Maple Leafs Were Mikko Rantanen's Shocking Backup Trade Target After Latest Report
Photo credit: Perry Nelson-Imagn Images
Mikko Rantanen was traded from the Hurricanes to the Stars, but a new report suggests the Maple Leafs were his backup team if a deal ended up failing.
The Toronto Maple Leafs were named by NHL insider Darren Dreger as a backup trade location for Mikko Rantanen in the event that his relocation to the Dallas Stars did not pan out.
Rantanen was first dealt from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes in January as part of a blockbuster trade. Before the NHL trade deadline on March 7, he was dealt again, this time to Dallas.
Rantanen signed an eight-year deal with Dallas
He then signed an eight-year, $96 million extension with the Stars starting in the 2025-26 season.
Speaking on TSN's 'OverDrive' podcast, Dreger said Toronto was in the running if Dallas and Carolina had disintegrated at the bargaining table. But he did not go into detail about the Leafs' offer because the deal with Dallas was consummated.
"It was, well, yeah. My sense is that Toronto was Plan B if Dallas didn't work out. Toronto was Plan B. Now, Marner was not going out the other side. Nylander wasn't going out the other side."It probably would have been a collection of other items. Obviously, the prospects have been speculated on."
- Darren Dreger
- Darren Dreger
According to analyst Nick Kypreos on the 'Real Kyper & Bourne' podcast, the Leafs offered prospects Easton Cowan and Fraser Minten, plus two first-round draft picks, in return for Rantanen.
They also offered to sign him to an eight-year contract for between $105 million and $110 million. Dreger also included that any team trying to sign Rantanen likely would have had to sign him to an extension of several years.
| POLL | ||
MARS 13 | 163 ANSWERS Maple Leafs Were Mikko Rantanen's Shocking Backup Trade Target After Latest Report Would the Leafs have been the NHL's Cup favorite if they landed Mikko Rantanen? | ||
| Yes | 67 | 41.1 % |
| No | 96 | 58.9 % |
| List of polls | ||
TRENDING NOW
