I'm sure some of you are familiar with the Disney+ series Marvel: What If. For those who haven't watched the series before, it delves into theoretical questions, such as what would happen if Captain Carter received the super soldier serum, and other questions that Marvel fans have theorized about in their minds. I do recommend the series if you haven't watched it and have a Disney+ subscription. It's something I always like to think about while writing articles.
For those unaware of where Marvel is in its movie saga, it is exploring the multiverse. We are at the part where incursions are about to fire off when the Fantastic Four leave their timeline and time jump to the MCU timeline to save their son from Dr. Doom, who's trying to save the main timeline from unraveling in multiple directions. I know I have my tickets ready for the Fantastic Four in a couple of weeks. I'll be there on opening night so that way I don't get the movie spoiled.
Another question many people are wondering is whether the Stars would have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals multiple times if they had kept Logan Stankoven at the trade deadline. It's a plausible question because Stankoven was a feisty player who helped out the Stars in many ways, beyond offense. One of the main reasons the Stars lost to the Edmonton Oilers is that they lacked physicality, and Stankoven would have likely brought some of that to the Western Conference Finals.
However, I don't think the Stars would have made it to the Stanley Cup Finals if they kept Logan Stankoven and added Mikko Rantanen by trading someone else. There were too many issues with the Stars' lineup that needed to be addressed before calling Dallas Stanley Cup contenders. They were going to get crushed by the Florida Panthers and their all-around roster that loves to beat up on other teams.
In conclusion, the Stars wouldn't have won the Stanley Cup if Stankoven had remained with the Stars. It's unfortunate because Stankoven would have brought physicality to the lineup, but not enough to overcome the Florida Panthers. Perhaps there's a timeline where the Stars could have won the Stanley Cup with Stankoven in the lineup. However, based on all the factors stacked against the Stars' favor this past season, it wouldn't have happened.