Subscribe
Follow Us
Mikko Rantanen has been the literal definition of an impact player for the Dallas Stars. He had a goal and three assists in the second period of Game 6 of the team's first-round series against the Colorado Avalanche. He was even better in decisive Game 7 of the series when the scored a hat trick and added another assist in the 4-2 triumph.
Mikko Rantanen wanted to come to Dallas to “jam it down Colorado’s throat” by making them face him multiple times in the regular season and playoffs, per @RealKyper pic.twitter.com/Rx0Ta2BVnl
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 8, 2025
Not only did he lead the way and dominate for his team, it marked the second straight game in which Rantanen scored four points in one period. The fact that it came after the Avalanche had taken a 2-0 lead early in the third period made Rantanen's showing one for the ages.
After the Stars finished off the comeback, they moved on to the second round and a confrontation with the miraculous Winnipeg Jets. While that team clearly knew something about late comeback victories, it was the Stars who emerged with the 3-2 triumph in Game 1 of the series. Rantanen delivered all three goals with a natural hat trick.
That gave Rantanen seven goals and 11 points in his last three games. He has 15 points in eight postseason games this year.
While Rantanen clearly wants to lead the Stars to victories in each of their postseason series, he was especially motivated to beat the Avalanche. That team traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes during the regular season, and when that team concluded that it could not sign Rantanen to a long-term contract, the Canes traded Rantanen to the Stars.
That served Rantanen's interest, because he wanted to pay the Avs back for trading him after playing nine seasons for the franchise. He wanted to “jam it down Colorado's throat,” and he clearly succeeded.
Rantanen not done paying dividends to Stars
As much as it had to hurt the Avalanche front office, coaching staff and players to have their season come to a halt as a result of the heroics by their former player, Rantanen is not satisfied.
He was glad that the Hurricanes moved him at the trade deadline back to the Western Conference. That's because Rantanen wants as many chances as possible to punish his old team in both the regular season and any playoff matchups.
Rantanen is on pace to make a dominant run at the Conn Smythe Trophy as the Most Valuable Player during the Stanley Cup playoffs. He should have a decisive lead at this point since he is the leading postseason scorer by two points over Edmonton's Connor McDavid and Toronto's William Nylander.
However, there is a long way to go before both the Stanley Cup and the Conn Smythe Trophy are awarded and there are plenty of additional opportunities for more Rantanen heroics.
