Colorado and it happened quick, everything, and 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 played 13 games for the Hurricanes, who also felt they would not be able to sign him to a long-term deal, prompting the trade-and-sign with Dallas on Friday. He will make his Stars debut at the Edmonton Oilers on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; CBC, SN, CITY, Victory+).
“The chance to acquire and extend one of the best forwards in the NHL is an opportunity that we couldn’t pass up,” Stars general manager Jim Nill said. “He demonstrates exceptional skill and vision on the ice and his size (6-foot-4, 215 pounds), consistency and versatility make him one of the most complete players in the League.
“Mikko’s experience in the postseason is an invaluable asset to our team as we work toward the goal of winning a Stanley Cup.”
Jim Nill on the Stars trading for Mikko Rantanen
In return for Rantanen, the Hurricanes received forward Logan Stankoven, a conditional first-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, a conditional first-round pick in the 2028 NHL Draft, a third-round pick in the 2026 draft and a third-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft.
Rantanen was in the final season of a six-year, $55.5 million contract ($9.25 million AAV) he signed on Sept. 28, 2019, with the Avalanche, who selected him in the first round (No. 10) in the 2015 NHL Draft.
“I think at the time, obviously I had to look at all the options because there was no deal when the trade (to Carolina) happened,” he said. “It was kind of a situation where I had to think about my life for a long period of time, not only on the ice but also off the ice.
“Obviously, it’s a really good team in Carolina, the last couple of years they’ve been close to the Stanley Cup. But I think the fit in Dallas and I’ve been thinking a lot about it with myself and my camp and (my girlfriend) Susanna and everything. Just the fit I feel like everywhere, I think that was what the decision was.”
Rantanen is tied for 12th in the NHL this season with 70 points (27 goals, 43 assists) in 62 games, but he only had six points (two goals, four assists) in 13 games with Carolina, including no points in a 3-2 win against the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
NHL Tonight reacts to the Mikko Rantanen trade
The Stars (41-19-2) are second in the Central Division with 84 points, eight behind the NHL-best Winnipeg Jets having played two fewer games.
The Hurricanes (37-22-4) are in second place in the Metropolitan Division, 12 points behind the Washington Capitals.
Rantanen, who played for Finland in the 4 Nations Face-Off, becomes the latest Finn to play for Dallas, joining forwards Mikael Granlund and Roope Hintz, and defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell.
“It’s hard to single out one team, so I wouldn’t say it was just one team,” Rantanen said. “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. 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.”
Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky said taking risks and being aggressive is what the Hurricanes are all about.
“If you only make moves when you’re 100 percent, you know exactly how it’s going to work out, you’re going to miss some opportunities to make the team better,” Tulsky said. “That’s not what we want to do. If the team was already winning Cup after Cup after Cup, maybe that would be a time to be conservative, but we haven’t gotten where we want to be yet. So, we need to keep taking chances and trying to push things forward.
“Ultimately, that means you’re taking some risks. When you’re bringing in a player like Mikko, the upside of having that work out long-term is worth that risk in my mind. Obviously, we didn’t want it to end with him being traded away; that wasn’t the goal, but that trade allowed us to bring in other pieces that will help us.”
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Rantanen has 687 points (289 goals, 398 assists) in 632 regular-season games with Colorado and Carolina, including 371 points (160 goals, 211 assists) in 299 games over the past four seasons, which ranks seventh in the NHL.
He also has 101 points (34 goals, 67 assists) in 81 Stanley Cup Playoff games, including 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 20 games in 2022, when he helped the Avalanche win the Cup for the first time since 2001.
Stankoven has 29 points (nine goals, 20 assists) in 59 games this season. The 22-year-old had 14 points (six goals, eight assists) in 24 regular-season games in 2023-24, and eight points (three goals, five assists) in 19 playoff games.
Stankoven, who was selected by Dallas in the second round (No. 47) of the 2021 NHL Draft, has one season remaining on his three-year, entry-level contract he signed with the Stars on Sept. 28, 2021.
Dallas has won four in a row and seven of its past eight. The Stars will look to take the next step after losing in six games to the Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final last season. The Stars last reached the Stanley Cup Final in 2020, losing in six games to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Carolina has won three in a row and has its eyes set on a seventh straight playoff berth, having won at least one round in each of the past six postseasons.
If the 2026 first-round pick is in the top 10, the Stars would be able to convert the pick to an unprotected first-round pick in the 2027 NHL Draft. The 2028 first-round pick carries the same conditions.
Nill said the Stars also signed forward Wyatt Johnston to a new contract on Friday. Terms were not released.
Johnston is in the final season of the three-year, entry-level contract he signed Sept. 28, 2021, and could have become a restricted free agent July 1.
The 21-year-old is third on the Stars with 59 points (23 goals, 36 assists) in 62 games. Selected in the first round (No. 23) of the 2021 NHL Draft, Johnston has 165 points (79 goals, 86 assists) in 226 regular-season games and 22 points (14 goals, eight assists) in 38 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
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NHL trade deadline 2025 recap: Analysis of deals, rumors from a busy day
Contending teams had already beefed up before Friday’s NHL trade deadline.
Then the Dallas Stars pulled off the biggest deal of the day and the Colorado Avalanche and defending champion Florida Panthers also struck.
The Stars traded for Mikko Rantanen after it was clear the two-time 100-point scorer wouldn’t re-sign with the Carolina Hurricanes. He agreed to an eight-year, $96 million contract with Dallas. The Stars sent forward Logan Stankoven to Carolina along with two top-10 protected first-round picks (2026 and 2028), plus two third-rounders.
The Avalanche, who have been busy remaking their roster all season, landed No. 2 center Brock Nelson around midnight then traded for Boston’s Charlie Coyle to be their No. 3 center.
As the clock was about to hit the 3 p.m. ET deadline, the Panthers traded for longtime Bruins player Brad Marchand, adding to their earlier acquisitions of Seth Jones and faceoff specialist Nico Sturm.
Here’s a look at the deals that went down on Friday (previous deals can be found here):
The NHL trade deadline was at 3 p.m. ET.
According to reports and team releases: Fabian Zetterlund to the Senators. Erik Johnson to the Avalanche, another homecoming (Givani Smith goes to Philadelphia in the deal). Daniel Sprong and Dennis Cholowski to New Jersey. Nicolas Aube-Kubel to the Rangers with Erik Brannstrom going to the Sabres. Mark Jankowski to Carolina. Henri Jokiharju to Boston.
Chicago’s Ryan Donato, Vancouver’s Brock Boeser, Pittsburgh’s Rickard Rakell and Matt Grzelcyk, Montreal’s Joel Armia and David Savard, New York Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri.
Dallas Stars forward Wyatt Johnston gets $42 million over five years. New York Rangers defenseman Urho Vaakanainen gets two years ($1.55 million average).
The Oilers said their medical staff determined Evander Kane won’t be able to return this season and will remain on long-term injured reserve. Edmonton would have been in salary cap trouble if he had been healthy enough to return.
The Bruins captain is heading to the defending Stanley Cup champions. He’s hurt at the moment, as is Matthew Tkachuk, but can you imagine the snarl the Panthers will have in the playoffs with those two and Sam Bennett?
The Panthers give up a conditional 2027 second-round pick that becomes a 2027 or 2028 first-rounder if Florida wins two 2025 playoff rounds and Marchand plays in 50% of the playoff games.
Boston isn’t done selling either, with defenseman Brandon Carlo heading to Toronto. The Bruins receive prospect Fraser Minten, a conditional 2026 first-round pick and a 2025 fourth-rounder.
But don’t forget that deals are often announced after the deadline if they’re already in the queue at Central Registry.
The Blue Jackets go for forward depth in the trade market after claiming forward Christian Fischer off waivers on Thursday.
The Devils were never going to find a replacement for injured Jack Hughes in the trade market. They settle instead for a depth center.
The full deal: The Devils acquire Glass and Jonathan Gruden from the Penguins for Chase Stillman, Max Graham and a 2027 third-round draft pick.
The Avalanche acquire forward Charlie Coyle and a 2026 fifth-round pick for forward Casey Mittelstadt, forward William Zellers and a conditional 2025 second-round pick. Colorado tried Mittelstadt, acquired last season, as a No. 2 center this season, and it didn’t work. He was expendable after the Avalanche acquired Brock Nelson. Coyle can slot in as a big No. 3 center who can score 15 to 20 goals.
Continuing the NHL trend of players going home, Mrazek is returning to the Red Wings. He became available when Chicago acquired goalie Spencer Knight in the Seth Jones trade. Mrazek has another year left on his deal and joins a crowded crease in Detroit.
The Hurricanes-Stars deal on Mikko Rantanen isn’t official yet. But according to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun, the return would be center “Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks, plus some smaller pieces in the deal as well.”
He’ll average $4 million in the five-year contract.
Still no word on whether the Mikko Rantanen trade to the Stars is official.
Toronto was looking for center depth, and Laughton likely can slot in as a No. 3 center. He addressed the trade rumors before the deadline by posting a Last Supper photo on social media. The Flyers retain 50% of his salary and receive a 2027 first-round pick and Nikita Grebenkin, a Russian winger in his first professional season in North America.
The Jets aren’t done. They add Kraken winger Brandon Tanev for a 2027 second-round pick. Tanev is a high-energy player and kills penalties. Winnipeg’s penalty killing ranks 15th in the league. Tanev began his career with the Jets.
Schenn will bring physical play to the Jets. He has 848 career penalty minutes and more than 3,500 hits. The Penguins had acquired him this week in the Michael Bunting trade and flip him for a 2026 second-round pick and a 2027 fourth-rounder.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports the Stars are closing in on an eight-year extension for Mikko Rantanen. If it gets done, that would complete the trade of Rantanen from the Hurricanes to the Stars. No details on what the return would be.
The key players are Dylan Cozens and Josh Norris. Norris can score when he’s healthy, but he has had injury issues. He has 20 goals this season and had 35 goals in 2021-22. Cozens has struggled this season but scored 31 goals in 2022-23 and has a physical element to his game. The trade puts him in the playoff race. The Senators are sitting in a wild-card spot while Buffalo is last in the East.
The return is a 2027 third-round pick, and the Kings also get a 2025 seventh-round pick. Philadelphia retains 50% of his salary. The Flyers acquired Kuzmenko on Jan. 30 when they dealt Morgan Frost and Joel Farabee to the Flames. The Kings need offense, and Kuzmenko had 39 goals as a rookie in 2022-23. But he has now been traded three times and has six goals this season.
So far, one official trade: Anthony Beauvillier to the Capitals. But there’s also a reported Senators-Sabres trade.
Full details aren’t available but the main players are Buffalo’s Dylan Cozens and Ottawa’s Josh Norris. Cozens, 24, is 6-3 and scored 31 goals in 2022-23, though he has struggled this season. He could use a change of scenery and gets a chance to try to push the Senators into a playoff spot. Norris is a former 35-goal scorer but has dealt with injuries since then. He has 20 goals this season.
The Penguins receive a 2025 second-round pick. Beauvillier offers speed and secondary scoring (seven times in double digits, including 13 this season). He had two playoff runs to the conference final when he was with the Islanders. He’s a pending unrestricted free agent.
He averages $4.75 million in his two-year extension, per reports. He was a good signing last summer and has 44 points in 54 games. He also provides a leadership role as a veteran on the young team.
With center Brock Nelson gone, teams could circle to Flyers center Scott Laughton, who has another year left on his contract. Chicago’s Ryan Donato has a career-best 23 goals and would draw interest if the Blackhawks can’t re-sign him.
Nothing announced yet this morning, but it’s early.
Just because Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello traded Brock Nelson, it doesn’t mean he’s having a big sale. Newsday reported that the team is still trying to get pending unrestricted free agent Kyle Palmieri signed to an extension.
Multiple reports late last night said the Hurricanes and Stars had worked out a framework for a trade for Mikko Rantanen, and the Stars were working on a contract extension with the winger in order to complete the deal. However, TSN’s Darren Dreger reported this morning that there is no deal in place.
The Red Wings had moved Jake Walman to the Sharks essentially to get him off their roster and sweetened the deal by including a second-round pick in exchange for future considerations. Walman made that deal look bad by becoming the Sharks’ top defenseman and recording a career-best 32 points. So now, Sharks general manager Mike Grier has received a second-round pick (from Detroit) and a first-round pick (from Edmonton) for 50 games worth of Walman’s tenure in San Jose.
The Oilers acquired defenseman Jake Walman from the Sharks for a conditional 2026 first-round and forward Carl Berglund. Here are the conditions:
The Avalanche acquire forwards Brock Nelson and William Dufour from the Islanders for defenseman Oliver Kylington, forward Calum Ritchie, a 2026 first-round pick and a conditional 2028 third-round pick. According to puckpedia.com, the Islanders retain 50% of Nelson’s salary.
Colorado gets its desired upgrade at No. 2 center. Nelson has 20 goals this season and has 30 or more in the previous three seasons. Islanders general Lou Lamoriello gets a first-round pick and a former first-rounder (Ritchie) for Nelson, who was a pending unrestricted free agent. Kylington was sent to the Ducks for future considerations.
Yes, and they often are. If teams reach an agreement and call Central Registry by 3, it gets in a queue and can be announced after it’s approved.
The NHL posted video on Thursday about the Brian Dumoulin trade. Central Registry makes sure the teams are in agreement on the terms and that they’re cap compliant. In rare cases, a trade could be voided.
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