During the 2026 Winter Olympics, Finnish winger Mikko Rantanen was ruled out of the Bronze Medal Game against Slovakia due to a lower-body injury, according to Lejionat’s Jaakko Pertilla. This development adds to the list of NHL players currently sidelined by injuries at the tournament.
Rantanen’s Impact and Role in the Tournament
Rantanen played a significant role in Finland’s semi-final against Canada on Saturday, where he scored the opening goal and logged 16 minutes and 9 seconds on the ice over 25 shifts. At 29 years old, he led his team in scoring with two goals and four assists across five games, averaging an ice time of 18 minutes and 14 seconds per game.
Implications for Rantanen’s NHL Team
Rantanen’s injury is also notable for his NHL club, the Dallas Stars, as he is their top scorer this season with 20 goals and 49 assists in 54 games, consistently playing over 20 minutes per game. His absence from upcoming NHL games could impact the Stars’ performance.
Injury Details and Expected Recovery
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported that Rantanen sustained the injury during the third period of Saturday’s game, but it is not believed to be season-ending. Rantanen is expected to be evaluated once he returns to Dallas to assess the injury’s severity and estimate recovery time.
Roster Adjustments for Finland
With Rantanen unable to play, Oliver Kapanen has been called up to fill his spot on Finland’s top line. Kapanen has been a healthy scratch for three games, serving as the 13th forward without ice time in two of those contests. Meanwhile, Eeli Tolvanen will rejoin the lineup after being scratched for the Canada game.
Looking Ahead for Finland and Rantanen
Finland will need to adjust quickly in the Bronze Medal Game as they cope without their leading scorer. For Rantanen, the upcoming evaluation in Dallas will determine how soon he can return to full action with the Stars, which could affect both his Olympic and NHL seasons.
Rantanen was hurt in third period of yesterday's game vs Canada.
Will be re-evaluated when he returns to Dallas regarding severity & timeline of injury.
EDIT: Apparently not concern this is season-ending…but exact severity TBD https://t.co/GxivYKkYqz
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) February 21, 2026
