The Dallas Stars brought in right wing Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline. Prior to Rantanen's arrival in Carolina, he was a longtime member of the Colorado Avalanche.

The Avalanche host the Stars on Sunday, a game that will be a weird one for Rantanen.

“It's going to be weird, for sure,” Rantanen said via The Athletic. “You spend 9-10 years in one organization, and you get to know the city and then change comes and then you have to go back there and play in the visitors room, so it's going to be different. But it's good to see all the players that I got to know over the years. It should be a fun game to play against your old friends.”

Rantanen highlighted some of the similarities he sees between the Stars and the Avalanche. He added how he thinks Dallas will be a good fit for him long-term.

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“They play puck possession, and I think there are similarities between Dallas and Colorado,” Rantanen said. “Like I’ve said many times, I tried my best in Carolina, but one of the reasons was for me to think where I really want to play hockey the next eight years and Dallas was a better fit on the ice. Better style of play for me that's similar to Colorado, so I think that was one decision to be made.”

Stars head coach Pete DeBoer is confident in Rantanen's ability to thrive with the team.

“Guys like that in the prime of their careers just don't get moved very often and they sure don't get moved in the division, even though it was a roundabout way,” DeBoer said. “… Those guys just don't become available and when they do you have to act, and (general manager) Jim Nill did and our owner (R. Thomas Gaglardi).”

After things did not go as planned with the Hurricanes, Rantanen‘s fresh slate in Dallas could be exactly what his career needs.