Finland's Mikko Rantanen (96) challenges with Canada's Connor McDavid (97) during a men's hockey semi-final at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics this past Friday.Hassan Ammar/The Associated Press
Mikko Rantanen will be out for an extended time for the Dallas Stars after sustaining a lower-body injury at the Olympics.
Coach Glen Gulutzan said Tuesday that all indications are that Rantanen will be back before the end of the regular season, but that “it’s not days” for the length of time they will be without their leading scorer.
“It won’t be one or two games. It’ll be, let’s start in two weeks, and then see where it goes from there,” Gulutzan said. “So he’ll be out for some time.”
Gulutzan didn’t elaborate on what the exact injury was for Rantanan, who got hurt in the Olympic semi-final against Canada and didn’t play in Finland’s win over Slovakia for the bronze medal.
The Stars had placed Rantanen on the injured list Monday, after the forward met with team doctors.
“It was kind of what I was expecting just from hearing what had gone on over at the Olympics,” Gulutzan said after practice Tuesday. “Not the best news, but the stuff you’ve got to deal with.”
The Stars host Seattle on Wednesday night and are home again Saturday against Nashville. They have 25 regular-season games remaining through April 15.
Rantanen is in the first year of a US$96-million, eight-year extension he got after being traded to the Stars at the deadline last season. He has 69 points this season (20 goals, 49 assists).
He was one of six Stars who brought home medals from Italy.
Roope Hintz (24) celebrates after scoring Finland's third goal during the men's hockey bronze medal game against Slovakia on Saturday.Hassan Ammar/The Associated Press
Jake Oettinger was a backup goalie for the United States team that won the gold medal with a 2-1 overtime win against Canada, which meant a silver for Stars defenceman Thomas Harley. Four Dallas players were on the Finland squad that won bronze: Rantanen, Roope Hintz, Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen.
Oettinger could rejoin the team for its morning skate Wednesday, but Gulutzan said he wouldn’t start against the Kraken.