Mikko Rantanen is heading back to the Western Conference, and the Dallas Stars paid a big price in money and assets, agreeing to acquire the prolific playoff performer from the Carolina Hurricanes before the NHL's trade deadline on Friday.

What You Need To Know

  • Mikko Rantanen is heading back to the Western Conference, and the Dallas Stars paid a big price in both money and assets in agreeing to acquire the prolific playoff performer in a deal with the Carolina Hurricanes

  • Dallas agreed to an eight-year, $96 million contract after both the Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche failed in their attempts to sign the player to a long-term deal

  • Dallas dealt promising rookie forward Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks as part of a long-awaited, blockbuster trade to acquire Rantanen

Dallas dealt promising rookie forward Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks as part of a long-awaited, blockbuster trade to acquire Rantanen. And that doesn't include Dallas agreeing to an eight-year, $96 million contract after both the Hurricanes and Colorado Avalanche failed in their attempts to sign the player to a long-term deal.

"Obviously a really good team in Carolina. ... But I think just the fit in Dallas," Rantanen told TSN of spurring the trade forward by agreeing to sign with Dallas.

"I've played against Dallas a lot. I know they have a good team. I know the city well enough and everything there," he added. "So at the end of the day, it was easy. Easy decision at that point."

The move comes just over two months after the Hurricanes acquired Rantanen from Colorado in a three-team deal that also included the Chicago Blackhawks. Carolina gave up Jack Drury, Martin Necas and two draft picks in making the trade in hopes to lock up Rantanen, who is in the final year of his six-year, $55 million contract.

Rather than risk losing the 28-year-old Rantanen for nothing in free agency this summer, the Hurricanes dealt him to Dallas and the familiar Central Division. General manager Eric Tulsky was pleased with the return the Hurricanes received for Rantanen, while noting he ran out of time in a bid to flip some of the assets acquired for a player. He did manage one addition, acquiring forward Mark Jankowski for sending a fifth-round pick to Nashville.

In Rantanen, the Stars add a proven playoff performer who played a key role in Colorado winning the Stanley Cup title in 2022. Overall, he's combined for 101 points in 81 postseason games with eight series victories — an average seventh in league history behind only Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Nathan MacKinnon and Mark Messier.

The Hurricanes will have to proceed without Rantanen, who had two goals and six points in 13 games with Carolina, which sits second in the Metropolitan Division.