FRISCO, Texas — Mikko Rantanen looked forward eagerly to the playoffs on Friday, a tradition for him over the past seven years with the Colorado Avalanche, a journey that included a Stanley Cup win. This year, however, Rantanen finds himself on the opposing side, representing Dallas in an opening-round Western Conference clash against the Avalanche, commencing Saturday night.
The Avalanche had traded Rantanen away on January 24 to the Eastern arena with Carolina, where he skated in 13 matches. By March 7, he was back in the Central Division with the Dallas Stars, accompanied by a lucrative $96 million, eight-year contract extension.
“It’s now Dallas versus Colorado, and I’m committed to Dallas. That’s my perspective,” expressed Rantanen. Can such a transition be that seamless for the 28-year-old forward? “I think so. It’s just business. The switch didn’t occur two days ago; nearly three months have passed since I last played for the Avs. I’m focused on my new team now.”
Following his selection by Colorado as the 10th overall pick in the 2015 draft, Rantanen made his NHL debut shortly before his 19th birthday. His Avs tenure saw him amass 705 points across 652 regular-season games and another 100 points during 82 playoff fixtures before his contract trade concluded.
“It will be different, but that’s his current home, and it’s set to be for eight years,” remarked Avalanche coach Jared Bednar. “This is part of professional hockey’s business aspect. We understand his role in the upcoming series; it’s more than about just him.”
In contrast, Martin Necas, who joined Colorado from Carolina during the first Rantanen trade, has thrived next to Nathan MacKinnon, last season’s MVP. Necas has managed an impressive 28 points in his 30 games, integrating well with MacKinnon’s fast-paced style.
So far, Rantanen has netted five goals with 13 assists in 20 games as a Star. Before trading, he contributed 64 points in 49 games for Colorado, wrapping up the season with 88 points over 82 games, spread across three teams.
In respect to Dallas’ playoff curse, the Stars have consistently lost Game 1 in their last seven playoff series, despite proving their mettle by reaching the Western Conference Final twice in consecutive years, albeit with rocky starts.
“There’s a history there, but this is a new team with a fresh outlook,” noted Coach Pete DeBoer. The Stars entered the playoffs after a challenging 0-5-2 run, indicating their mode shift for playoff contention.
Key player Jason Robertson will miss out due to a lower-body injury from the final regular-season game. DeBoer indicated that Robertson, having provided 35 goals and 45 assists, is week-to-week. Similarly, standout defenseman Miro Heiskanen, missing the last 32 games following a knee injury in late January, remains off the ice.
As for the Avalanche, former captain Gabriel Landeskog may soon rejoin after an extended hiatus from the NHL following a knee injury that confined him to the sidelines post their 2022 Stanley Cup triumph.
On the goaltending front, Colorado boasts a robust pair, thanks to recent intra-season acquisitions. They acquired backup goalie Scott Wedgewood from Nashville and later traded Alexandar Georgiev to San Jose for Mackenzie Blackwood, bolstering their goaltending roster.
Throughout the regular season, home teams won each faceoff between Colorado and Dallas. Their latest matchup on March 16 ended in overtime victory for Colorado, marking Rantanen’s sole game against his former teammates.
The Stars previously triumphed over Colorado in a six-game playoff series during the last season’s second round.