Mikko Rantanen was a staple for Colorado, helping the Avalanche win the Stanley Cup as part of his dominant decade in Denver. Then, all of a sudden last winter he was gone , traded to Carolina and by spring back in the division with bitter rival Dallas.

“Someone was like, ‘Yeah, we might be like getting Rantanen,’ and we’re like: ‘What are you talking about? Like, there’s no way,’” Stars goaltender Jake Oettinger recalled. “Then all of a sudden the guy you hate is walking into the dressing room and you’re all like, ‘Oh.’ And then he’s just a great guy and a great teammate.”

Rantanen now plays deep in the heart of Texas for the Stars, who have made three consecutive trips to the Western Conference Final. His former team has Gabriel Landeskog back healthy after the long-term cap

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