DALLAS — It was a third period for the ages for Mikko Rantanen in Game 7 of the first round of the NHL playoffs.
His hat trick, along with his assist on the game-winning goal, sent his old team—the Colorado Avalanche—packing and his new team— the Dallas Stars—into the second round.
“Yeah, it’s emotional, for sure, because everything happened so quick,” said Rantanen, who won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 2022. “It’s only been a couple of months since I was still playing with them. All of a sudden, I’m playing against them in Game 7.”
Rantanen’s 10-year stint with the Avalanche ended abruptly in January when he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. He was then dealt again to Dallas at the trade deadline in March.
“Let’s be honest. He took over the series in the last three or four games,” said Stars coach Pete DeBoer. “He just decided that we were not going to go home, and we were not going to lose. What he did there down the stretch was special.”
Rantanen said repeatedly that his situation was the business side of professional hockey. But as time has passed since the trade, it’s become clearer that he was hurt leaving Colorado.
“Difficult year, personally. Mentally it’s tough getting traded twice,” Rantanen said. “It’s not fun ever to get traded even once, but twice in the season.”
A lifetime of change in just six weeks that challenged Rantanen’s mental fortitude.
“It’s important the outside noise doesn’t get to your head. Just try to focus on our next practice, next game, next shift,” Rantanen said. “That’s how you can stay in the moment and not think about things too much.”
An outlook that Rantanen and the Stars took into the second round in Winnipeg. The series began with a 3-2 Dallas victory, with Rantanen recording his second-straight hat trick.
“It’s about resetting,” Rantanen said. “In the playoffs, it’s important to never get too high when you’re winning, and never get too low when you’re struggling or losing, so that’s the mindset.”