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The Carolina Hurricanes traded for Mikko Rantanen on Friday night in a stunning move. It was a three-team trade between the Hurricanes, Colorado Avalanche, and Chicago Blackhawks. Carolina also acquired Taylor Hall in this deal on Friday night. This is certainly a move that announces Carolina's intentions to make a serious push for the Stanley Cup.
This is the first blockbuster move from general manager Eric Tulsky during his tenure. However, it's a move he certainly believes is the right one for his franchise at this time. Tulsky released a statement on Friday after the teams made the Rantanen trade official.
“Mikko is one of the premiere power forwards in our sport. It’s no secret that we’ve wanted to add elite skill to our lineup, and this is a player who should fit our system and locker room well. And Taylor gives us another high-skill option to bolster our attack,” the Hurricanes' general manager said, via The Fourth Period's David Pagnotta.
The Hurricanes add bonafide superstar in Mikko Rantanen trade
Eric Tulsky oversaw a very talented Hurricanes roster before the Mikko Rantanen trade. Players such as Sebastian Aho, Seth Jarvis, and Martin Necas played pivotal roles in helping Carolina make six straight playoff appearances. However, they could never get over the hump.
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Carolina has made the Eastern Conference Finals twice since 2019. They failed to make the Stanley Cup Final in each of those appearances. In fact, they were swept in both East Finals matchups. The last time the Hurricanes won a game in the East Final was 2006 when they went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Adding Rantanen gives Carolina a bonafide superstar. The new Hurricanes star has the fourth-most points in the NHL over the last five seasons, according to Evolving Hockey. Only former teammate Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton Oilers stars Leon Draisaitl and Connor McDavid have more points.
Moreover, Rantanen has scored the fifth-highest amount of goals in the league during that span. Only David Pastrnak, McDavid, Draisaitl, and Auston Matthews have found the back of the net more often. The highest-ranking Hurricanes player is Aho, who is 18th among skaters in the league.
Rantanen is a free agent at the end of this season. And it will be tough for the Hurricanes to re-sign him. However, Carolina is pushing their chips to the center of the table and going all in. Perhaps fans will look back at the Rantanen trade as the final piece to the puzzle in a Stanley Cup championship for the Hurricanes.
