NHL.com’s fantasy staff continues to cover the latest trends and storylines in the League through the lens of NHL EDGE puck and player tracker stats. Today, we take a look at the impact of the Dallas Stars acquiring forward Mikko Rantanen prior to the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline.
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The Dallas Stars landed elite forward Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes on Friday prior to the NHL Trade Deadline and signed him to an eight-year contract, giving them the deepest forward group in the League and making them the front-runner to win the Stanley Cup.
The 28-year-old, who ranks fourth in points (437 in 351 games) over the past five regular seasons combined, won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022 and brings a robust advance stats profile to the Stars. Dallas has lost in the conference finals or later in three of the past five seasons and hasn’t won a championship since 1999.
Per NHL EDGE stats, Rantanen is among the forward leaders in offensive zone time percentage (47.6; 97th percentile), midrange shots on goal (70; 97th percentile), midrange goals (10; 95th percentile), total skating distance (199.10 miles; 96th percentile) and top shot speed (92.09 mph; 89th percentile). He is expected to be a fixture on the top line and first power play and regain his elite scoring form from his years in Colorado.
The Rantanen trade follows another significant move by Dallas to acquire Mikael Granlund from the San Jose Sharks on Feb. 1, another Finland-born player -- joining fellow countrymen in forward Roope Hintz, defensemen Miro Heiskanen (currently out with knee injury) and Esa Lindell.
Since Jan. 1, the Stars rank first in the NHL in wins (19), points (39), goal differential (plus-28), goals per game (3.69), power-play percentage (35.3 percent) and penalty kill percentage (83.8 percent). Of the 10 NHL players with at least 30 points over that 26-game span, four play for the Stars: Jason Robertson (36; fifth), Wyatt Johnston (34; sixth), Matt Duchene and Hintz (30 each; tied for eighth).
Per NHL EDGE stats, the Stars have scored 115 high-danger goals on 541 high-danger shots this season, second in both cateoges to only the Tampa Bay Lightning's 116 high-danger goals and the Edmonton Oilers' 547 high-danger shots. They have five skaters with at least 10 high-danger goals: Johnston (16), Hintz (15), Robertson (13), Duchene (11) and Jamie Benn (10). Only the Lightning (seven) and Oilers (six) have more such players in the NHL.
Per NHL EDGE stats, Granlund ranks among the forward leaders in total skating distance (194.03 miles; 94th percentile), long-range shots on goal (18; 93rd percentile) and long-range goals (three; 98th percentile).
With the midrange prowess of Rantanen and long-range success of Granlund, the Stars hope they're strengthening what could be considered a weakness in terms of their shot and goals by location. Per NHL EDGE stats, Dallas ranks ninth in midrange goals (55) and 18th in midrange shots (505) as well as 32nd in long-range goals (five) and 23rd in long-range shots (353). In addition, the Stars rank in the bottom half of the League in offensive zone time percentage at all strengths (41.9 percent; 18th) and at even strength (41.3 percent; 20th), metrics that Rantanen can also help them improve.
In terms of playoff experience, Rantanen ranks fourth among active NHL players in career playoff points per game (1.25) behind Edmonton Oilers forwards Connor McDavid (1.58), Leon Draisaitl (1.46) and his former teammate Nathan MacKinnon (1.30). Granlund, who's 33 years old, has made nine Stanley Cup Playoff appearances and has 32 points (11 goals, 21 assists) in 59 career playoff games.
Especially if the Stars get Heiskanen and/or forward Tyler Seguin (hip) back from long-term injured reserve in the postseason, they’ll have a chance to break through after their big splashes at the deadline.
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