Mikko Rantanen could be on the move again if Carolina cannot sign the 2022 Stanley Cup champion, now in his prime, to an extension. Brock Nelson, Erik Karlsson and brothers
With the NHL’s trade deadline now in the rearview mirror, we’re going to pinpoint below the league’s teams that are shaping up as true Stanley Cup contenders. In alphabetical order:
The Hurricanes had seemingly as good of a chance to win a Stanley Cup this season as they've had in quite some time with Rantanen. Instead, they traded him for pieces that might end up helping them down the line, but not much in 2025. Stankoven has promise, but has just 29 points in 59 games this season.
The Avalanche and Islanders receive their grades after completing the Brock Nelson trade late on Thursday night.