Morning Coffee: Stars a popular pick to win Stanley Cup after Rantanen trade

From a TradeCentre spectacle to pending playoff drama, the implications of the Mikko Rantanen double trade will be heavily scrutinized for many months to come. 

The consequences will extend well beyond this season.

When Carolina Hurricanes GM Eric Tulsky declared back in February, “there are not many trades in a year that are bigger than Mikko Rantanen changing teams”, he had no idea Rantanen would be traded a second time.

The initial Rantanen trade resulted in the Hurricanes emergence as the Stanley Cup favourite at FanDuel.

The subsequent Rantanen trade resulted in Carolina falling outside of the top five choices to win it all.

Then, there’s the team Rantanen started the season with, the teams that tried and failed to trade for him, and the team that eventually acquired and signed Rantanen to an eight-year, $96 million deal at the deadline.

Sure, hockey fan bases around the league were stunned when they found out Rantanen was traded to the Dallas Stars during TradeCentre 2025.

Could you imagine what must have been going through the mind of Colorado Avalanche GM Chris McFarland?

While the second of two Rantanen trades caught many off guard, nobody will be surprised to learn that the Stars have emerged as a popular bet to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel since the trade deadline.

This is the Morning Coffee for Monday March 10th, 2025.

Dallas Stars A Popular Pick To Win Stanley Cup After Rantanen Trade

The Stars were already a top five choice to win the Stanley Cup at FanDuel prior to the Rantanen trade.

The addition of an elite scoring threat up front solidified their status as a contender and pushed Dallas to the top of the Western Conference futures market.

Only the defending champion Florida Panthers (+500) have shorter odds to win the Stanley Cup than the Stars (+600) this morning.

Dallas has shorter odds to win it all than both of Rantanen’s former teams in the Avalanche (+900) and the Hurricanes (+1100).

The Stars also have shorter odds to win the Stanley Cup than a pair of Canadian contenders that attempted to trade for Rantanen but ultimately failed to get a deal done in the Edmonton Oilers (+750) and the Toronto Maple Leafs (+1400).

A couple of months from now, we could potentially be staring down a Western Conference Finals rematch between the Oilers and Stars with Rantanen lining up against Edmonton.

Before that happens, Rantanen’s new team might have to get past his former team with Dallas and Colorado currently on a collision course to meet in the first round. 

Meanwhile, the pressure will be once again be on the Maple Leafs to make a deep run this postseason.

You can bet that pending free agent Mitch Marner will be under the microscope with the good and the bad from every shift being scrutinized by Leafs Nation.

The Stars were the big winners at the trade deadline.

Rantanen’s trade to Dallas also had major ramifications for the top contenders from both conferences as it changed the complexion of the playoff pictures.

It also led to Rantanen’s new team emerging as a popular pick to win the Stanley Cup after TradeCentre 2025.

Per the FanDuel traders, Dallas led the way with 31 per cent of the bets placed in the Stanley Cup winner market on Friday.

The Stars also accounted for a whopping 46 per cent of the bets in the Western Conference winner market.

Dallas over the Tampa Bay Lightning was the most popular pick for the exact result of the Stanley Cup Final.

The Stars versus the Panthers and the Stars versus the Lightning were the most popular picks for the exact Stanley Cup match-up.

Of course, Connor McDavid and the Oilers delivered an appropriate response to all the love with a 5-4 win over the Stars on Saturday night.

While the Avalanche, Winnipeg Jets, and Vegas Golden Knights are all considered legitimate contenders in the West, I’m still leaning towards a rematch between Edmonton and Dallas in the Western Conference Final.

If everything lines up, we could get Rantanen and the Stars versus the Avalanche in the first round, Dallas versus Winnipeg in the second round, then a rematch between the Stars and Oilers in the Western Conference Final.

Regardless of the match-ups we get, the Rantanen trades will have major implications for this year’s Stanley Cup Playoffs and beyond.

A Trio Of FanDuel Best Bets For Monday Night

After an epic run during the 4 Nations Face-Off, we picked up right where we left off with the return of the best bets in this column last week.

Hopefully, we can build on that momentum tonight.

First up, I’ll lock in a Same Game Parlay with Brady Tkachuk to register 1+ point, 2+ shots on goal, and the Ottawa Senators +1.5 on the alt puck line against the Detroit Red Wings at -115.

Transparently, I also played Tkachuk anytime goal at +125 and an SGP with Tkachuk 1+ point and the Senators to win at +109 for tonight’s game.

In terms of a best bet, I’ll go with the former.

For those looking for a four-leg builder SGP for tonight’s game for one reason or another, I’d go Tkachuk 1+ point, Tkachuk 2+ shots on goal, Senators +1.5 and Both Teams To Score at +148.

The Senators and their fans are fired up after Tkachuk scored twice including the OT winner as Ottawa rallied to beat the New York Rangers 4-3 on Saturday.

Now they have an excellent opportunity to make a push in the standings with games against the Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, and Boston Bruins this week.

Tkachuk has 3+ shots on goal and 1+ point in every game versus Detroit this season.

Ottawa’s captain has also scored in five straight games since his return from the 4 Nations Face-Off.

Hopefully, Tkachuk can deliver again tonight in another Senators win.

Next up, I’ll lock in a Same Game Parlay with Leon Draisaitl 2+ shots on goal and the Edmonton Oilers to beat the Buffalo Sabres in regulation at +110.

I’ll also take Leon Draisaitl anytime goal at -110.

The Rocket Richard and Hart Trophy favourite was held to one assist in Saturday’s win over the Stars.

I’ll bet on him to add to his league-leading 46 goals this season against an opponent that has really struggled of late in the Bufalo Sabres.

Elsewhere, the Avalanche are the biggest favourite on the board at -500 to beat the Chicago Blackhawks.

I’ll try a builder SGP with Valeri Nichushkin 1+ point, Nichushkin 2+ shots on goal, and Colorado to win in regulation at +126. 

Finally, I’ll add a traditional three-team cross-sport parlay with the Avalanche, Oklahoma City Thunder, and the San Antonio Spurs to all win outright at +117.

Hopefully, we can sweep again to start the week.

Have a great day, everyone!