
Mikko Rantanen made a name for himself and won the Stanley Cup during his time with the Colorado Avalanche, but he’s ready to move on. The Finnish ice hockey star will join the Carolina Hurricanes, after being traded by the Avalanche in a three-way megadeal.
The Hurricanes acquired Rantanen and Chicago Blackhawks’ left winger Taylor Hall in a blockbuster deal, which saw Colorado receive Carolina’s winger Martin Necas and center Jack Drury, along with a 2025 second-round pick and a 2026 fourth-round pick. The Blackhawks also received a third-round pick in 2025 from The Hurricanes as a part of this three-way megadeal.
The Hurricanes are gearing up to hold preliminary extension talks with Rantanen, and they’re the only team eligible to give him an eight-year deal. It’s been reported he’s asking for an average annual value of around $14 million, which would mark a significant raise from his current salary of $9.25 million.
Mikko Rantanen made his NHL debut in 2015, after joining the Colorado Avalanche as the 10th overall pick in the first round of the 2015 NHL draft. He helped the team win their first Stanley Cup in over two decades in 2022 and scored 64 points (25 goals, 39 assists) in 49 games this season, ranking sixth in the league.