There are trade rumors abound, and some might seem way more farfetched than others. But I’d tell you to stop and consider all possibilities before you render a rumor null. And trust me, if the Red Wings are poised to break into the top three in their division, expect Steve Yzerman to do all he can to improve this hockey team beyond any expectation you might have.
Why? I’d say he’s as frustrated as the rest of the fans in Hockeytown and in every part of the nation, and even around the globe. Nobody expected the Wings playoff drought to last so long into the current decade, and if they miss out this time around, they’ll be 0 for 5 - note that I’m starting with the 2020-21 season.
That alone should provide all the motive he’ll need to maybe pass on some solid but less-than-spectacular players the Buffalo Sabres could be offering and instead go for, oh, I don’t know, Mikko Rantanen? Hey, Rantanen will cost quite a bit, but it doesn’t mean Yzerman and the Wings won’t get away with one.
There’s an incredible way the Red Wings could acquire Mikko Rantenen
Have you ever driven a cool, new car off the lot of a dealership, knowing you just lost at least $2,000 the second it hits its first bump? Well, while that car is still valuable, its overall value immediately went down.
The same thing goes with Mikko Rantanen, who’s yet to enjoy a dominant performance with the Carolina Hurricanes. If you haven’t checked, Rantanen’s got one goal and two points in six games. With the Canes having sent Martin Necas, Jack Drury, a second, and a fourth-round pick in 2025 and 2026, respectively, it’s an offer they won’t recoup should they trade Rantanen again.
But if they can’t sign him, why keep him? Especially if Rantanen’s all but proven he’s not a good fit in Raleigh?
Still, the Red Wings have plenty of draft capital to at least satisfy that end of the deal. There’s also an underperforming player or two the Wings can also send to Raleigh, but players who also boast some potential. And that, too, will satisfy another requirement.
Red Wings can get away with one if they went after Mikko Rantanen
Now, you might be asking, “Okay, Todd, but who’s the ‘Martin Necas’ in this deal? The Hurricanes are still going to at least want a top-six-caliber player in return, and there are a few players on that no-trade list, or at least there should be.’
This is where I’d hand them Patrick Kane. Yes, Patrick Kane, who’s been playing at a point-per-game pace over the past 21 contests. He’s got nine goals in that span, including five on the power play, and he’s also got three game-winners. Yeah, Kane’s older, but following a slow start, he’s since rebounded.
Plus, I stated that Rantanen’s value won’t be what it was, meaning the Wings could get away with one here involving a player who looks like an awful fit to date. Throw in someone like Jonatan Berggren, J.T. Compher, a second-rounder, and I’d even toss in a third-rounder, and get this trade finalized, with Kane as the main attraction.
Yeah, it might sound counterintuitive, but right now, the Canes need to make up for what’s been a less-than-stellar deal on their end. They’ll take some younger role players, plus an experienced former Stanley Cup Champion who seems to have found his game, and a couple of draft picks if it means sending Rantanen elsewhere.