Dallas Stars fire back after Micah Parsons trade with bold Mikko Rantanen message

The Dallas Cowboys shocked the sports world this week by trading pass rusher Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers, leaving many Dallas fans reeling.

Parsons, one of the NFL's premier defensive players, was dealt for two first-round picks and lineman Kenny Clark after a long contract standoff. While Cowboys fans processed the loss of another franchise cornerstone, the Dallas Stars were quick to seize the moment.

On the same day Parsons was shipped out, the Stars sent a message of reassurance to the city, pointing to their own superstar forward, Mikko Rantanen, as a reminder that not every team in Dallas is letting go of its biggest names.

Rantanen wasn't always wearing green.

At the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, the Stars landed him in a blockbuster deal with the Carolina Hurricanes, sending Logan Stankoven and two first-round picks the other way. The move followed a brief stop in Carolina after his surprising exit from Colorado earlier that season.

Dallas wasted no time locking him up. Rantanen signed an eight-year deal the moment he arrived, ensuring he'll stay with the Stars for the long haul. As D Magazine noted earlier this year, the Finnish winger instantly elevated Dallas into one of the league's most dangerous offensive groups.

His debut stretch in Texas didn't disappoint. Rantanen tallied 18 points in 20 regular-season games before exploding for nine goals and 22 points in the postseason, including a Game 7 hat trick against his former team, the Avalanche. One coach summed it up perfectly:

Meanwhile, Dallas fans have seen other hometown stars leave. The Mavericks traded Luka Dončić to the Lakers in February. Now the Cowboys have shipped out Parsons.

That's why the Stars' message resonates. With Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz, Wyatt Johnston, Miro Heiskanen, and Rantanen all locked in, hockey fans know their core isn't going anywhere.

Personally, I think this stability sets the Stars apart from their Dallas counterparts. While other franchises shed talent, the Stars have doubled down on building a roster built to win now and into the future.