Watch, listen, live stream and view the latest stats on the matchup against Colorado
When: Sunday, March 16 at 2:30 PM CT
Where: Ball Arena
TV: TNT
Radio: The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
Live Stats: NHL Game Center
Watch Party: Over Under
Stars defenseman Thomas Harley has registered 16 points (5-11—16) in his last 15 games played dating back to Jan. 31. His 16 points during that span rank fifth on Dallas’ roster. Harley’s 16 points since Jan. 31 were tied for the second-most during that span among all NHL defensemen entering play Saturday, trailing only Colorado’s Cale Makar (19) for the league lead. Additionally, since Jan. 31 – Dallas’ first game without Miro Heiskanen – Harley has been averaging 25:13 of ice time per game, which tops all Stars skaters and ranked seventh in the NHL entering play Saturday.
Avalanche forward Nathan MacKinnon enters Sunday’s matchup leading the NHL in assists (75) and points (102) this season. MacKinnon has 15 points (6-9—15) in his last eight games, including a five-point outing (2-3—5) on March 6 against the San Jose Sharks. He rides a 20-game point streak at home (14-22—36) and is the seventh player all-time to record multiple home point streaks of 20 games or more according to NHL Stats. In his career against Dallas, MacKinnon has tallied 44 points (17-27—44) in 43 games and enters Sunday’s contest riding a five-game point streak against the Stars (3-6—9).
If Mikko Rantanen thought the past month has been weird, wait ‘til Sunday.
The Stars’ newest addition has gone from being one of Colorado’s most treasured players, to being a lightning rod in Carolina, to being the centerpiece of the Stars’ future, so yeah, things have been hectic. But after being surprisingly traded from the Avalanche on Jan. 24 and then finding that he wasn’t a fit with the Hurricanes and getting moved to Dallas, where he signed an eight-year contract extension at $12 million per season, Rantanen on Sunday will go back to the place where he started this hockey haiku.
And that might be the hardest day yet.
“It’s going to be emotional, for sure,” Rantanen said Saturday as he met with the Denver media. “I’ve never been on this side of it in Ball Arena, playing in the visitor’s room, so it’s going to be emotional for sure.”
Rantanen was drafted by the Avalanche 10th overall in 2015 and played 10 years in the organization. He was among the team’s scoring leaders and helped it win the 2022 Stanley Cup. He was eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer, and he and the Avalanche couldn’t get on the same page for a new contract. Colorado decided to trade him to Carolina, and the move was a bit of a surprise. Rantanen’s 13 games in Carolina were brief to say the least and when the Hurricanes couldn’t get a contract extension done, that created the opening for Rantanen to come to Dallas.
While the 28-year-old is happy with where he’s at, he understands that the two trades have left some people frustrated in other cities. He has been the subject of a lot of internet speculation and said he was looking forward to having dinner with his old teammates on Saturday to talk things out.
“I think it’s good now for me to clear up all of the stuff,” he said. “I understand that it’s business. It happens. It was hard the first week or even more. It was hard to swallow. We haven’t really had a chance to talk fully. I just want to be honest and throw the facts out.”
He also would like to tell the fans how much he appreciated his time in Denver. He knows he could get booed – the way Duchene did when he went back in the playoffs – but is hoping for the best.
On the ice, the Stars are expected to get Hintz back into the lineup after a facial injury, and Rantanen is expected to be on a line with his fellow Finn. Lian Bichsel also is expected back after missing Friday’s game in Winnipeg (a 4-1 loss to the Jets) with illness. Rantanen said the Stars need to rebound from Friday’s game.
“It’s big. It might be a matchup in the playoffs,” Rantanen said of possibly facing Colorado in the First Round. “We’ve got to play better. We didn’t play a great game against Winnipeg, so we’ve got to find a way to play our game and get better for sure.”
Stars coach Pete DeBoer said that Dallas would learn from the tests.
“From a coach perspective, I’m excited to see what kind of holes we can poke in them and what kind of holes they poke in us, so we can try to get it fixed before the playoffs,” DeBoer said.
And, traditionally speaking, one of the best ways to have a player assimilate to his new team is to play his old team. Moments like this have a way of bonding the new guys.
“You’ve just got to go play,” Rantanen said. “Obviously, it’s going to be emotional. They’re a very good team, but Dallas is a good team too. That’s one reason why Dallas was on my list at the end of the day. I’m very happy to be here now. “
102
Colorado center MacKinnon leads the NHL with 102 and is in contention to be the Hart Trophy winner as NHL MVP. In 43 career games against Dallas, he has 44 points (17 goals, 27 assists).
75
Colorado’s Cale Makar leads all defensemen in scoring with 75 points.
25
Colorado leads the NHL in empty net goals at 25.
“We’ve got a lot of new guys and I just want to get everyone up to speed and integrated. I want our team game to look good.”
-Stars coach Pete DeBoer on facing Winnipeg and Colorado as they get ready for the playoffs. The Stars are returning to their normal lines as Hintz and Bichsel are expected to return to the lineup.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X @MikeHeika.
