The Dallas Stars surprised everyone at the trade deadline this season by acquiring Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes. Hockey fans across the league were surprised the Stars pulled the trigger on the trade since Heiskanen got injured against the Vegas Golden Knights. Fans thought the Stars would go after another defenseman to boost their ailing defense. Jim Nill couldn't help that the Hurricanes offered him Rantanen and made the trade.
I don't blame Nill to be honest. You could draft so many players over ten years, and not find a player with Rantanen's caliber. The fact he's still in his prime is a kind of player the Stars needed last season to get over the hump against the Oilers in the Western Conference Finals. So far, Rantanen has helped the Stars' top line generate some offense with Tyler Seguin out of the lineup. After getting Seguin back from his injury, having Rantanen in the lineup is like a cherry on top.
Some fans are happy that Rantanen has spiked hockey interest around the DFW Metroplex. Other fans have an issue with Rantanen because he's starting an eight-year 96 million contract next season. Since arriving in Dallas, he's only produced five goals and 13 assists, which does not live up to the massive contract extension he signed. There were games the Stars could have won down the stretch if Rantanen had taken over and been an elite goalscorer. The Stars will need him to take over against the Avalanche and send them packing to Cabo.
Rantanen is also a proven goal-scorer in the postseason. In the seven-straight postseasons with the Avalanche, he recorded 34 goals and 67 assists. They will need that postseason experience with Robertson out for game 1. They can't afford for Rantanen to be dormant against the Avalanche beginning on Saturday night. The only issue is that the Avalanche knows all about his strengths and weaknesses, so they know how to stop him from being a threat.
It's going to be an interesting series for the Stars. Dallas is without Miro Heiskanen for a couple of games while trying to navigate the first round of the playoffs without Robertson in the lineups. You also can't forget the storyline of Rantanen going up against his former team. That will be the main headline circling this playoff series beginning on Saturday. The Stars need Rantanen to earn his paycheck against the Avalanche or else the Stars could be sent home early.