The Dallas Stars shocked hockey fans with their blockbuster trade for Carolina forward Mikko Rantanen on Friday. The deal has made it clear that the team is serious about its title aspirations in the coming months. Here’s what you need to know about Rantanen and the trade.

After weeks of buildup, the NHL trade deadline did not disappoint on Friday. There were multiple stunning moves right at the buzzer, including the Boston Bruins moving two of their bigger names in Brad Marchand and Brandon Carlo.

There hasn't been an Eastern Conference winner not from the State of Florida since the Bruins lost to the St. Louis Blues in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final back in 2019. The Lightning and Panthers have just dominated in the playoffs, but that hasn't been the case for Tampa over the last few years.