Mikko Rantanen is officially a member of the Dallas Stars, and he’ll be calling Texas home for the foreseeable future after signing an eight-year, $96 million contract extension. After a 13-game stint in the Eastern Conference with the Carolina Hurricanes, he’s back to the Central Division — just with new teammates.
Rantanen joined TSN’s James Duthie to discuss the whirlwind of a last month-and-a-half for the Finnish superstar.
“It’s been crazy, like you said,” Rantanen told Duthie. “It was the first time I’ve been traded from Colorado and it happened quick, everything, and all of a sudden you’re on a new team for the first time and then this situation comes with the contract and stuff, so it’s been something that I never thought I would fully experience, but here we are.”
“Just the fit in Dallas. I’ve been thinking about it a lot with my camp and myself […] just the fit everywhere, I think that’s what the position was.”
Mikko Rantanen on why he signed with the Stars and not the Canes. pic.twitter.com/on4H7FdDyj
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) March 7, 2025
The 28-year-old continued regarding the original trade that sent him from Denver to Raleigh: “I think at the time obviously I had to look at all the options because there was no deal when the trade happened. It was kind of a situation where I had to think about my life for a long period of time, not only on the ice but also off the ice.
“Obviously, it’s a really good team in Carolina, the last couple of years they’ve been close to the Stanley Cup. But I think the fit in Dallas and I’ve been thinking a lot about it with myself and my camp and Susanna and everything. Just the fit I feel like everywhere, I think that was what the decision was.”
It was a busy day for Stars GM Jim Nill, who got Rantanen locked up long-term and also signed a key piece of the future in Wyatt Johnston as well. After acquiring Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from the San Jose Sharks earlier in 2025, the Stars are looking like a powerhouse and one of the teams to beat in the Western Conference.
Rantanen should immediately slot in on the top line alongside Jason Robertson and Roope Hintz, creating one of the most dangerous lines in hockey. He should also be on the top powerplay unit.
On paper, the Stars look like one of the National Hockey League’s premier teams, and after advancing to back-to-back Western Conference Finals in each of the last two seasons, they’re going for it all this year.
Stars and Avalanche could meet in 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Dallas and Colorado could be on a collision course to play each other in one of the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and that would be a terrific series after the Avs also made a couple key moves on trade deadline day.
“It would be two good teams and it’s possible for sure,” he told Duthie.
Currently six points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the division lead, the Stars are back in action against the Oilers in Edmonton on Saturday night. Although it’s unknown whether Rantanen will play in that contest, he should make his debut during the four-game road trip, that also passes through Vancouver, Winnipeg and Colorado between now and March 16.
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