Mafia in Milan: Stars’ “Finnish Mafia” excited to get going at Olympics

When Mikko Rantanen was traded to the Stars last March, it had a huge impact on the potential of Team Finland.

Now, the lads from Suomi might have a chance to upset the whole Olympic apple cart.

“It’s great to have that opportunity, to play with guys you have actually played with and know,” center Roope Hintz said. “It really could help us.”

The line of Hintz with Rantanen and former Star Mikael Granlund is expected to be Finland’s top line. They played together down the stretch in 2024-25 after Dallas traded for both Granlund and Rantanen before the trade deadline, and then helped the Stars to the Western Conference Final by playing most of the team’s 18 playoff games together.

Rantanen was among the Stanley Cup Playoffs leaders with 22 points (9 goals, 13 assists) in 18 games. Hintz had 12 points (6 goals, 6 assists) and Granlund had 10 (5 goals, 5 assists). Against the likes of Colorado, Winnipeg and Edmonton, that line was a driving force.

“I don’t want to overstep my boundaries, but I’m guessing they’ll play together,” Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said. “I think when you look at what they did there and what Esa and Miro have done this season, that’s a pretty good template for them.”

Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen are also expected to be paired together on the top defense pairing for Finland. They have actually played as partners for Suomi in the past but have been on separate pairs for most of their time in Dallas. However, when Gulutzan came in this year with a new coaching staff, he put those two together and they have led the Stars all season.

“It’s gotten better,” Lindell said. “We didn’t really play together before this season, so there should be some improvement.”

Heiskanen missed the 4 Nations Face-Off last season with a knee injury, so he’s especially excited for this chance at international play. The last time he pulled on his Team Finland sweater was back in 2022 at the World Championships.

“It’s been a while, so this is good,” he said. “It’s always nice to represent your country and to get to play with all of the Finns.”

And five, in particular.

“Basically, all of the guys know each other really well, and we know we have good chemistry,” Heiskanen said of the five Finns who have worn Victory Green in the last year. “Guys are used to playing with each other, and that’s an advantage, especially since we don’t have much time to prepare.”

Teams get a couple of practice days and then three pool play games. Then, the elimination games begin and you have to be at your best in a hurry. That said, it’s much more accommodating than the 4 Nations, where the ramp-up was much quicker.

Team Finland, which is led by former Stars great Jere Lehtinen who serves as the team’s general manager, has traditionally been a well-structured team that is strong on conditioning and defensive play. That could help a great deal in a tournament that is a lot different than the 4 Nations in both length, style and level of competition. The 4 Nations Face-Off was run by the NHL and its players’ association. The Olympics have different refs and a different set of rules.

“We’re definitely excited about getting the chance to see what we can do,” said Lindell.

Buffalo goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukonen was recently declared out with a lower body injury and Aleksander Barkov has been out since the start of the season following knee surgery. The two-time Stanley Cup champion with Florida is considered one of the best Finnish players in the world, so it will put more pressure on the Stars’ participants to be at their best.

Again, having some chemistry will be paramount to take down the likes of Canada, USA and Sweden, among others.

“It will be fun,” said Rantanen. “Me and Roope and Granny had great chemistry last year, so hopefully we can take advantage of that. It’s big in a short tournament if you have guys who played together before. We’re just excited to get going.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.