DALLAS – Prior to establishing himself as the leading force in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, Mikko Rantanen seemed somewhat out of sync with his usual self.
Dallas defenseman Brendan Smith commented, “I believe this year has been quite chaotic for him, and it required some time for him to feel at ease with our team.”
In his four previous seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, Rantanen ranked fifth overall in goals (163) and seventh in points per game (1.27). He was on track for another strong season with the Avalanche, recording 25 goals and a 1.31 points-per-game average through 49 games.
However, his season was dramatically altered after 49 games.
On January 24, Rantanen was part of a three-team trade that sent him to the Carolina Hurricanes. After 13 unimpressive games and expressing no interest in signing an extension before becoming an unrestricted free agent, Rantanen was traded a second time before the March 7 NHL trade deadline, this time to the Dallas Stars. He subsequently signed an eight-year extension, finally providing stability.
His performance in 20 regular-season games with Dallas was below his career norms, with five goals and 0.90 points per game. His postseason began quietly, registering just one assist in the first four games against his former Colorado teammates in the opening round.
Fans and media raised questions: Was this level of play worth $96 million until 2032-33 with a full no-movement clause? Could Rantanen produce elite numbers without the support of Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who were key linemates in Colorado? Would he live up to his reputation as a playoff performer, having ranked fourth in postseason points (62 in 48 games) since 2020?
The identity of Mikko Rantanen seemed uncertain.
Dallas coach Pete DeBoer noted, “Considering his journey this year, he’s been through a lot. There has been extensive coverage and commentary about him, with many expressing doubts based on the situations he`s faced and how things appeared at different points.”
His teammates observed Rantanen struggling to find his rhythm.
Smith remarked, “It`s an interesting career where you can be highly effective, but then you`re moved to a different setting, and suddenly you`re navigating team dynamics, figuring out your role, and adjusting to numerous small details. I`m not sure it was a perfect fit with Carolina. And even with us initially, he was still working to understand where he belonged.”
And now, the situation has changed.
“Now, he appears completely comfortable,” Smith added with a smile.
Since Game 5 against the Avalanche, Rantanen has amassed 18 points in seven games. Dallas won five of these games, pushing the Winnipeg Jets to the verge of elimination with a 3-1 lead in their second-round series, aiming for their third consecutive trip to the Western Conference finals.
“I`m focusing on the present moment. I`m pleased to contribute to the team and intend to keep doing so as effectively as possible, covering both ends of the ice,” Rantanen stated. “But maintaining an even temperament after victories and strong performances is important.”
Following Tuesday night`s games, Rantanen led all postseason scorers with 19 points in 11 games. He became the first player in NHL history to achieve five three-point games within his team`s first 10 playoff contests in a single postseason. He also set an NHL record by being involved in 13 consecutive goals scored by his team. At one point, Rantanen had factored into 15 out of 16 goals for Dallas.
“He`s just getting started. He’s merely warming up,” DeBoer said after the Stars` Game 3 victory against Winnipeg. “I believe he is truly focused and determined.”
The 2015 NHL Draft class was exceptionally talented.
The Avalanche selected Rantanen, an 18-year-old winger competing against adult players in Finland`s SM-liiga, after players like Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner, Noah Hanifin, Zach Werenski, and Timo Meier had already been picked.
Over the subsequent 10 seasons, Rantanen emerged as the second-highest goal scorer from that draft class (294), trailing only McDavid (361), the three-time MVP and five-time scoring champion. His chemistry with MacKinnon fueled both players` offensive success. In his back-to-back 100-point seasons with the Avalanche in 2022-23 and 2023-24, approximately 75% of Rantanen`s total ice time was alongside MacKinnon.
MacKinnon acknowledged, “He was instrumental in developing this organization into a Stanley Cup champion and a consistent contender. He’s a significant reason why.”
During Colorado`s 2022 Stanley Cup championship run, Rantanen accumulated 25 points in 20 games.
In 2019, Rantanen signed a six-year extension with a substantial average annual value of $9.25 million. MacKinnon surpassed this with his 2022 extension, valued at $12.6 million AAV. As Rantanen neared unrestricted free agency in Summer 2025, the Avalanche faced questions regarding his salary demands and their implications for the team`s salary structure, particularly in relation to MacKinnon`s earnings and Makar`s future contract in 2027.
Rantanen was hopeful that an agreement could be reached during the season to keep him with the Avalanche.
“It was a peculiar situation overall. Negotiations were ongoing with Colorado. Six weeks prior to the deadline, we were negotiating,” he recalled. “I felt at that point that I needed to speak with the front office in person. I conveyed that I was willing to be flexible and desired to play there long-term.”
“Then, a couple of days later, they traded me. That was very emotional.”
The Hurricanes sent forward Martin Necas, then their leading scorer, to Colorado as part of the trade package for Rantanen. When the Hurricanes contacted Rantanen before the trade to discuss a potential sign-and-trade, he informed them his priority was remaining in Colorado.
“They proceeded with the trade regardless. That was their choice,” he stated.
He described his initial days with Carolina as “shocking.” Rantanen asserted that he joined the Hurricanes with an open mind. However, after a few weeks with the team, Rantanen did not feel like it was his home. This included difficulty adapting to coach Rod Brind`amour`s playing style and team structure, affecting “where I fit in the playing style,” he explained.
Rantanen has denied rumors that he arrived in Raleigh with a list of preferred trade destinations. He also disputed reports that the decision not to sign long-term in Raleigh was a “family decision.” He emphasized, “Ultimately, it was a hockey decision and nothing else.”
Rantanen provided Carolina GM Eric Tulsky with a concise list of potential trade destinations, should they opt not to keep him as a rental player who would leave for nothing in the summer.
Dallas GM Jim Nill mentioned that the Hurricanes initiated exploratory discussions about two weeks before the trade deadline.
“We were among the teams they contacted to gauge interest, and then with approximately a week to 10 days remaining before the trade deadline, we decided to investigate further, though we weren`t initially planning to move in that direction,” he said.
Ultimately, that became their course of action, resulting in the trade of promising young forward Logan Stankoven and four draft picks to the Hurricanes in exchange for Rantanen.
Just as things had dramatically changed for Rantanen, they also shifted significantly for the Stars.
“Having a player of that caliber, a star player, definitely alters the dynamic. It changes your team`s identity,” DeBoer commented.
“I believe we have been built around four lines emphasizing pressure and effort, perhaps more akin to Carolina`s identity. I think when you incorporate a player like that, you need to adopt a slightly different identity,” the coach explained. “You have to coach your team somewhat differently. You need to get him on the ice more frequently. So, the challenge lies in integrating him and building around that talent without sacrificing what has made us successful thus far.”
Rantanen`s dominance in the postseason is directly linked to his newfound comfort level in Dallas.
Being among familiar faces certainly helped.
Before Game 4 against the Winnipeg Jets, the Stars` social media shared a photo of five players captioned, “For the first time, our new Finnish Mafia is at full strength.”
Rantanen (born in Nousiainen) smiled between forward Roope Hintz (Tampere) and defenseman Miro Heiskanen (Espoo). On the other side of the trio stood center Mikael Granlund (Oulu) and defenseman Esa Lindell (Vantaa).
That 3-1 victory marked the first occasion all five Dallas Finns played together in a game. Heiskanen had suffered a knee injury before Granlund was acquired from the San Jose Sharks in February, and Rantanen arrived at the deadline. Along with goalie Jake Oettinger, the Finns were decisive: Granlund netted a hat trick, with assists from Rantanen and the returning Heiskanen, who had expressed a desire for the Finnish quintet to play as a unit at some point.
“We`ll see if they group us together,” Heiskanen said. “That would be nice. Perhaps in the next game.”
Rantanen predominantly played with Hintz after joining from Carolina, but had only spent 6:55 at 5-on-5 with Granlund during the regular season. This changed in the playoffs, where 65% of Rantanen`s even-strength ice time has been alongside Granlund as his center.
Granlund remarked, “It`s certainly great to be on the same side. We can all witness his performance out there right now. He is an exceptional player, competing at a very high level.”
The line featuring Hintz, Rantanen, and Granlund boasts a plus-3 goal differential and an on-ice shooting percentage of 15.4%.
Smith mentioned that the Stars players were anticipating DeBoer uniting the Finns.
“We had been discussing it for a couple of weeks: `Put the Finns together and let them manage it,` Smith said. `Let them get frustrated with each other, celebrate together, handle the situation themselves.` And eventually, Pete did it. And, as I mentioned, Mikko now appears comfortable.”
That specific line is one factor contributing to Rantanen`s record-setting scoring pace in the playoffs. The Stars` power play unit is another, where he has scored two goals and registered four assists, operating at a 32.4% conversion rate.
Winnipeg coach Scott Arniel noted that defending Rantanen has become more challenging with that line performing effectively.
“Perhaps he doesn`t receive enough credit for his playmaking abilities, and that line is undoubtedly dangerous,” he commented. “He is a large player who possesses the puck frequently. Again, the most crucial element is time and space. I know you hear that often in hockey, but ultimately, the longer he maintains possession, the more comfortable he becomes, making it harder to anticipate his next move.”
Rantanen`s current objective is to complete his mission.
This involves continuing his push for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, an award for which he is currently the frontrunner. It means breaking through the conference finals barrier that the Stars encountered in the past two postseasons. It`s about lifting the Stanley Cup again, this time without MacKinnon`s direct assistance. It`s about validating the Stars` investment in him. It`s about making Colorado regret trading him, perhaps a point already underscored when Rantanen entered “Beast Mode” (or is it “Moose Mode”?) in eliminating the Avs in the first round.
“Somehow, the deal probably should have been finalized in Colorado. It wasn`t. So, he’s thinking, `I`m striving to demonstrate that I am elite world-class,` ” Smith reflected.
“If you describe him as being on a mission, I can certainly understand that. Look around the entire locker room. Everyone has something they aim to prove to others and to themselves. Right now, [Mikko] is determined to show that he is indeed worth it.”
