The puck drops Wednesday morning in northern Italy, and for Dallas Stars fans, the Olympic men’s hockey tournament is going to feel a lot like watching their own team-just in different jerseys.
Finland opens the tournament against Slovakia at 9:40 a.m. CT, and the Finnish roster is practically a Stars reunion.
Four current Dallas players are expected to play major roles: forwards Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen, and defensemen Miro Heiskanen and Esa Lindell. And they’re not just along for the ride-they’re front and center.
Based on Tuesday’s line combinations, Hintz and Rantanen are slotted on Finland’s top line, with Hintz at center and Rantanen on the right wing. On the blue line, Heiskanen and Lindell are reunited as the top defensive pair. Add in a couple of familiar faces-former Stars winger Mikael Granlund, who’s expected to skate on that top line, and fan favorite Joel Kiviranta, who may be a healthy scratch for the opener-and Finland’s lineup feels like a Stars alumni game with Olympic stakes.
It’s a welcome sight for Dallas fans who haven’t seen Hintz and Rantanen on the same line much lately. In Dallas, Rantanen has been skating with Wyatt Johnston, while Hintz has centered Jason Robertson and Mavrik Bourque.
That shuffle has worked-Dallas rolled into the Olympic break riding a six-game win streak-but the chemistry between Hintz and Rantanen is well-documented. Throw Granlund into the mix, and you’ve got a trio that torched opponents in last year’s playoffs, combining for 44 points in 18 games.
Hintz led that charge with 17 points, helping propel Dallas to its third straight Western Conference Final.
Now, that same trio is expected to be a driving force for Finland, a team with legitimate medal hopes-and for good reason. They’re the reigning Olympic champions, having taken home gold in 2022, and this group has the firepower and experience to make another deep run.
On the back end, Heiskanen and Lindell bring a level of familiarity and consistency that few international teams can match. They’ve logged more minutes together this season than almost any other NHL pairing-only Edmonton’s Mattias Ekholm and Evan Bouchard, and Florida’s Aaron Ekblad and Gustav Forsling, have spent more time on the ice as a duo. Heiskanen’s dynamic, two-way game gives Finland a major boost in transition and on the power play, while Lindell’s steady, physical presence allows his partner to jump into the rush without sacrificing defensive structure.
In other words, they complement each other perfectly-just like they do in Dallas.
Finland’s power play is expected to feature a look that should feel very familiar to Stars fans. Hintz will be parked in front of the net, with Rantanen and Granlund working the bumper spots and Heiskanen quarterbacking things from the point. It’s a setup that’s been effective in Dallas, and it could be just as lethal against Slovakia and beyond.
Here’s a quick look at the jersey numbers Stars fans can watch for in the Olympic tournament:
Finland 🇫🇮
- Mikko Rantanen - 96
- Roope Hintz - 24
- Esa Lindell - 23
- Miro Heiskanen - 41
USA 🇺🇸
- Jake Oettinger - 30
Canada 🇨🇦
- Thomas Harley - 20
Czech Republic 🇨🇿
- Radek Faksa - 12
So, whether you’re tuning in for national pride or just missing your Stars during the Olympic break, there’s plenty to keep an eye on in Italy. And if Finland’s top line and top pair start clicking the way they have in Dallas, don’t be surprised if they’re skating their way to another medal-and maybe even another gold.