The Carolina Hurricanes and Dallas Stars have reached a trade agreement in place, pending superstar forward Mikko Rantanen’s contract extension with the Stars. The two teams are set to discuss the deal at 3 p.m. ET on Friday, according to ESPN’s Emily Kaplan.
Rantanen, acquired by the Hurricanes in January as part of a three-way blockbuster trade, has struggled to find his form in Carolina, scoring just two goals and four assists in 13 games since joining the team. The 28-year-old is coming off back-to-back 100-point seasons with the Colorado Avalanche but faces a challenging return to form.
Rantanen’s current cap hit stands at $4.625 million, which could be reduced to $2.23 million if another team or the Hurricanes are willing to take on an additional 50% of his contract. The Stars have sufficient cap room after acquiring forward Mikael Granlund and defenseman Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks in February.
The trade hinges on Rantanen’s ability to secure a contract extension with the Stars, which would allow him to find stability and form after a brief period of uncertainty with his new team.
Source: https://www.thescore.com/nhl/news/3235276