Kings Must Trade for Hurricanes' Mikko Rantanen for Stanley Cup Push Amid NHL Rumors

Amid insider Elliotte Friedman's report that the Carolina Hurricanes will not re-sign Mikko Rantanen to a contract extension before the trade deadline on March 7, it is clear the organization owes it to itself to explore a potential trade for the 28-year-old Finnish star, if for no other reason than to get something in return for him before he potentially walks this offseason.

One of the teams interested in acquiring Rantanen is the Los Angeles Kings.

James Murphy of RG.org reported that several insiders have linked the franchise to the talented left winger. He wrote, "They’re so set up in the middle, and yet, they’re in on [Jake] Evans too. What does that tell you? They’re serious, and Rantanen brings them to another level. I know they’ve poked around, but we’ll see where it goes.”

Murphy reported that Jordan Spence, the 24-year-old defenseman from Australia could be the piece the Hurricanes are looking for in return as they focus their attention on building up the blue line and improving their defensive front.

A trade between the two franchises would be mutually beneficial as it would allow the Hurricanes to improve an area of need while receiving compensation via the draft or other players in return for Rantanen. Meanwhile, the Kings would significant improve their rosters at a time when they are attempting to keep pace in a loaded Western Conference.

The key would be the money, as Murphy noted.

"Rantanen was acquired by Carolina from Colorado in a three-team trade on January 24. In that trade, the Chicago Blackhawks retained 50% of his $9.25 million salary cap hit," he noted.

"If the Hurricanes retained an additional 50%, the cost for an acquiring team to get Rantanen would drop to approximately $2.3 million. Per Puckpedia, the Kings currently have $4.4 million in NHL Trade Deadline cap space."

If the Kings can convince the Hurricanes to retain some of the financial burden, the organization could easily afford to take Rantanen off their plate for a surprisingly affordable amount.

Plus whatever Carolina would receive in return, presumably a first-round pick and a prospect, with Spence likely being the preferred player.

In January, Carolina acquired Rantanen from Colorado in a trade that stunned the superstar winger, who had spent his entire career playing for the Avalanche.

The newness of playing for a different team, and the fact that it will be just over a month that the veteran has played there, makes his reluctance to agree to a contract extension a little more understandable.

Still, the Hurricanes need to make a decision as to whether to trade Rantanen or risk letting him leave in free agency at the end of the season without receiving anything in return.

With the Kings as interested as they reportedly are, there are suitors to make a deal happen. Los Angeles would become a better hockey team in time for a playoff push and, potentially, a shot at the Stanley Cup, making the urgency for such a deal that much greater on their part.