Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen (96) is congratulated by his team mates against the Winnipeg Jets during the second period in Game 1 of the second round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canada Life Centre. Terrence Lee-Imagn Images

Watch: Stars' Mikko Rantanen was unstoppable vs. Jets

By Clark Dalton | Last updated May 8, 2025 12:47 AM ET

Trading right winger Mikko Rantanen continues to make the Colorado Avalanche look foolish.

Colorado dealt Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 24 because of a contract dispute. On March 7, Carolina shipped the one-time All-Star to the Dallas Stars, who signed him to an eight-year, $96M extension.

In Game 7 of Dallas' first-round series against Colorado on Saturday, the 28-year-old had a hat trick in the third period, helping Dallas pull off a 4-2 comeback win. He stayed hot in Game 1 against the Winnipeg Jets on the road on Wednesday night.

Rantanen scored three goals in the second period against the Jets, helping the Stars race to a 3-2 lead and eventual victory. According to the NHL's X account, he is the first player in Stanley Cup playoff history to have consecutive games with a hat trick.

MIKKO RANTANEN CAN'T BE STOPPED RIGHT NOW

He's got a hatty in back-to-back games and eight goals in his last four contests! #StanleyCup

Hat Trick Challenge presented by @AstraZenecaUS pic.twitter.com/pEDGKqAcUe
— NHL (@NHL) May 8, 2025

Mikko Rantanen is the first player in #StanleyCup Playoffs history with multiple three-goal periods in the same postseason.

All we can say is wow. pic.twitter.com/bIsMXfa9Bo
— NHL (@NHL) May 8, 2025

On Wednesday, Colorado president of hockey operations Joe Sakic told the media, "Just paying high-end guys and not having a supporting cast wasn't gonna get it done."

The Avalanche already have center Nathan MacKinnon (eight years, $100.8M) and left winger Gabriel Landeskog (eight years, $56M) signed to pricey contracts.

Still, letting a playoff performer in Rantanen go seems like a fumble for Colorado and a gain for Dallas and its Stanley Cup hopes.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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