A potential Toronto Maple Leafs trade target may be leaving the board.
According to a report from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, talks are intensifying for the Carolina Hurricanes to send Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars.
Okay, something else tonight: Hearing talks are intensifying to send Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) March 7, 2025
Friedman’s report came in the early hours of Friday’s NHL Trade Deadline. The Hurricanes originally acquired Rantanen, 28, in a three-way trade that sent Martin Necas to the Colorado Avalanche in return.
Plenty of rumours made the rounds this week that the Canes were exploring their options for potentially moving Rantanen once it became clear to them that he wouldn’t be signing an extension in Carolina.
According to Friedman, the Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, and Los Angeles Kings were among the teams that were “very interested” in acquiring Rantanen. Here is what Friedman wrote at the time:
“Among the teams believed to be very interested are Toronto, Dallas and Los Angeles — although that’s a ridiculously incomplete list. Who wouldn’t want him at a $2.3 million cap hit, if Carolina retained 50 per cent of Rantanen’s salary. But, a trade return would be much better for the Hurricanes if Rantanen agreed to extend with a new team, something else everyone’s trying to determine.”
-Elliotte Friedman
The return on the trade is not yet known, but we will be sure to update this article when word breaks. Friedman did also add that the status of an extension between Rantanen and Dallas is not yet known.
Be sure to keep it locked on TLN for all of your NHL Trade Deadline needs. We’ll have plenty of analysis, live blogs, and much more to keep you covered all day long!
Check out our article on what it might have taken for the Leafs to acquire Rantanen by clicking here!
Get ready, hockey fans! The Daily Faceoff Deadline is happening on March 7th from 11 AM to 4 PM Eastern, and you won’t want to miss it. We’ll be LIVE, breaking down every trade and big move as it happens, with instant reactions and expert analysis from the Daily Faceoff crew. Plus, we’ve got special guests lined up throughout the show, offering exclusive insights from some of the biggest names in the game. From blockbuster trades to surprise moves, we’re covering it all. Tune in to the Daily Faceoff YouTube channel and follow Daily Faceoff socials on March 7th to catch all the action!