What a Mikko Rantanen Trade to the Ducks Could Look Like

The NHL trade deadline is just under one week away, set for noon PST on Friday, March 7. The biggest story heading into this pivotal week of the season is the circumstances surrounding Mikko Rantanen and the Carolina Hurricanes.

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The Canes acquired the 6-foot-4, 215-pound winger from the Colorado Avalanche on Jan. 24 along with winger Taylor Hall in exchange for Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a 2025 second-round pick, and a 2026 fourth-round pick.

Reports of the two sides working on an extension have surfaced, but have yet to come to terms. The growing sentiment is if the Canes don’t feel with complete certainty they can get a deal done with Rantanen, that they’d be open to trading him ahead of Friday’s deadline.

In his recent “32 Thoughts” column and again on his “32 Thoughts” podcast, premier NHL insider Elliotte Friedman speculated if the Anaheim Ducks could be a team that could surprise and become involved in trade talks surrounding Rantanen.

“So let’s just say this was a team I looked at: Anaheim,” Friedman said on his podcast. “Last summer, swing at Marchessault, don’t get him. Swing at Stamkos, don’t get him. What if they have a chance?”

Friedman made very clear he was simply speculating, but a few of his previous speculations surrounding the Ducks have come true. In Sept., he speculated the Blues could be interested in acquiring Cam Fowler at some point during the season after they had engaged in talks earlier in the Summer. He also speculated the Ducks could target Greg Cronin while they were in the midst of their coaching search a month before he was hired in June, 2023.

The Fit

Rantanen is a superstar, detail-oriented NHL winger coming off of back-to-back 100-point seasons after winning his first Stanley Cup with the Avalanche in 2021-22. He’s in the final year of a six-year contract that carries an AAV of $9.25 million. The Chicago Blackhawks retained half of Rantanen’s…