RALEIGH — Mikko Rantanen is the most talked about player in the NHL leading up to Friday’s 3 p.m. trade deadline, but the star winger doesn’t want to talk about.
Rantanen refused to speak with the media following Thursday’s morning skate, the latest fuel added to the fire surrounding Carolina’s shocking trade acquisition.
The Hurricanes made a blockbuster trade Jan. 24, acquiring Rantanen and Taylor Hall in a three-team trade that sent Martin Necas, Jack Drury and draft picks to Colorado and Chicago. Carolina has since reportedly offered Rantanen an eight-year contract extension in excess of $100 million, a proposal Rantanen has not yet accepted.
Almost immediately after the Hurricanes acquired Rantanen, noise ramped up that Carolina could flip him before the deadline should he refuse to sign a long-term deal with the team. Much of that discourse was fueled by other teams, some of whom reached out to the Hurricanes with “if he doesn’t sign, let us know” overtures.
With just over 24 hours left before the deadline, it’s clear that Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky is doing his due diligence on what teams would be willing to give up to acquire Rantanen. Would Los Angeles give up a package that includes young defenseman Brandt Clarke? What could a team like Dallas, Toronto or Florida come up with?
Regardless, it’s safe to say this isn’t what Tom Dundon, Tulsky and the Carolina front office envisioned when they made the deal nearly six weeks ago.
Instead of locking up a superstar player and turbocharging their roster for the postseason, the Hurricanes have gotten two goals and six points in 12 games from Rantanen and are caught in a maelstrom of rumors surrounding him.
There are three ways this can go for Carolina:
- The Hurricanes hold onto Rantanen through the deadline and get him extended before he becomes an unrestricted free agent this summer.
- The Hurricanes hold onto Rantanen for a playoff run and he walks in free agency.
- The Hurricanes try to recoup assets and trade Rantanan before Friday’s trade deadline.
Only one can be checked off by Friday evening, but there will at least be a reset before the rest of the season after the deadline passes.
“It is because we don’t talk about this stuff,” Hurricanes coach Rod Brind’Amour said after Thursday’s morning skate. “We’d be talking about now, ‘OK, here’s your team’ — good or bad, however you guys want to discuss it, that’s what we go forward with.
“So yeah, until that day comes and that time’s over, this is the nature of it. You’re going to deal with this kind of stuff.”
In Rantanen’s defense, the past six weeks have been a whirlwind. The trade, the 4 Nations Face-Off, contract negotiations, the trade deadline — one of those alone would be a big distraction, let alone all of them.
His modest production also hasn’t reflected his play. No, he hasn’t fixed Carolina’s ailing power play, and the expected chemistry between him and Sebastian Aho has yet to emerge, but Rantanen has looked every bit the dynamic player the Hurricanes expected.
That doesn’t mean it hasn’t been frustrating, and anyone watching has seen glimpses of that during games and now with his refusal to talk on Thursday.
One way or another, Friday afternoon will allow everyone — GMs, coaches, players, fans and media — to exhale and prepare for the rest of the season.
But if Rantanen’s still in Raleigh, people will wonder about his plans — at least until he puts pen to paper.
