Here we are a few days out from the trade deadline, and the name still on the lips of fanbases around the NHL is none other than newest Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen.
The saltiness in Colorado and Carolina is palpable. Colorado Avalanche fans are wondering why Rantanen took a similar deal that was on offer from the Avs, and Carolina Hurricanes fans are wondering if he simply stopped trying to make things work for the Canes. I won’t entertain the idea that Rantanen is anything other than a professional (though stranger things have happened), but the rest feels like a failure on behalf of front offices more than the player himself. Alas…the Stars are living rent free in the heads of fanbases – just where we want them.
So the focus shifts from what was to now what is – Mikko Rantanen wanted to play in Dallas and now he’s here. What does that really mean for the Dallas Stars going forward? Well, according to Robert Tiffin over at D Magazine, it could just mean everything.
That’s who Rantanen is: a player so good that he was never supposed to be moved out of Colorado. He is the sixth-highest scorer in the league over the past three seasons, with four of the five players above him having MVP trophies on their mantles.
Count me in on those a little too excited about this. (Even if I am one of those more than a little sad to see Logan Stankoven go the other way.)
Should you temper your expectations after your initial exultation? Well, temperance isn’t the appropriate reaction to a trade of this caliber, because superstars merit every bit of your agog-and-aghast impulses. It’s still hard to believe this really happened, even after seeing Rantanen debut for Dallas with a goal and an assist in Edmonton on Saturday night.
Dallas Stars Stuff
Speaking of the Rantanen effect…
More than 165K tuned in to watch Mikko Rantanen's Stars debut against the Oilers, a new viewership record on Victory +
— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) March 11, 2025
(Via @victoryplustv) pic.twitter.com/JRAhPJAGnM
Looking forward to this!
Noche Mexicana returns to @AACenter and the fiesta is nearly here! 🎉🇲🇽
— Dallas Stars (@DallasStars) March 11, 2025
Join us next Tuesday starting with a pregame party on #PNCPlazaDallas at 5pm with special performances, Stars bandanas for early-arriving fans and much more!
📰⤵️@ntxford | #SomosStars x #TexasHockey
Elsewhere in the Central
A bit of intrigue last night in the Central –
- There was a Central division showdown with playoff implications with the Wild hosting the Avalanche. The Wild clipped them in a shootout, winning 2-1. [RECAP]
- Then the Winnipeg Jets took care of the Rangers to keep pace at the top of the division. [RECAP]
- Lastly, the Predators won the “Can this season just be over?” Bowl in San Jose. [RECAP]
Around the NHL
Uhh…this picture is AWESOME.
Greetings from Scenic Cedar Park and Beautiful Boise!
There’s a new face in town in the OHL today.
And a couple more moves!
Finally
The Rantanen EffectTM.