NHL Rumors: Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers among 4 big teams Mikko Rantanen was ‘willing’ to sign extension with

Mikko Rantanen was open to signing a contract extension with only four teams before he landed with the Dallas Stars. According to Puck Empire, NHL insider David Pagnotta said that those teams were the Stars, Florida Panthers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Vegas Golden Knights.

"The Panthers, Stars, Golden Knights & Maple Leafs were the four teams Mikko Rantanen was believed to be willing to sign an extension with, per @TheFourthPeriod" Puck Empire tweeted on Monday.

Rantanen was first traded in January to the Carolina Hurricanes, who tried to sign him to an eight-year contract. However, Hurricanes' coach Rod Brind’Amour confirmed that Rantanen was not interested in staying.

"There’s not been one guy that has left here because they didn’t like it here — except for Mikko," Brind'Amour said on Monday, via 'Canes Corner.' "He didn’t not like it. When he showed up, he said ‘there’s four teams I’ll go play for, well, you’re not one of them.’ So, there’s 28 other teams he wasn’t going to."

Rantanen eventually signed an eight-year, $96 million deal with Dallas. Brind’Amour also suggested that the team should have known about it before making the trade.

"Mikko said 'This is not for me' and I think there are other circumstances on that. It’s not because of the hockey," Brind’Amour said. "It was because, I think, his family, it wasn’t for him. We probably should have known that before we made the deal."

Carolina received Logan Stankoven, two first-round draft picks and two third-round picks from Dallas.

Mikko Rantanen talked about his trade situation to Dallas Stars

Mikko Rantanen admitted that he was surprised when the Carolina Hurricanes traded for him from the Colorado Avalanche. During his first practice with Dallas on Saturday, he said he liked the team but chose not to stay.

"When you get traded, it takes you by surprise a little bit, and then you don’t have a contract with a new team and you try to look at everything not just only on the ice, because you’re basically a UFA," Rantanen said, via NHL.com.

"Carolina is a very good team, and I enjoyed my time there. I had some friends there that I knew from before. It wasn’t an easy decision."

Rantanen made it clear that he had nothing against Carolina. Since joining Dallas, he has scored two goals and an assist in two games.