New Team Enters the Race for Mikko Rantanen Following Latest Report

When the Carolina Hurricanes landed Mikko Rantanen, the hope was that the team could keep him long-term and avoid losing him in free agency, but as a deal has yet to be reached, all signs now point to him being moved ahead of the 2025 trade deadline.

The Dallas Stars, Winnipeg Jets, Vegas Golden Knights, Toronto Maple Leafs, Los Angeles Kings and several other teams have been linked to the star winger, and after a recent injury, another team has joined the race.

According to a report from reporter James Nichols, the New Jersey Devils have informed the 'Canes that they're all in on acquiring Rantanen at the deadline under one condition.

Unfortunately, that condition involves the injury to their star forward Jack Hughes, and if the teams points leader indeed hits LTIR at some point this week, they've told GM Eric Tulsky that they're interested in acquiring Rantanen.

While he's got just 2 goals and 6 points in 11 games in Carolina, Rantanen has 70 points in 60 games overall this season, and playing with the likes of Hughes, Jesper Bratt and Timo Meier among others on this loaded Devils team could certainly help him get red-hot again.

With just days until the deadline, there will be immense interest in No. 96 across the league, especially with retention potentially bringing his deal down below $4 million for the remainder of the season, and if New Jersey add him to their top-six, they'll solidify themselves as a genuine contender in the Eastern Conference.