The Detroit Red Wings are aiming to snap their playoff drought, and one trade proposal has them landing a star player in a blockbuster deal.
PuckPedia’s PuckGM tool allows fans to create and share trade ideas, and one user suggested a trade that would send Mikko Rantanen to the Red Wings from the Carolina Hurricanes.
Proposed Trade:
Red Wings receive:
- Mikko Rantanen
Hurricanes receive:
- J.T. Compher ($2.6 million salary retained)
- Patrick Kane
- 2025 first-round pick
- 2026 first-round pick
This would be a massive move, with Detroit acquiring Rantanen in exchange for two first-round picks and two NHL players. Carolina recently traded for Rantanen, but his name has resurfaced in trade rumors as negotiations on a contract extension remain uncertain ahead of the March 7 trade deadline.
Rantanen, in the final year of a six-year, $55.5 million contract, would provide a major boost to Detroit’s offense, likely slotting in on the top line. Across 55 games with the Avalanche and Hurricanes this season, he has tallied 26 goals and 40 assists for 66 points.
In return, the Red Wings would part with their first-round picks in 2025 and 2026, as well as Compher and Kane. Compher, currently in the second year of a five-year, $25.5 million deal, has contributed 6 goals and 15 assists for 21 points in 49 games and could serve as a third-line center for Carolina.
Kane, a future Hall of Famer, signed a one-year, $4 million contract with Detroit and has recorded 12 goals and 19 assists for 31 points in 45 games this season. His presence would add offensive depth to the Hurricanes’ roster.
Could Carolina Flip Rantanen Again?
Despite making a major move to acquire Rantanen, Carolina might trade him again due to his pending free agency.
NHL insider Frank Seravalli speculated that if the Hurricanes are unable to extend Rantanen’s contract before the deadline, they could consider moving him.
“If this gets closer to March 7 and he’s unsigned, and they have a feeling he’s not going to sign, I wouldn’t be shocked,” Seravalli said on Daily Faceoff. “They’ve got an owner just crazy enough to turn around and say, ‘Let’s see if we can get back what we paid, if not more.’”
Since joining Carolina, Rantanen has struggled to adjust, recording just one goal and one assist in six games.
Red Wings Focused on Improvement
Detroit is currently holding onto a playoff spot.
After a slow start, the team fired head coach Derek Lalonde and replaced him with Todd McLellan. Under McLellan, the Red Wings have gone 15-5-1, but he believes there is still room to grow.
“We can take some time to breathe,” McLellan said. “As a staff, we’ll review where we’ve been and what we need to work on. Some of the things we saw are important. Game-management skills are really hard to work on in practice … so they just have to keep improving through video and experience. For us to move forward, those are going to have to improve.”
Detroit currently holds a 28-22-5 record, clinging to the final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference.
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