Could Calgary Flames land Rantanen? They have the cap space to make it happen
The Calgary Flames could be looking to acquire one of the biggest pending unrestricted free agents on the market.
Mikko Rantanen could test the open market, even after the 28-year-old pending UFA was traded by the Colorado Avalanche to the the Carolina Hurricanes a month ago.
It seems the Hurricanes are worried about being able to work out an extension with Rantanen, with the Finnish superstar reportedly seeking a deal worth roughly $13 million per year, as per Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
The Flames are one of just a few teams with the money to afford such a contract, with PuckPedia listing their projected cap space at more than $17 million, the second most of any NHL team. That, in large part, is why Pat Steinberg of Sportsnet 960 thinks the Flames are interested in Rantanen.
“I believe the Flames will have strong interest in Rantanen if he hits the UFA market this summer… I think there’s a strong chance Calgary will be one of the teams ready to put a massive deal on the table,” Steinberg said on Flames Talk. “I fully do believe that Rantanen is a guy they’d be willing to put some big money down on, and try to lure him in on a seven-year deal in free agency.”
Steinberg also brought up the potential of trading for Rantanen but made it clear that in order to do so, they would need to be 100 per cent certain that he would be re-signing, as the Flames are not in a position as a franchise to be adding rentals.
Trading for Rantanen would give the Flames the opportunity to sign him to an eight-year contract, whereas if they pursued him as a free agent, they could only give him a maximum of seven years.
Steinberg isn’t the only member of the Flames media who has mentioned Rantanen, either. Ryan Leslie shared similar thoughts when speaking on Real Kyper & Bourne in late January.
“You’ve got some dough, as everybody knows in Calgary,” Leslie said. “Craig [Conroy] wants to spend it, but he wants to spend it wisely. Did Craig fancy a guy like Mikko Rantanen? You’re darn right he did. Does he fancy some of the big-name free agents that I’m sure you guys have talked about? Yes he does.”
Rantanen is one of the NHL’s top offensive weapons, having recorded north of 100 points in each of the past two seasons. Prior to being traded, he had 25 goals and 64 points in 49 games with the Avalanche.
He’ll be drawing interest from many teams, but the Flames are certainly a dark horse to keep an eye on.
- You might also like:
- Ex-Calgary Flames forward Tkachuk makes appearance on Jimmy Fallon