Dallas Stars winger Mikko Rantanen is leading the NHL playoffs with 19 points, following a season that saw him traded twice. The 28-year-old Finnish forward started the season with the Colorado Avalanche, briefly joined the Carolina Hurricanes, then landed in Dallas where he\'s now on a historic playoff run.
\"It\'s the best performance I\'ve got to witness,\" said Dallas coach Pete DeBoer.
Rantanen has produced at an elite level, scoring four-point periods in back-to-back games spanning the first and second rounds. He also set a postseason record by scoring or assisting on 13 consecutive Dallas goals.
Only three other players in NHL history have scored at least 18 points in a six-game playoff streak. Rantanen\'s production is nearly balanced between goals (9) and assists (10), unlike Wayne Gretzky\'s assist-heavy playoff streaks.
Playoff Monster in Texas
\"For me he\'s just getting started,\" DeBoer said. \"He\'s on a mission.\"
The 6-foot-4, 215-pound forward, nicknamed \"Moose,\" has adapted quickly in Dallas, joining several Finnish countrymen already on the roster. Rantanen noted, \"A lot of Finns on this team, which makes the transition easier.\"
During his decade with Colorado, Rantanen averaged more than a point per game in regular seasons and 1.3 points over five postseason runs, including their 2022 Stanley Cup championship. Only Connor McDavid has more playoff points over the past seven seasons.
Blockbuster Midseason Moves
Rantanen became available after contract extension talks broke down with Carolina, where he played just 13 games following a January trade from Colorado. Stars GM Jim Nill quickly secured Rantanen with an eight-year, $96 million extension.
\"He\'s in the prime of his career,\" Nill said. \"He\'s kind of the ultimate power forward.\"
The deadline deal became one of sports\' most shocking trades of 2025, highlighted by Rantanen\'s hat trick against his former team Colorado in Game 7 of their first-round series.