What A Long Strange Trip It's Been: Two Trades Later, Mikko Rantanen Aims To Bring Cup To Dallas

By Ryan Kennedy, Editor in Chief

When the Carolina Hurricanes acquired Mikko Rantanen on Jan. 24 from the Colorado Avalanche, a shockwave coursed through the entire hockey world.

The blockbuster deal, which sent Martin Necas and Jack Drury to Denver, instantly gave Carolina something the franchise had lacked since Eric Staal in 2005-06: a top-10 NHL scoring talent. And practically no one saw it coming. “I was like, ‘Wow, really?’ ” said Canes center Sebastian Aho. “I tried to call him, and I’m sure he had 150 missed calls. But later that night, he called me and said it was true. He’s going to help us big-time moving forward. A trade like that doesn’t happen very often, so it was kind of a shock.”

The deal sent a message that Carolina and its new GM, Eric Tulsky, were dead-set on winning a championship. The Canes have been one of the better regular-season teams of late, but they do not have a signature playoff run under celebrated coach Rod Brind’Amour. They never seemed to have that guy who could get you a goal when it was most needed, and in Rantanen, they now had a player who notched 55 tallies just a couple of years ago – plus he has a Stanley Cup on his resume. “It’s a huge signal to us that they want to win and do it now,” said Canes defenseman Jaccob Slavin. “As a group, it instills confidence, and now, it’s a matter of doing it. We’ve been there the past five or six years and haven’t been able to get over that edge, so hopefully this is the year we do it.”

About that...

This is where we insert the “record scratch” noise, because as we all know, Rantanen is no longer a member of the Hurricanes. His tenure in Carolina lasted just 13 underwhelming games before Tulsky once again jolted the hockey world by dealing the star right winger to Dallas at the trade deadline. This time, Rantanen was exchanged for rookie center Logan Stankoven and a bevy of draft picks, including two first-rounders. Not only was the deal a blow to Carolina’s Cup chances, but Tulsky revealed that the amount of time it took to consummate the trade with Dallas – which featured the added challenge of Rantanen signing a contract extension with the Stars – hindered the GM in his quest for other players on deadline day.

As for Dallas, the Stars couldn’t be happier to have such a potent weapon as they try for the franchise’s second Cup title. “Any time you have an opportunity to acquire one of the top players in the game, it’s something you have to look into,” said GM Jim Nill. “He’s in the prime of his career. We think he’s a great fit for us with his connection to the Finns on our team. We’ve watched him play against us for the past eight years, and everybody knows how accomplished he is.”

While Rantanen posted just six points in 13 games with Carolina, he fit in with Dallas immediately, tallying three points in his first two contests. His comfort level with the Stars players likely helped, and Nill pointed out that when Rantanen was in Colorado, he would always chat up his fellow Finns on Dallas after the game whenever the Stars came to town. Keep in mind, Dallas’ Finnish contingent is strong, with Miro Heiskanen, Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell, as well as Mikael Granlund, who was added in February. Of course, Carolina had Aho and Jesperi Kotkaniemi, but it didn’t seem to matter: in the wake of the Dallas trade, Brind’Amour revealed that Rantanen was up front upon his arrival that the Hurricanes were not a team he had on his wish list as a destination. This was evident at the 4 Nations Face-Off shortly after the trade, where his comments didn’t scream enthusiasm. “The first reaction was shock, yeah,” Rantanen said. “But when you start playing games, getting into practices and feeling comfortable around the team and their routines…I’m not saying it’s easy, but the time in games and practices helps.”

As Rantanen’s agent, Andy Scott, pointed out in interviews after the Dallas trade, his client wasn’t expecting to leave Colorado in the first place. Sure, he was a pending UFA after this season, but there was still plenty of time to negotiate. The Avs clearly felt differently, and, to their credit, getting a red-hot Necas as part of the return in the deal is looking great – especially after GM Chris MacFarland loaded up at the deadline with centers Brock Nelson and Charlie Coyle.

Ultimately, Rantanen agreed to an eight-year, $96-million extension with Dallas. “We have skill, we’re a high-skill team, but you’re adding even more,” Nill said. “He’s a big body. He works down low well. He works the corners. So we’ve added to our size. But, really, it’s the combination of who he is as a player. He’s an elite player and has been one of the leading scorers in the league the past four or five years. Playoff success is a big part of it. And he’s a high-end character player.”

Indeed, the Cup ring that Rantanen earned with Colorado in 2022 looms large for Dallas, as it doubles the number of champs on their roster (the injured Tyler Seguin being the other thanks to his early days in Boston). For Rantanen, going all the way can have a subtle effect. “As a player, it doesn’t change you much, but maybe it’s the experience,” he said. “You’ve seen what it takes to win it all. For sure, mentally, you have more experience, and obviously, that helps.”

What will be most intriguing for the Stars is how much Rantanen can turbo-charge their attack. Dallas already had one of the NHL’s most potent offenses, though the power play had been mid-pack. For a guy who played with Nathan MacKinnon for most of his career, there would always be an adjustment, but the early returns with Wyatt Johnston and Jason Robertson were promising. But even vibing with ‘Nate Dogg’ was a process. “It was a lot of games together,” Rantanen said. “And Cale Makar was there in 2019, so we all had six years together, and with Nate, it was even longer, nine years. Sometimes, it’s instant, but it usually takes time to find it.”

During his time in Colorado, Rantanen became a star – some might even say a borderline superstar. The 10th overall pick in 2015 came to North America right away, breaking rookie records with AHL San Antonio for goals, assists and points. In the middle of the season, he returned to Finland, where the nation was hosting the World Junior Championship in Helsinki. He and Aho were teammates on a Suomi squad that won gold in front of a bonkers home crowd, and while their time as teammates in Carolina didn’t last long, Rantanen hasn’t changed much over the years. “As a guy, he’s the same,” Aho said. “He’s always been a positive, hardworking guy who shows up to the rink with a smile. He’s an easy guy to hang out with.”

By his sophomore season with Colorado, Rantanen was already a point-per-game player. The past two seasons, he broke 100 points with the Avs, and he was on pace for 93 points this season. At 28, he’s still in his prime, adding to a Dallas roster that is constructed for immediate and future success. The Stars come at you in waves, but the lineup also flows nicely. Veterans such as Seguin, captain Jamie Benn and Matt Duchene are all in their 30s, while Robertson, Heiskanen, Hintz and goalie Jake Oettinger are among the difference-makers in their primes. Coming up behind that cohort are rising stars such as Johnston, defenseman Thomas Harley and center Mavrik Bourque. “We have a good mix, and they seem to really get along well,” Nill said. “They make each other accountable, which is important.”

And now we wait to see the result. In a twist that only the hockey gods could pull off, there’s a good chance the Stars will face the Avs in the first round of the playoffs – a Mikko Rantanen Bowl, if you will. The top-heavy Western Conference will be brutal to get through, but the addition of a powerful, high-scoring winger to an already impressive lineup means that Dallas can enter the post-season knowing that the team has been set up to win now. All the boxes have been ticked, and the only thing left is to see if the Stars can clinch their first Cup since 1999. When their GM watches them play, he does so with confidence. “I sit up there, and I know we have a chance to win every night,” Nill said. “It doesn’t mean we’re going to win every night, but I know we have a chance, and that’s a pretty good feeling.”

This article appeared in our 2025 Playoff Special issue. Our cover story focuses on Edmonton Oilers star Leon Draisaitl, who looks primed for another deep playoff run. We also include features on other Cup contenders, including the Dallas Stars, Washington Capitals, Florida Panthers and more. In addition, we give our power ranking of the top playoff teams heading into the 2025 post-season.

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