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Dallas Stars: The New Era with Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston
Jim Nill on the Future of the Dallas Stars
| Date | Location | Quote |
|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | MANALAPAN, Fla. | “We’re going to be around for a while.” |
The Acquisition of Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston
| Player | Age | Contract Details |
|---|---|---|
| Mikko Rantanen | 28 | Eight-year, $96-million contract |
| Wyatt Johnston | 21 | Five-year, $42-million extension |
The Stars’ Roster Composition
| Veterans | Prime Performers | Young Talent |
|---|---|---|
| Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin, Matt Duchene, Mikael Granlund | Roope Hintz, Jake Oettinger, Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen | Mavrik Bourque, Wyatt Johnston, Lian Bischel |
Key Moves and Decisions
| Date | Action | Details |
|---|---|---|
| July 2, 2023 | Trade | Traded Radek Faksa to St. Louis |
| July 1, 2023 | Signings and Extensions | Signed Ilya Lyushkin to a three-year, $9.75-million deal; Matt Dumba to a two-year, $7.5-million contract; extended Duchene, Nils Lundqvist, Sam Steel, and Thomas Harley |
| February 1, 2024 | Acquisition | Acquired Mikael Granlund and Cody Ceci from the Sharks for a first- and a third-round pick in 2025 |
| March 7, 2024 | Trade Deadline Deal | Acquired Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes |
The Rantanen Deal: A Game Changer
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Surprise Factor | Nill was shocked by the deal, admitting he didn’t see it coming until two hours before the deadline. |
| Trade Package | Included Logan Stankoven, two conditional first-round picks (2026 and 2028), and two third-round picks (2026 and 2027). |
| Negotiations | Nill had been in talks with Rantanen’s agent, Andy Scott, since October, with negotiations intensifying after the Rantanen deal was finalized. |
Johnston’s Role and Future
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Career Stats | 80 goals and 167 points in 230 regular-season games; 14 goals and 22 points over back-to-back 19-game playoff runs. |
| Contract | Locked into a five-year, $42-million deal, likely to age well with the rising salary cap. |
| Impact | “That helped solidify our foundation,” said Nill. |
Team Experience and Future Prospects
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Health and Experience | Seguin and Heiskanen returning to health for the playoffs fortifies the team further. |
| Competition | The potential for the Stars to win an incredibly fierce competition in the Western Conference and bring the Stanley Cup back to Dallas for the first time since 1999 is real. |
| Team Hardening | “The experience hardens you,” Nill says. “You understand what it takes, understand the highs and lows, know there’s going to be situations that won’t all be good times. But you’ve been through struggles and learned how to fight through them. Our team’s been hardened that way.” |
Rantanen’s Integration and Performance
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Performance | Rantanen has two goals and four points since joining the Stars. |
| Team Dynamics | The Stars have gone 1-2-1 since his arrival but have had the chance to try him in different spots, which is beneficial. |
| Coaching Strategy | “We want to get him settled in and the coaches are looking at different things,” said Nill. “With Roope getting hurt that first game, Wyatt stepped in, so we saw some connection there. Roope has come back, so they’ll give them some time together. He’s come in and looked like himself, and that’s important.” |
Long-Term Vision
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Superstar Presence | Rantanen is there for the long haul, surrounded by several countrymen and a core group of players that will keep the Stars in Stanley Cup contention for years to come. |
| Future Outlook | The Stars have a solid mix of veterans, prime performers, and young talent, positioning them for long-term success. |