Finnish fun: Adjust, focus on the rungs, and don't be scared of reindeer meat 

The Stars motto of taking this season one rung at a time seems appropriate this week.

As the team plays back-to-back games against the Florida Panthers Friday and Saturday in Finland, it has been met with both adversity and opportunity, and so far, it is handling both with the kind of patience and enthusiasm that benefits a team in search of the Stanley Cup.

To start the trip, complications with the flight turned a nine-hour trip into about 14 hours. That meant a schedule practice had to be scrapped, and everyone had to adjust, but they did so perfectly as they had a night of sauna, dinner and karaoke and followed that with a high-tempo practice on Tuesday in Helsinki that helped shake off the jet lag.

“Getting the legs going, getting some of the Finnish beer out from last night,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said after practice. “We had a great night out and some great Finnish hospitality, so we needed to get some work in and sweat today. It was a good day.”

The Finnish beer was part of an evening planned by the Stars’ three Finnish players – Esa Lindell, Miro Heiskanen and Roope Hintz. A large group that included the players, coaches and management spent time in a sauna with a dip in the icy waters outside, and then took in a dinner of reindeer and salmon soup. It was a tremendous way to share culture and get closer.

“We’ve done a lot of team stuff this year so far,” said Matt Duchene, who helped plan a golf outing in Nashville before the season opener against the Predators. “To get everyone together like that, coaches and management, it was good. It was an awesome spot.”

The week is both unusual and normal for the Stars. Yes, this is the first chance to go overseas and enjoy a new experience like Finland, but it also is part of a routine that fits in with the “Focus on the Rungs” motto.

“We’ve had two long runs to the conference finals, and it’s human nature to feel, 'Well, we’ll just get back there and get it right this time,'” DeBoer said. “Sometimes you forget about all the work you have to do just to get that opportunity again. So it’s a focus on what’s right in front of you right now. It’s an important focus point on the work that needs to be done today to give ourselves another chance at it.”

The Stars have had a couple of good examples in the past week. After a flat performance in Buffalo, DeBoer ran a hard, physical practice to up the compete level. Dallas responded with its best game of the year in a win at Boston the next night. On Tuesday, players were bent over with sticks on knees as DeBoer tried to reset from the trip and party. While the games against Florida aren’t until Friday and Saturday, it was clear a plan was in place.

“It was a good high-pace practice and it was exactly what we needed,” said forward Tyler Seguin. “This week is a lot of the away from the ice stuff, a lot of time to bond. It’s a lot of travel and there are different adversities we have to face, like we already have with our long delays. It’s just going through day to day and facing the challenges as a group.”

So far, the Stars have done it with a smile on their collective face. There was talk of just how cold the sea water was or what sounds were made when the plunge was taken. There was talk of the curiosity of eating reindeer meat.

“It scared me to start, but tastes pretty good,” Seguin said. “I thoroughly enjoyed it.”

And that’s a big part of this kind of journey. Lindell is part owner of Jokerit and he set up an outing to view a Jokers game Tuesday night. The three Finns on Tuesday were smiling throughout the practice.

“It’s like Christmas Day for them,” said goalie Jake Oettinger. “I know how special it is when I get to play in Minnesota, and for these guys it’s even more special because they’ve never done this before.”

Stars players often will have a trip home during the season. Oettinger has a huge following in Minnesota. Jamie Benn gets family at the games in Vancouver. Colin Blackwell just had his dad at the game in Boston. But for this trio, the chance to bring the entire team to their childhood cities is special.

“Special moment to come here to our home country and show the boys how we do it here,” said Hintz.

While Heiskanen added, “We have time to enjoy here and then we have those two important games, so I don’t think it is going to be hard. I mean we have good times on every trip we do, so it’s basically the same thing. It’s just in Finland. It’s probably not going to be anything different.”

And that’s the attitude DeBoer is seeking when he asks the players to focus on the rungs. There are distractions all week, but there are also two huge games against the Panthers.

“It’s really hard to force those situations. They almost have to pop up organically, and this trip provides that,” DeBoer said. “Guys are across the world and our Finnish players are so excited to show them the culture here. I think that stuff goes a long way when you get into the meat of the season.”

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @MikeHeika.