Mikko Rantanen’s Trade Timeline: A Wild Few Months
🔹 January 2025: Colorado Avalanche trades Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes in a massive multi-player deal.
🔹 March 7, 2025: Just before the NHL trade deadline, the Hurricanes flip Rantanen to the Dallas Stars.
🔹 March 10, 2025: Rantanen signs an eight-year, $96 million extension with Dallas, solidifying his future with the team.
While Dallas ultimately secured one of the league’s most dominant forwards, Dreger’s recent report suggests the Maple Leafs were in serious contention if things didn’t work out between Carolina and Dallas.
How Close Were the Maple Leafs to Landing Rantanen?
On the TSN OverDrive podcast, Darren Dreger explained that Toronto was considered a strong Plan B if the Dallas trade collapsed.
“If Carolina and Dallas couldn’t finalize the deal, Toronto was a real possibility. The Leafs were in talks and had the assets to make it work. But once Dallas stepped up, that was it.”
The fact that Toronto was even in the conversation means management was exploring a major shake-up—which would’ve made waves across the league.
What Would Rantanen Have Brought to Toronto?
Mikko Rantanen is an elite winger, one of the most productive players in the NHL.
📊 2024-25 Season Stats (before trade):
🏒 58 games played
🔥 33 goals, 48 assists
⚡ 81 points
Adding Rantanen to the Leafs’ lineup would have made an already dangerous offense even more lethal, possibly pairing him with Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner.
Leafs’ Potential Lineup with Rantanen:
- 1st Line: Rantanen – Matthews – Marner
- 2nd Line: Nylander – Tavares – Knies
- 3rd Line: Domi – Holmberg – Järnkrok
This would’ve given Toronto one of the most dominant top-six forward groups in the NHL.
Why Did Dallas Win the Rantanen Sweepstakes?
Ultimately, the Dallas Stars made the best offer.
📢 Trade Package: Dallas received Mikko Rantanen from Carolina in exchange for:
🔹 Top prospect Logan Stankoven
🔹 1st-round pick in 2025
🔹 Conditional 2nd-round pick
Dallas was willing to part with top-tier assets, something Toronto may not have matched.
Additionally, the Stars’ position as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender made them an ideal fit for Rantanen.
What’s Next for Toronto?
Since Toronto missed out on Rantanen, they may still be looking for a major roster move in the offseason.
👀 Potential Leafs’ Targets in 2025 Free Agency or Trades:
✅ Jake Guentzel (Carolina Hurricanes – UFA)
✅ Elias Lindholm (Vancouver Canucks – UFA)
✅ Nikolaj Ehlers (Winnipeg Jets – Trade candidate)
If the Leafs want to make a deep playoff run, they may still need a Rantanen-type player to push them over the top.
Final Thoughts: The Trade That Almost Happened
While Mikko Rantanen to the Maple Leafs was only a backup plan, it proves that Toronto’s front office is looking to make big moves.
🎯 Dallas won the Rantanen sweepstakes, but Toronto’s willingness to engage in trade talks signals that major roster changes could still come this summer.
