The coach finally spills on Rantanen's nagging issue, confirming what we've all suspected from the whispers in Denver. That vague return window has Avs brass sweating bullets as they chase the Central crown post-Olympics. Every day he sits means more pressure on the lineup, and the trade phone's already ringing off the hook.

Mikko Rantanen faces a brief absence with the Stars after rejoining the club from Olympic duties, testing Dallas' depth at a critical juncture. The big winger's lower-body tweak comes as the team integrates returnees and eyes the standings. Coach Pete DeBoer juggles lines without his firepower, putting pressure on the roster's vaunted forward corps to step up.

Roope Hintz sits questionable for Wednesday's tilt against Seattle after coming down with an illness that has the Stars' medical staff on alert. The top-line center has been a point machine lately, lighting the lamp three times and adding nine assists over his last 14 games, including key power-play work that Dallas desperately needs. With Radek Faksa also banged up and Mikko Rantanen nursing a lower-body issue, the Stars scramble for forward depth ahead of a game they can't afford to drop.

Dallas whispers grow about Mikko Rantanen sidelined by an Olympic tweak that could bench him weeks into the sprint. Stars medical staff assesses as GM Jim Nill eyes trades to plug the top-six hole without panic. Contender status hangs on his timeline, forcing roster tweaks before the deadline buzzer.

NHL players return from Milan battered, with Kevin Fiala sidelined by leg surgery after Tom Wilson's hit and Mikko Rantanen out for Finland's bronze game clutching a lower-body tweak. Sidney Crosby limps off with Canada, reigniting the debate over whether the league's Olympic hiatus was worth ending, while replacements like Jackson LaCombe and Seth Jarvis step up amid the chaos.

Dallas reels as Mikko Rantanen nursing an ailment eyes extended IR time, testing Stars depth charts. Coach Pete DeBoer juggles lines while the Finnish sniper's production leaves a gaping hole in their top six. Central foes circle, knowing a prolonged absence could derail Big D's Cup repeat dreams.