Mikko mania: Stars excited for first full season with Mikko Rantanen

Mikko Rantanen might be the most talented player on the Stars.

He also might be the hardest working.

That’s a combination that could really help Dallas find a way to get over the top.

“He’s got great leadership, and that’s what I’m looking forward to,” said Stars general manager Jim Nill. “He’s very focused and dedicated and driven to win. Now that he’s settled into the dressing room, I know he’s going to be a big voice in there.”

Rantanen’s numbers are nothing short of impressive. That’s the main reason Nill made a deal to get the big winger from Carolina and then made him the highest-paid player on the team with an eight-year contract that averages $12 million per season. Since 2020, Rantanen ranks fourth in regular-season scoring with 455 points (195 goals, 260 assists) in 371 games. Even more impressive, he’s third in playoff scoring with 84 points (30 goals, 54 assists) in 66 games.

The Stars learned last season that the reason for the success of the 28-year-old is a work ethic that is on display every day at the rink. The 6-4, 215-pounder simply drives himself to always be the best.

“He just has a presence,” Stars goalie Jake Oettinger said. “He’s huge, so you’re kind of scared when you’re walking around him. And I think part of the reason he was such a big part of that Avs team is because of his personality. He’s in the mix with the guys, he wants to hang out outside the rink and be a part of all of that stuff. That’s what we need on this team. The teams that win are so close, and I think a lot of that bonding is done away from the rink.”

The Stars have only one other player who has won the Cup, being Tyler Seguin who did it as a rookie in 2011 with Boston. Oettinger said having Rantanen with his recent success (2022) gives Dallas a bit of a blueprint to get to where it wants to go.

“He’s already won, and as a guy who has been there and done that, we look to him,” Oettinger said. “What do we need to do? What are we not doing that Colorado did when they won? So to have a guy who has been there and done that is great for all of us.”

Rantanen said he embraces the responsibility. A fun-loving guy who likes to joke around, he said he’s already fitting into his new home. Last season was a whirlwind as he could not come to terms on a contract extension with Colorado and was unexpectedly traded to Carolina in January. He spent just 13 games with the Hurricanes before deciding he couldn’t commit to stay there and then was traded to Dallas. He decided Texas was a great fit and now he will make his home here. He got engaged in the summer and will be a huge part of the franchise’s “culture” going forward.

“When you sign here for eight years, it helps,” Rantanen said. “That was kind of when I knew this was going to be a place for multiple years. Then, you start to feel the relief. It’s just natural. I’m not trying to overthink it. I’m just trying to do the same things I did at the previous teams and be myself.”

“For the mental side of the sport, it’s easier when you know where you’re going to go or where you’re going to be,” Rantanen added. “When you’re feeling good mentally, I think it helps on the ice.”

And as the team starts to try to get over the hump this year, Rantanen is a big part of the plan. Dallas has gone to three straight Western Conference Finals and lost in each one. To get over the top, Nill hired coach Glen Gulutzan, and this new edition of the lads in Victory Green will try to blaze a fresh trail. The team needs to find a rhythm with its new coaching staff, and the new coaching staff needs to find a way to utilize its next superstar.

But that seems like a very doable task.

“This guy’s a bit of a worker. He’s a bit of a soldier, and he’s an elite-minded player,” Guliutzan said. “In my second discussion with Rants, you can tell that he thinks the game and the parts around it at a very high level. And I liked a lot of the things he said. So yes, I am gonna lean on him a little bit, too.”

In watching Rantanen work out, Oettinger said he was impressed: “I think when you’re around greatness, you want to elevate yourself.”

While Seguin added, “Watch Mikko throughout his six hours at the rink, and you see why he’s a 100-plus point player pretty much every year.”

And that is why Dallas has a chance to be even better this season.

“Its going to be really good for our players,” Gulutzan said. “When your leadership trickles down like that, and you don’t have to say anything as a coach, that’s when you know you’ve got a great group.”

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.