Mikko Rantanen Plays Through Torn MCL: Impact on Dallas Stars’ 2025-26 Campaign

Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen tore his medial collateral ligament (MCL) playing for Finland at the February 2026 Winter Olympics. The tear occurred in Finland’s 3-2 semifinal loss to Canada, causing him to miss the bronze-medal game. He missed 15 games, returned on March 28, and appeared in the final ten regular-season games and the first-round series versus the Minnesota Wild.

Nill: Rantanen Tore MCL at Olympics, Played Through Playoffs

Before the Olympics, Rantanen posted 20 goals and 49 assists in 54 games. After returning, he recorded two goals and six assists in the regular season and one goal with six assists in six playoff games, finishing with 22 goals, 55 assists and 77 points in 64 games—well below his 2022-23 105-point, 55-goal season. His career totals now stand at 316 goals and 466 assists in 716 regular-season games.

Stars’ Mikko Rantanen tore MCL at Olympics; won’t require surgeryESPNNill: Rantanen Tore MCL at Olympics, Played Through Playoffs

Dallas finished 50-20-12 with 112 points, second in the Central Division behind the Colorado Avalanche. Injuries included forward Roope Hintz (illness, then hamstring tear), center Tyler Seguin (ACL tear), defenseman Miro Heiskanen (oblique tear, ankle sprain), and defenseman Nils Lundkvist (facial laceration and concussion from a skate strike in Game 4). They also posted a plus-53 goal differential.

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GM Jim Nill said Rantanen’s MCL tear will not require surgery and that his return was “too soon.” He added that an extra one-to-two-week recovery would have helped, noting Rantanen “never really got going again.” Nill also observed the Stars “never had one game where we had a full lineup this whole season and the playoffs,” and said the absence of surgery lets Rantanen concentrate on offseason conditioning.

Nill: Rantanen Tore MCL at Olympics, Played Through Playoffs

• “Major injury. Came back, he's very competitive,” — Jim Nill, General Manager, Dallas Stars

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• “Did he come back too soon? Not too soon, but would have been nice to have one or two more weeks to really settle in. He never really got going again.” — Jim Nill

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• “I never really thought he was himself [after].” — Jim Nill

Nill: Rantanen Tore MCL at Olympics, Played Through Playoffs

• “ He won't need surgery.” — Jim Nill

Nill: Rantanen Tore MCL at Olympics, Played Through Playoffs

• “A very lucky man. The skate ended up hitting him, really hit into him more than anything,” — Jim Nill

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No surgery means no rehab clock. Training camp should be the next time we see him on the ice.

Nill: Rantanen Tore MCL at Olympics, Played Through PlayoffsESPNStars’ Mikko Rantanen tore MCL at Olympics; won’t require surgery