NHL News: Mikko Rantanen predicts a big talking point with Stars teammates next season, and it’s not the Stanley Cup

Mikko Rantanen found himself involved in two different trades during the past NHL season. Even though he was a key contributor in the Colorado Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup win, the Avs decided to send him to the Carolina Hurricanes in January before his six-year deal expired at the end of the campaign. His time in Raleigh didn’t last long though, with the Finn making his way to the Dallas Stars just before the NHL trade deadline.

The move, which helped Stars‘ GM Jim Nill win the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award for the third consecutive year, put Dallas in a strong position to succeed. The team fell just short of a Stanley Cup Final appearance though, with Rantanen and company losing in five games to Connor McDavid’s Edmonton Oilers in the Western Conference Final.

Needless to say, the goal in Dallas for the 2025-26 NHL season will be none other than getting over the hump to try and bring the trophy home. However, winning the Stanley Cup may not be the only thing on the Stars players’ minds next year, according to Rantanen.

Rantanen knows the Olympics will be a talking point in Dallas

With NHL players returning to the Winter Olympics, Rantanen already predicts the Milano Cortina 2026 event to be a big talking point with his teammates in Dallas during the next NHL season.

Mikko Rantanen #96 of the Dallas Stars celebrates after scoring an empty-net hat-trick goal against the Colorado Avalanche during the third period in Game Seven of the First Round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

“Let’s see how many (Dallas) Stars players will be named to their respective teams,” Rantanen said on Monday, via the NHL’s official website. “Once we know the rosters, I’m pretty sure there will be a lot of Olympic talk in our room.”

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Rantanen among Stars called up to the Olympics

Rantanen is among six players selected to Finland’s preliminary roster for the 2026 Winter Olympics. That list includes Stars teammates Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell as well as Aleksander Barkov―captain of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions Florida Panthers―Juuse Saros of the Nashville Predators and Sebastian Aho, with whom Rantanen overlapped on the Hurricanes.

Finland will kick off the men’s ice hockey tournament in Milano Cortina 2026 when they take on Slovakia on February 11. Group B rivals also include Sweden and the host Italy, with the gold medal game set for February 22.