The Dallas Stars are facing a tough blow as they return from the Olympic break, with star forward Mikko Rantanen expected to miss several weeks due to a lower body injury.
Rantanen hurt himself during Finland’s quarterfinal match in Milan, though he still managed to bring home a bronze medal and rack up six points – including two goals and four assists – during the tournament.
It’s especially painful timing for Dallas. The team is riding high on a six-game winning streak and sitting pretty in third place in the Central Division.
The 27-year-old Finnish sensation has been having another stellar season. He’s already notched his ninth 20-goal campaign and currently ranks eighth in the NHL with 69 points.
What makes Rantanen so special? He’s got a knack for lighting up the scoreboard in bunches – we’re talking 10 hat tricks over his 11-year NHL career. That’s the kind of offensive firepower that’s hard to replace.
The Stars will get their first test without him when they face off against the Seattle Kraken. With 25 games left in the regular season, they’ll need others to step up while their scoring machine recovers.
For Dallas fans wondering when they’ll see number 96 back on the ice, the team is staying cautious with their timeline. But given Rantanen’s history of bouncing back strong, there’s hope he’ll return in time to help the Stars make a serious playoff push.
Want to test your NHL knowledge? See if you can name the active players who’ve scored the most hat tricks in their careers. Drop us a line at quizzes@yardbarker.com with your answers or suggestions for future hockey trivia!
