Major Montreal analyst questions if the Dallas Stars really needed Mikko Rantanen

The Dallas Stars are entering the 2025-26 season as one of the most intriguing teams in the NHL, but not everyone is sold on the way they've set up their roster. On a recent appearance on the DLLS Stars Podcast, veteran NHL reporter Arpon Basu shared his candid thoughts on Dallas - and his comments raised plenty of questions about the team's balance, its blockbuster trade, and the uncertainty around Jason Robertson's future.

For Basu, the biggest unknown is whether the addition of Mikko Rantanen truly addressed what the Stars needed. Dallas swung big when they acquired the former Colorado Avalanche winger, pairing him with Robertson and Roope Hintz on what could be the league's most dangerous top line. But Basu questioned whether the trade was the right use of resources.

Rantanen's fit, Robertson's contract, and the Stars' looming uncertainty

"When they made the trade for him, I was wondering if they really needed that, like if they wanted to allocate that much to that area of the game,"

"So I'm very curious to see if they're gonna mesh."

That comment goes to the heart of Dallas's gamble. The Stars already had elite firepower, and adding Rantanen creates undeniable top-end talent. But it also places massive financial weight on their forwards at a time when Robertson still doesn't have a new contract.

Basu added that the Robertson situation could complicate things even more:

"Obviously the Robertson situation needs some resolution. And if I'm Robo and I see Rantanen coming to Dallas, I start to wonder, what's my place in this?"

As NHL.com's Stars coverage has often emphasized, Dallas remains firmly in a Stanley Cup window, but questions about chemistry and contracts could shape the season. Personally, I think Basu is right to raise these points - the talent is undeniable, but the dynamics are delicate.