Another Shocking Canadian Team Was Reportedly Close to Acquiring Mikko Rantanen Yesterday

The saga of Mikko Rantanen finally came to an end at the trade deadline, with the Finnish superstar not only being traded to the Dallas Stars, but also inking a long-term extension with the team, as the veteran reportedly refused to sign an extension in Carolina in what became one of the most intriguing stories in the NHL for the past month.

That deal almost fell apart after being reported overnight on Thursday, but ultimately it went through, with several other teams reportedly interested in Rantanen before he ended up in Dallas.

One of those teams were the Edmonton Oilers, who were in deep discussions with Carolina, and according to Ryan Rishaug, the former Stanley Cup winner had interest in extending with Edmonton as well.

However, the team just didn't have the assets to matchup with the Stars offer of Logan Stankoven and two first-round draft picks, which was the one that Carolina ultimately took before No. 96 inked an eight-year extension worth $12 million annually.

After landing Trent Frederic and Jake Walman at the deadline, the Oilers definitely improved, but adding Rantanen to play alongside Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl would have no doubt cemented them as a favourite in the Western Conference.

Now however, the team have to deal with a loaded up Dallas and Colorado team that both improved immensely at the trade deadline, and at this point, it's safe to say this could be one of the hottest Stanley Cup Playoff races of all time.