New York Islanders vs Dallas Stars Player Props: Rantanen Takes Over

The New York Islanders visit the Dallas Stars on Sunday, October 25, with puck drop scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.

Dallas enters with a 6-3-1 record, having won four consecutive games. New York is 5-3-2 following Thursday's 3-2 overtime defeat against Los Angeles, although the Islanders have collected points in five straight appearances.

The Stars are favored on Kalshi and Polymarket, with game-winner prices recently indicating approximately a 63–65% probability of a Dallas victory.

That's understandable given their recent performances, but this could be a relatively tight contest.

Both teams have been excellent defensively. Dallas has conceded just 16 goals through ten games, while New York has allowed 22.

I'm more interested in Rantanen's ability to contribute offensively than expecting either team to dominate the scoreboard.

Rantanen has five goals and eight assists through ten games, averaging 1.3 points per appearance.

Those numbers are encouraging, but what stands out is how important his contributions have been during Dallas' recent victories.

Against Boston on October 20, Rantanen scored all three Stars goals. He tied the game twice before completing his hat trick with a power-play goal in overtime.

It was an extraordinary individual performance, particularly against a Bruins team that had won five consecutive games.

Thursday brought a different challenge.

Dallas trailed Winnipeg 2-1 with two minutes remaining when Rantanen found Roope Hintz in front of the net for the equalizer.

Hintz eventually scored the overtime winner, extending Dallas' winning streak to four games.

Rantanen finished with two assists, demonstrating that he doesn't necessarily need to score himself to influence the outcome.

He's now recorded seven points during the Stars' four-game winning streak.

That's particularly encouraging for his 1+ point market, which gives him multiple ways to contribute.

Rantanen has recently been playing alongside Wyatt Johnston and Sam Steel, while Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin have formed another offensive combination.

The arrangement gives Dallas two dangerous scoring lines rather than concentrating all its offensive talent on one unit.

Rantanen also continues to play a central role on the power play, alongside Robertson, Hintz, Johnston and Miro Heiskanen.

However, Thursday demonstrated how flexible Dallas can be when it needs a goal.

With Jake Oettinger pulled for an extra attacker, Rantanen found Hintz for the late equalizer against Winnipeg.

That kind of offensive versatility is valuable when evaluating player props.

Rantanen can create opportunities for Johnston and Steel at even strength, while his responsibilities on the power play provide additional chances to contribute alongside Dallas' other stars.

He also has a proven track record.

The Finnish winger recorded 77 points in 64 appearances last season, including 55 assists. His current production is slightly ahead of that pace, but there's nothing particularly unusual about Rantanen averaging more than a point per game.

The Islanders aren't going to make life easy for Dallas.

They've conceded just 2.2 goals per game through ten appearances, and head coach Peter DeBoer has established a disciplined defensive structure.

Ilya Sorokin has also been excellent, carrying a save percentage above .930 during the opening month.

Thursday's performance against Los Angeles provided another reminder of New York's competitiveness.

The Islanders fell behind 2-0 but fought back through goals from Victor Eklund and Matthew Schaefer, eventually losing 3-2 in overtime.

They also generated 43 shots against Darcy Kuemper, who needed an outstanding performance to secure the victory for Los Angeles.

New York isn't simply sitting back and hoping its goaltenders steal games.

However, Dallas presents a difficult challenge.

Rantanen, Robertson and Hintz have enough individual ability to create opportunities even against organized defensive teams.

I'm not expecting another five-point explosion from Rantanen, but one point looks considerably more realistic.

Hintz was the hero against Winnipeg, scoring twice in the 3-2 victory.

His first goal came with exactly two minutes remaining in regulation, before he completed the comeback with a breakaway winner in overtime.

That brings him to five goals through ten games, including three in his last three appearances.

Hintz has also benefited from playing alongside Robertson and Seguin, while remaining an important part of Dallas' leading power-play unit.

His anytime-goal market is interesting, particularly after Thursday's performance.

However, I'm reluctant to chase another goal simply because he scored twice against Winnipeg.

New York has been difficult to break down, and Sorokin could make this a frustrating matchup for Dallas' finishers.

For that reason, I prefer Rantanen's broader points market.

He doesn't need to finish an opportunity himself, and his recent playmaking has been just as impressive as his goalscoring.

Matthew Schaefer continues to look like one of the NHL's most exciting young defensemen.

The 19-year-old has recorded nine points through ten appearances and scored against Los Angeles on Thursday.

He was also remarkably active offensively, registering nine shots on goal while playing more than 29 minutes.

Those are extraordinary responsibilities for a defenseman who won't turn 20 until next September.

Schaefer has become central to New York's offensive buildup, regularly joining attacks and contributing on the power play.

He's also benefited from a larger role with Alexander Romanov unavailable.

However, Dallas has been the NHL's strongest defensive team during the opening month, and Jake Oettinger has been outstanding in goal.

Schaefer's 1+ point market is interesting, but I wouldn't be particularly aggressive against this opponent.

I'd rather support Dallas' established offensive talent.

Horvat has five goals and five assists through ten games, continuing to lead the Islanders' offense in the absence of Mathew Barzal.

He's been centering Simon Holmstrom and Kyle Palmieri, while also receiving significant power-play responsibilities.

Horvat was held without a point against Los Angeles, although he generated five shots and played more than 21 minutes.

His involvement remains encouraging, but Dallas has allowed an average of just 1.6 goals per game.

That's a difficult matchup for a player whose team hasn't always been particularly effective offensively.

Horvat's anytime-goal and 1+ point markets deserve consideration, but I don't see enough reason to prefer either over Rantanen.

Dallas' latest first line featured Jason Robertson, Roope Hintz and Tyler Seguin, followed by Sam Steel, Wyatt Johnston and Mikko Rantanen.

Thomas Harley and Miro Heiskanen have been handling the leading defensive responsibilities, with Lian Bichsel and Nils Lundkvist providing another pairing.

Matt Duchene remains unavailable following core muscle surgery, while Esa Lindell has been dealing with a lower-body injury.

New York's most recent top line featured Simon Holmstrom, Bo Horvat and Kyle Palmieri, followed by Emil Heineman, Brayden Schenn and Victor Eklund.

Matthew Schaefer has been playing alongside Logan Stanley, with Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock forming another important defensive pairing.

The Islanders remain without Barzal and Romanov, while Matias Maccelli and Cal Ritchie are also sidelined.

Ilya Sorokin and Jake Oettinger are the projected starting goaltenders, although neither assignment has been officially confirmed.