Mikko Rantanen is 'on a mission' in the Stanley Cup playoffs - ESPN

DALLAS — Before he became the most dominant player in the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, Mikko Rantanen wasn't exactly himself.

«I think this year has been such a whirlwind for him that it took him some time to get comfortable with us,» Dallas defenseman Brendan Smith said.

In his four previous NHL seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, Rantanen was fifth among all players in goals (163) and seventh in points per game (1.27). He was well on his way to hitting his marks again this season, with 25 goals and a 1.31 points-per-game average with the Avalanche.

But then, 49 games into his season, his world crumbled.

Rantanen was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24 as part of a three-team trade. After 13 unremarkable games — and his stated intention not to sign an extension with Carolina before unrestricted free agency — Rantanen was traded a second time to the Dallas Stars before the March 7 NHL trade deadline, signing an eight-year extension with the team to finally stop the carousel from spinning.

He was under his career averages in 20 regular-season games with Dallas (five goals, 0.90 points per game). His postseason started quietly, with one assist through four games against his old teammates from Colorado in the first round.

The questions swirled around him from fans and media: Was this performance worth $96 million through 2032-33 with a full no-movement clause? Could Rantanen put up elite numbers without Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, who fueled them in Colorado? Would he live up to his reputation as a playoff hero, having been fourth in postseason points (62 in 48 games) since 2020?

Who was Mikko Rantanen?

«When you think about his journey this year, he's been through a lot,» Dallas coach Pete DeBoer said.