It was a stunner when Mikko Rantanen got dealt to the Carolina Hurricanes earlier this season, and there’s still a chance he finds another new home by Friday afternoon.
The Hurricanes are proactively gauging the market on the 28-year-old winger with less than 48 hours to go until the NHL trade deadline and have received interest from the Dallas Stars, Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers, among others.
After initially making a pitch to sign Rantanen to a nine-figure extension during the 4 Nations break and being told there would be no immediate decision on a contract, Carolina is closely examining its options for the pending unrestricted free agent.
Now, can they drum up a return for Rantanen that actually compels them to pull the trigger?
That will be answered by 3 p.m. Eastern on Friday.
In the meantime, Rantanen moves atop the Big Board. Players are listed by how closely they demand watching, based on their potential impact and the current amount of buzz around them.
Read more below.
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