The Daily Goal Horn

Mikko Rantanen limps back from Olympic bronze with the Finns nursing a lower-body injury that sidelines Dallas' points leader for at least two weeks. Coach Gulutzan confirms it's more than a game or two, but the Stars expect their $96 million sniper to return before the April 15 finale against Buffalo. With 25 games left and third place in the Central on the line, guys like Hintz and Heiskanen step up while the Big D locker room braces for the post-Olympic grind.

Mikko Rantanen, the Stars' leading scorer with 69 points, returns from the Olympics nursing a lower-body injury that sidelined him for Finland's bronze-medal clincher against Slovakia. Coach Glen Gulutzan confirms he's parking Rantanen for at least the home dates against Seattle and Nashville while he sees the doc. Dallas, already medal-rich with six Olympians including gold-medal backup Jake Oettinger, now tests its depth without its top producer right as the post-break grind ramps up.

Esa Lindell rejoins the Dallas blue line at Tuesday's practice as the Stars shake off Olympic rust. Coach Glen Gulutzan highlights Lindell's return alongside Heiskanen, signaling a defensive boost for the final push. Teams like Dallas lean hard on these vets when the playoff race tightens, and Lindell's timing couldn't be better.

Casey DeSmith opens up after today's Stars practice about soaking in the rare downtime during the Olympic break. He shares his thrill watching Team USA snag gold while keeping his edge sharp for Wednesday's showdown with Seattle. With Oettinger potentially delayed by travel, DeSmith eyes the starter's crease in a system that turns backups into difference-makers down the stretch.

Stars coach Glen Gulutzan confirms Mikko Rantanen suffers a lower-body injury at the Olympics, sidelining the team's leading scorer for at least the first one or two games back. Rantanen, who leads Dallas with 69 points in 54 games, got hurt in Finland's semifinal loss to Canada and sat out their bronze-medal rout of Slovakia. Gulutzan holds off on full details until doctors weigh in, but the Stars face Seattle and Nashville this week without their top-line engine driving the bus.