Oilers hammer Mikko Rantanen in his Stars debut.

The biggest story leading up to the National Hockey League's Trade Deadline this past Friday was the future of former Colorado Avalanche superstar Mikko Rantanen. One of the best regular season and playoff point producers of his generation, Rantanen was a highly coveted asset across the league with the Dallas Stars in the end being the team that put together both a trade package and contract extension that secured Rantanen's services for the foreseeable future.

As you might expect there was considerable buzz around Saturday night's game between the Dallas Stars and Edmonton Oilers given that both teams would get the chance to showcase the players they added to their roster ahead of the deadline, with Rantanen being the biggest attraction of the night.

Unfortunately for Rantanen it seems that the Oilers also had their attention focused on him as they welcomed him to the Dallas Stars in very rough fashion. Rantanen was repeatedly pummeled by big hits from the Oilers throughout the game, with Oilers forward Max Jones setting the tone early and hammering Rantanen behind the Stars net.

Rantanen looked around in disbelief as if he was expecting a call from the officials but no such call would ever come, and it would only get worse for Rantanen from there.

In spite of the fact that the Oilers had already taken a commanding lead in the game, running up the score on the Stars with a 5-1 lead late in the second period, the Oilers own deadline acquisition would make his presence felt and would use Mikko Rantanen to do so.

Oilers deadline acquisition Jake Walman would absolutely crush Rantanen with an open ice hit in the dying seconds of the second period, with the Oilers defenseman showing Rantanen no mercy as he was looking down as he tried to collect a pass.

A rough start for Mikko Rantanen on his new team courtesy of the Edmonton Oilers, but much to his credit he absorbed those hits and remained in the game, even picking up both his first goal and assist as a member of the Dallas Stars.