New Dallas Stars forward Mikko Rantanen denied the notion that he had a list of four teams that he would extend with.

But it was coach Pete DeBoer who stole the show. While it’s customary for professional coaches to be completely myopic and locked in on their sport, DeBoer demonstrated a certain breadth of local awareness when he was asked to describe what Rantanen means for Dallas.

Mikko Rantanen has had a stressful season, first moving from the Colorado Avalanche to the Carolina Hurricanes in January and ultimately being traded again to the Dallas Stars before Friday's deadline.

Mikko Rantanen has found a familiar home in Dallas, thanks to the Stars’ strong Finnish presence. The veteran forward, acquired in a blockbuster trade with the Carolina Hurricanes, is joining a team that already boasts several of his countrymen—a connection Stars forward Matt Duchene has dubbed the ‘Finnish Mafia.’

The Dallas Stars brought in right wing Mikko Rantanen from the Carolina Hurricanes at the trade deadline. Prior to Rantanen’s arrival in Carolina, he was a longtime member of the Colorado Avalanche. The Avalanche host the Stars on Sunday,

"I saw some things were said that I had a list of teams ready when I went [to Carolina], but that's false," Rantanen said Wednesday. "Obviously, it was a big shock to leave Colorado, but I went [to Carolina] with an open mind and tried my best on the ice.

The Carolina Hurricanes are thriving since their blockbuster trade that sent Mikko Rantanen to the Dallas Stars.