The Dallas Stars' season ended earlier than expected, and now we know why star forward Mikko Rantanen wasn't at his best down the stretch. General Manager Jim Nill revealed that Rantanen played through a torn MCL in his knee, an injury sustained during the Olympic Games in February.

Rantanen, who was a key part of Finland's bronze medal run, missed 15 games for the Stars after the injury. He returned for the final 10 regular-season games but managed just one goal and four assists. That slump carried into the playoffs, where he posted only one goal and six assists as Dallas fell to Minnesota in six games during the first round.

"Major injury. Came back, he's very competitive," Nill said during his season-ending press conference. "Did he come back too soon? Not too soon, but would have been nice to have one or two more weeks to really settle in. He never really got going again."

Before the Olympics, Rantanen was on fire with 21 goals and 51 assists in 54 games. The Stars acquired him at the trade deadline last season and quickly locked him up with an eight-year, $96 million extension. He rewarded them with a spectacular playoff run, tallying nine goals and 13 assists in 18 games as Dallas reached the Western Conference Final for the third straight year.

This season, however, was a different story. The Stars were eliminated in the first round, and Rantanen wasn't the only player battling through significant injuries. Nill noted that the team never had a full lineup all season, a frustrating reality that hampered their consistency.

Fortunately, Rantanen won't need surgery and will benefit from extended rest this offseason. "We never had one game where we had a full lineup this whole season and the playoffs," Nill said. "Hard to believe, I've never seen that before."

Now, the Stars face a critical offseason. They want to bring back 45-goal scorer Jason Robertson, who is a restricted free agent, and longtime captain Jamie Benn, who is deciding whether to return for an 18th NHL season. "We want him to be a Dallas Star the rest of his career," Nill said of Robertson, while also expressing a strong desire to keep Benn in the fold.

With key players healing up and roster decisions looming, the Stars are looking to rebound from a disappointing season and return to their contender status.