NHL Insider Rules Out Several Teams In the Mikko Rantanen Sweepstakes

For weeks now, speculation has been ramping up over a potential second trade involving Mikko Rantanen, with insider Nick Kypreos all but confirming the reports on Tuesday.

However, the team simply aren't going to give him away for free, as retention on Rantanen could net them a major return, with many teams around the league interested in the former Colorado Avalanche star, who has been one of the most consistent players in the NHL over the past several years.

Now, the latest update comes from Pierre LeBrun, who notes that the Hurricanes will be selective about where they trade him, likely ruling out a certain group of teams ahead of the trade deadline.

According to LeBrun, the Hurricanes will not move him to a team they may ultimately play in the first-round of the playoffs, ruling out the likes of New Jersey, New York, Columbus or even Detroit, all of whom loom as potential opponents depending on how the next month plays out.

While that severely limits the bidding war that could ensue for No. 96, that leaves plenty of teams interested, with Florida, Tampa Bay, Toronto, Vegas, Dallas, Winnipeg and Los Angeles all still in play for the veteran star.

Ultimately, it's all but guaranteed that Rantanen will be traded for a second time this season in the next few days, and with teams now being eliminated from contention in the Rantanen sweepstakes, we are narrowing down his potential next destination ahead of unrestricted free agency in the summer.