"He's going to be a hard negotiator" - NHL insider lays out possible AAV figure for Mikko Rantanen's next Hurricanes contract

On Monday, NHL insider Darren Dreger discussed Mikko Rantanen's potential contract on the "1st Up" podcast. Rantanen joined the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday in a three-team trade along with Taylor Hall. The trade sent Jack Drury, Martin Necas and two draft picks to Colorado, while Chicago received a third-round pick and retained 50% of Rantanen’s $9.25 million salary.

Dreger estimated that Rantanen’s next deal could have an average annual value of around $14 million. He said that Carolina likely made the trade knowing the high cost of keeping a player like Rantanen.

“I'm sure he's going to be a hard negotiator in this process," Dreger said. "But, you know, again, I'll repeat myself, you've just managed to wrestle away one of the top two-way players in the sport, period. So you don't make that deal unless you know what you believe the open market is going to command, and probably that's somewhere around 14 million."

Rantanen is in the final year of a six-year $55.5 million contract and will become a free agent in the offseason. He has 64 points (25 goals, 39 assists) in 50 games, making him one of the league’s top players. Carolina will likely prioritize signing him to a long-term deal.

Dreger added that while $14 million is a possible figure, it might not require that much. Factors like Rantanen’s experience with Carolina and his connection to Rod Brind’Amour could influence the final number. Dreger noted that Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon is involved in discussions and values open communication.

"I'm sure he'd get to the hard negotiation," Dreger said. "Not just, hey, what do you think? Should we let him settle in for a couple of weeks and see how he feels? You know, I'll bet you Dundon is like, hey, any minute, you guys want to sit down and hash out the parameters. We don't have to close the deal, but the parameters, I'm open to that, Let's get after it.

"And they probably tried to have those conversations. They being Carolina to this point, but that number, ultimately, what it is, is going to be fascinating."

Rantanen, who spent his entire career with the Avalanche, has 681 points (287 goals, 394 assists) in 619 games. He helped Colorado win the Stanley Cup in 2022 and has 101 points in 81 playoff games.

Mikko Rantanen is "excited" after joining Carolina Hurricanes

Mikko Rantanen was held without a point in his debut game for the Carolina Hurricanes. The team was defeated 3-2 in overtime by the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Saturday. Mikko Rantanen talked about his trade out of Colorado.

“It was obviously a weird 24 hours, for sure," Rantanen said after the game, via NHL.com. "Everything happened quick. It was surprising a little bit, but I’m obviously excited to be here. It’s a very good team. There are a lot of good players, and the setup here is really good, so I’m excited to be part of it, for sure.”

Dreger’s projection of $14 million AAV reflects Rantanen’s elite status and consistent performance. Carolina will need to balance the high cost with their salary cap situation. The outcome of these negotiations will shape the team’s future and their chances of competing for a Stanley Cup.