Dallas Stars right wing Mikko Rantanen, left, battles for control of the puck with Colorado Avalanche defenseman Devon Toews in the first period of Game 6 of their NHL first-round playoff series on May 1 in Denver. (AP file photo)

Mikko Rantanen is showing exactly why Dallas was willing to pay such a hefty price to put him the roster. One of the players the Stars traded for Rantanen is also making a positive impact for his new team.

Nearly every team in the second round of the NHL playoffs is benefitting from moves they made at the trade deadline. That includes Toronto with Brandon Carlo and Scott Laughton; Florida with Brad Marchand and Seth Jones; Washington with Anthony Beauvillier; Edmonton with Jake Walman and Trent Frederic; Winnipeg with Brandon Tanev and Luke Schenn; and the Carolina Hurricanes also with Taylor Hall and Mark Jankowski.

One of those teams — or maybe Vegas, which made a move to get Reilly Smith back — will hoist the Stanley Cup in June and have a trade or two to credit for the journey.

The Stars and Hurricanes are co-Cup favorites according to BetMGM Sportsbook after making the biggest deadline deal: Rantanen to Dallas for Logan Stankoven, two first-round picks and a third-rounder to Carolina. Rantanen has had a hat trick in each of the past two games — last weekend in Game 7 to knock out the Colorado Avalanche who traded him in late January and then in Wednesday’s series opener at Winnipeg.

“It’s a treat,” teammate Sam Steel said. “He’s one of the best players in the world and he’s just on fire right now, so we’re just trying to get him the puck.”

The Hurricanes sent Martin Necas, Jack Drury and two picks to Colorado for Rantanen in an unexpected, blockbuster trade more than a month before the deadline. Avalanche president of hockey operations Joe Sakic — who drafted Rantanen with the 10th pick in 2015 — heard after that move that the possibility of another trade back West was possible.

With the clock ticking toward the deadline on March 7, first-year Hurricanes general manager Eric Tulsky made the most of the situation and dealt Rantanen to the Stars, who then signed him to an eight-year, $96 million extension.

Rantanen is a playoff producer — 101 points in 81 games before this spring, including helping Colorado win the Cup in 2022.

Carolina has gotten three goals this playoffs from Stankoven and three points from Hall, while Jankowski was a big reason for a perfect penalty kill in the first round.

“They’ve all helped in a lot of different ways on both sides of the puck,” captain Jordan Staal said. “Three great players that have really kind of solidified our lineup and played really well for us.”

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AP Sports Writers Tim Reynolds in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Aaron Beard in Raleigh, North Carolina, Stephen Hawkins in Frisco, Texas, Pat Graham in Denver and the Canadian Press contributed.

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AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://apnews.com/hub/nhl