First shift 🏒
Rantanen has had a crazy year.
But for the moment, everything seems to be going pretty well.
It was around this time last year that Rantanen was traded from his longtime home in Colorado to the Carolina Hurricanes. The big forward had the potential to become an unrestricted free agent, but the Avalanche couldn’t sign him, so they traded him to the Hurricanes.
Rantanen stayed there for 13 games, sandwiched around the 4 Nations showdown, and was also unable to negotiate a long-term contract. That ultimately led to a trade with Dallas in March, where he signed an eight-year extension worth an average of $12 million per season.
As Rantanen returns to Carolina for the first time to face the Hurricanes on Tuesday, he said it has been a whirlwind.
“Sure, it’s a little crazy sometimes, but it worked,” he said. “I enjoyed my time there and I’m grateful for everything they did, but I’m happy to be here now.”
Rantanen helped the Stars advance to the Western Conference Finals last season, recording 22 points (8 goals, 13 assists) in 18 playoff games. He leads Dallas in scoring this season with 57 points (16 goals, 41 assists) in 41 games.
He became a dominant leader for the Stars after sharing that role in Colorado with Nathan MacKinnon.
“I think it all came together for him,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “He has a more important role and he has accepted it. He is our prize. We rely on him a lot here. He is not in anyone’s shadow.”
Rantanen was a little surprised by the first trade, but said he definitely did all the research before moving to Dallas. Because the Stars knew he needed an extension, there was communication.
“When you’re in that situation, you have to look at everything before you commit, so it was interesting,” he said. “I played a lot against Dallas, so I understood what I was getting into. There were a lot of good young players here with a good young core, so I think that was important.”
He also landed with three fellow Finns, Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell and Heiskanen, all of whom will play with him on the Finnish team at the 2026 Olympics.
“It really helps,” Rantanen said. “I would expect Roope and I to play together there, and obviously being on the power play with Roope and Miro helps a lot. You practice every day, so you know each other better.”
So while a trip back to Carolina will bring back some memories (and probably a few boos from the Hurricanes faithful), Rantanen said he’s made progress and is just ready to help his team end a five-game (0-2-3) winless streak.
“I’ve settled in really well and I’m really happy to be here,” Rantanen said of a long-term contract extension. “I can only focus on hockey and family, so there’s not a lot of extra stuff here. Last year was a crazy year, so I’m glad it’s over and I can focus on the next seven and a half years.”
