There was one thing Mikko Rantanen needed after he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes: his number. Jack Roslovic had the No. 96 for Carolina before Rantanen was acquired in a blockbuster three-team trade last week that also involved the Chicago Blackhawks.

It’ll be hard to assess the impact of the Carolina Hurricanes’ acquisition of Mikko Rantanen for months, but a goal in his Lenovo Center debut doesn’t hurt.

After the blockbuster trade, the Hurricanes are the favorites to come out of the East with a 12.7 percent chance of winning the Cup.

Rantanen admitted he spent a lot of time staring at the ceiling Friday night. The goal celebrations with the likes of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar are no more. The bonds he made are likely unbreakable, but now it’s time to make new ones in his new home.

The Finnish winger, obtained in mega trade with the Colorado Avalanche, earned his first goal as a Hurricane, while fellow newcomer Taylor Hall was a late scratch with an illness.

Mikko Rantanen scored his first goal with Carolina, helping the Hurricanes beat the Chicago Blackhawks 3-2 on Thursday night. Seth Jarvis and Jaccob Slavin also scored for the Hurricanes, who won for the sixth time in seven games.

Mikko Rantanen scored in his Hurricanes home debut as Carolina posted a 3-2 victory against the Chicago Blackhawks on Thursday night in Raleigh, N.C.

Hurricanes superstar Mikko Rantanen opened up about playing with Sebastian Aho for the first time in a long while after his trade.

Mikko Rantanen (Carolina Hurricanes) with a Goal vs. Chicago Blackhawks, 01/30/2025

The newly acquired Mikko Rantanen is making himself right at home with his new team. In his first home game since being traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24, Rantanen recorded his first goal as a member of the squad.