Outspoken hockey commentator and former NHL player Paul Bissonnette wasn’t sympathetic toward the Carolina Hurricanes after their 6-2 loss in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Florida Panthers. Bissonnette rubbed salt in the wounds of Canes fans by bringing up Mikko Rantanen, who refused to sign a long-term deal with Carolina after being traded from the Colorado Avalanche earlier this season.
Paul Bissonnette’s Brutal Jab About Mikko Rantanen Refusing Canes’ Contract
Bissonnette took to social media to rip into Carolina’s poor showing in the series vs. Florida. in a post on X, he mentioned Rantanen’s complicated trade saga from earlier in the year.
No wonder Rantanen wanted out.
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0)
The Finnish forward had been stuck in trade talks with Colorado for months before the Avalanche sent him to Carolina in a surprise move. But Rantanen never seemed comfortable in Raleigh and rejected the Canes’ contract offer, which led to his being traded again — to the Dallas Stars — right before the deadline.
Rantanen is now the leading scorer in the playoffs and a clear frontrunner for the Conn Smythe Trophy. His production has made both the Avalanche and Hurricanes look bad in hindsight, as analysts have pointed out that Dallas has gained the most from the two teams’ failure to lock him down.
But Bissonnette’s post didn’t land well with everyone. Some fans fired back at the “Spittin’ Chiclets” co-host, who’s also a vocal Toronto Maple Leafs supporter. Users on the platform reminded him of rumors that the Leafs had tried to acquire Rantanen in March by offering Mitch Marner, but Marner reportedly refused to waive his no-move clause.
But you blame marner for not going there?
— Brad (@brad_knowsball)
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman also reported at the time that Carolina later tried to flip Rantanen to the Maple Leafs for 22-year-old prospect Matthew Knies, but Toronto turned it down.
“You know, (Keith) Pelley has some decisions to make. And I think (Craig) Berube is going to have a big voice about the players. And, you know, right at the top, you know, Matthew Knies, they could have traded Matthew Knies for Rantanen in this year. They didn’t. So they obviously think he’s going to be a big part of their future. And we’ll see where those contract talks go,” Friedman said recently on the “32 Thoughts” podcast.
MORE: Hurricanes Fans Ready To Wave White Flag After Game 3 Loss
The Game 3 loss marked the Hurricanes’ 15th straight defeat in the Eastern Conference final. The team is now one game away from being swept for the fourth time in a row. The potential series decider will take place at Amerant Bank Arena in Florida on Monday, May 26.
