The Carolina Hurricanes are reportedly close to acquiring Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall in a three-team trade involving the Chicago Blackhawks and Colorado Avalanche. Key players Martin Necas and Jack Drury will move to Colorado, while Chicago will retain part of Rantanen’s salary and receive a third-round pick. Rantanen, a top performer, has been pivotal for the Avalanche, while Hall aims to regain his form after a challenging season.
Exciting Developments in Raleigh: Carolina Hurricanes Set to Acquire Rantanen and Hall
In a stunning move, Elliotte Friedman reports that the Carolina Hurricanes are on the verge of acquiring Mikko Rantanen and Taylor Hall through a complex three-team trade involving the Chicago Blackhawks and the Colorado Avalanche. This potential trade could be one of the most significant in recent NHL history.
Trade Details and Player Movements
As per Friedman’s insights, notable players Martin Necas and Jack Drury are expected to head to Colorado as part of this blockbuster deal. The trade is still in the negotiation phase, but it promises to shake up the league significantly. The Blackhawks are set to retain half of Rantanen’s hefty $9.25 million salary, while they will also shed Hall’s full $6 million cap hit.
In exchange, Chicago will only receive a third-round draft pick. Meanwhile, the Avalanche will benefit from a second-round pick in 2025 and a fourth-round pick in 2026, along with the promising talents of Necas and Drury.
Recent reports indicate that multiple teams had expressed interest in acquiring Rantanen from the Avalanche. While the team initially hesitated to part ways with him, their stance appears to have changed drastically.
As a pending free agent, Rantanen reportedly turned down an enticing eight-year, $90 million contract offer from Colorado. The Finnish forward has made a substantial impact this season, scoring 25 goals and accumulating 64 points in just 49 games.
Carolina’s Winning Addition
This trade represents a significant coup for the Hurricanes, who are set to welcome one of the NHL’s elite players. Rantanen has exceeded the 100-point threshold in his last two seasons and is on track for yet another career-best performance. Teaming up with Nathan MacKinnon for a number of years, he has consistently challenged opposing defenses, tallying an impressive 681 points in 619 regular-season appearances.
Moreover, Rantanen’s postseason prowess is notable, with 101 points in 81 playoff games, including a Stanley Cup victory in 2022.
Player Implications: Necas and Hall
Martin Necas, who many had speculated would depart Carolina over the summer, has been a standout performer since signing a two-year contract extension. Currently, he leads the NHL in points at the season’s outset and has continued to shine with 55 points in 49 games.
While there were early rumors about former first-round pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi being involved in the trade, it appears Drury will be the second player leaving the Hurricanes. Drury, 24, was selected in the second round of the 2018 draft and has contributed nine points this season, including three goals.
As for Taylor Hall, the 33-year-old forward has faced challenges this season, including a dip in performance that saw him temporarily benched. However, he has rebounded offensively, notching 24 points in 46 games, despite struggling with a -16 plus-minus rating. Once a dominant force and the first overall pick in 2010, Hall has battled injuries, including a significant knee surgery last season, but has still amassed 721 points over his 878-game career.