Rangers, Maple Leafs Linked To Have Interest In Signing Mikko Rantanen

The Rangers could be a sneaky contender to sign Mikko Rantanen if he becomes a free agent this upcoming offseason.

Mikko Rantanen is set to become a free agent this summer and the New York Rangers could look to pursue the superstar forward.

Rantanen was traded from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes, but he’s still yet to sign a contract extension.

If he doesn't sign an extension with the Hurricanes by July 1, he’ll hit the open market as the Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs have been linked to be interested in his services.

“Teams will make room for this guy,” Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman said. “If they have a feeling that he’s going to come to them — the New York Rangers, Toronto — it won’t just be the teams with a lot of cap room.

"It’ll be teams (saying), like, ‘OK, if I have to move a mountain to get Mikko Rantanen, we’re going to try to do it.’”

This comes weeks after ESPN’s Emily Kaplan reported that the Rangers are hungry to make a big splash.

“I think this is a front office that have always targeted two free agents from now when they would like to make a big splash, but maybe it’s this summer instead.

“We just know it’s in the nature of the New York Rangers and a James Dolan owned team to always go after the big splashes. Any of these top names that you're going to see available this summer or next, whether it is Mitch Marner, Mikko Rantanen, Jack Eichel.”

There’s still a lot that could happen regarding Rantanen’s future before July 1, but keep your eyes out for the Rangers if he does end up becoming a free agent.