The uncertain future of Mikko Rantanen is the biggest question going into the final hours before the NHL trade deadline Friday, with the Carolina Hurricanes holding the keys to by far the most dominant player potentially available.

March 4 — "All options are on the table" for longtime Islanders C Brock Nelson ahead of Friday's deadline, The Athletic reported, including a trade, extension or no movement at all. Nelson, who has spent his entire 12-year career with the Islanders, is set to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer.

When is the NHL trade deadline time? The 2025 NHL trade deadline is Friday, with Mikko Rantanen and Brad Marchand among the targets. Follow the latest trade news here.

"The Hurricanes initially asked for Mitch Marner in return for Rantanen. Because it was for Rantanen, the Maple Leafs had to consider it," Friedman reported. "They told the winger

The biggest stunner of the NHL trade deadline was the Carolina Hurricanes trading Mikko Rantanen. Just weeks after picking him up from the Colorado Avalanche, they flipped him to the Dallas Stars after failed contract negotiations.