Mikko Rantanen got away with one dangerous boarding penalty this week, but his second will likely cost him.
The NHL Department of Player Safety’s process is underway, a person familiar with the process told The Dallas Morning News Sunday, to review a boarding penalty by Rantanen late in the second period of Saturday’s 3-2 shootout loss in Calgary.
Rantanen will most likely be suspended at least one game for violating NHL rule 23.6, which states “any player who incurs a total of two game misconduct penalties in the ‘Physical Infractions Category,’ before playing in 41 consecutive regular season league games without such penalty shall be suspended automatically for the next league game of his team.”
Rantanen has received two game misconduct penalties in the last three games for boarding. The physical infractions category includes boarding, charging, checking from behind, clipping, elbowing, head-butting, interference and kneeing.
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The NHL could either add to the one-game suspension, take away one of the game misconducts to negate the suspension or stick with the automatic suspension of one game. The one-game suspension would mean Rantanen would miss Dallas’ game in Edmonton Tuesday night.
Rantanen has never been suspended in his 11-year NHL career.
With 51 seconds remaining in the second period of Saturday’s game, Rantanen laid a hit on Matt Coronato that sent Flames winger face-first into the boards.
Mikko Rantanen receives a five-minute major and a game misconduct for this hit on Matt Coronato.
Coronato went down the tunnel following the hit. pic.twitter.com/Yr0rrVSYXW
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) November 23, 2025
Coronato, who was the game’s only goal scorer at the time, left for the locker room gushing blood. The play resulted in a fight and led to Rantanen getting a boarding penalty, fighting penalty and game misconduct. Coronato returned in the third period.
The hit came just two games after Rantanen was ejected for a similar play in Tuesday’s 3-2 loss to the New York Islanders.
With 27.3 seconds left in regulation, Rantanen collided with Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov, pushing him face first into the boards. Romanov was down on the ice for minutes while a fight broke out and needed to be helped down the tunnel.
Rantanen was assessed a five-minute major for boarding and a game misconduct. Romanov was later placed on injured reserve as a result of the play.
The league felt the on-ice discipline was sufficient, choosing not to penalize Rantanen any further. Rantanen was tripped by Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield before colliding with Romanov.
“I obviously never meant to do that,” Rantanen said. “I’ve never done that all my career. I play hard, but I never try to be dirty on purpose. I got clipped a little bit and kept falling forward. Unfortunate moment but never really meant to do it.”
Saturday’s penalty, however, was far more egregious and appeared to be more intentional. Rantanen now leads the NHL in penalty minutes this season.
To make matters worse, the forward was also fined $2,000 Friday for a second embellishment penalty of the season that he took on Nov. 11 against Ottawa.
Rule 23.6 also states that for each subsequent game misconduct penalty that Rantanen receives before playing 41 consecutive games without a major or game misconduct in the physical infractions category, Rantanen’s automatic suspension would be increased by one game.
Rantanen leads the Stars with 28 points (10 goals and 18 assists) in 21 games this season.
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Stars fall to Flames via shootout in game marred by controversial Mikko Rantanen checkWatch: Mikko Rantanen assessed 5-minute major, game misconduct for another vicious hit