Up to speed: Heiskanen’s return to lineup a “game changing” move for Stars

In the 50 games the Stars played with Miro Heiskanen in the lineup to start the season, Dallas averaged the sixth-fewest shots on goal at 26.4 per game.

In the final 32 games the Stars played without Heiskanen after he suffered a knee injury in late January, Dallas was last in the league, allowing 32.8 per game.

That’s an astounding difference.

“Does that surprise you?” Stars coach Pete DeBoer asked incredulously when those numbers were presented recently.

Well, yeah, kinda. I mean that’s a pretty significant difference when you get right down to it.

“You’re taking one of the best defensemen in the world out of your lineup,” DeBoer said. “And when I say best defenseman, he might be one of the top five defensively. That doesn’t even take into account the puck possession when he’s on the ice.”

That might be the greatest testament to the impact of Heiskanen. The 25-year-old blueliner does an efficient job of anticipating scoring chances and taking them away, he is incredible defending with his stick and his skates, and oh yeah, he is hands down the team’s best puck possession player – helping the Stars exit the defensive zone and get speed through the neutral zone so they can go on the attack.

“The way he skates and moves and escapes from guys, for us as forwards, that’s a dream kind of defenseman,” Stars winger Mikko Rantanen said. “They kind of attract people to them and then open up ice for the forwards. He’s a big addition to the lineup.”

Heiskanen’s impact hasn’t been fully felt in the playoffs yet. Yes, he helped Dallas win two of the three games he has played, but the Stars have not been the possession team they were in the first half of the season. That’s exciting for this team.

“All of a sudden you’re slotting guys, you’re playing them less minutes, they’re more effective, they’re playing in better matchup situations,” DeBoer said of the fact Heiskanen played 23 minutes in Game 6 and helped Dallas in a 2-1 OT victory. “I mean, adding a guy like that back into your lineup slots everybody back properly. So, I think that’s game changing for us.”

The Stars have been playing seven defensemen instead of the normal six because of the fear that Heiskanen wasn’t 100 percent. That’s still a discussion before Game 1 against the Oilers on Wednesday. But if they go back to a normal 12-6 format, there is a chance we see the team we saw earlier in the season. And that team has Heiskanen as the center of stability.

“It just shows you how good of a player he is,” Stars GM Jim Nill said of Heiskanen’s return from more than three months away – as well as recovery from knee surgery. “The last game, that was Miro Heiskanen. We’re into the third round of the playoffs, teams are worn out, they’re getting tired. He was the fresh body out there. He’s just starting to play, he was breaking some ankles out there, just such a wonderful player to watch, just the way he glides around and the way he thinks and moves the puck.”

It’s no surprise Heiskanen is this good. He was the third overall pick in 2017. He is considered one of the top defensemen in the league. And while he is battling back from surgery, he has taken his time and returned to the game in a proper way.

“I think every game has been better and felt better,” Heiskanen said of Game 6. “It’s a long break, three and a half months, so it takes a little time to get used to it again. Last game felt really good, and hopefully I can keep building on that.”

If he can, the Stars can get back to that 26.4 shots a game against, which could be huge against the Oilers.

“He makes me a better goalie,” said Jake Oettinger, who has faced 100 more shots than the next closest NHL netminder in the playoffs so far.

In the first 50 games of the season when Heiskanen was keeping those shot totals down, Dallas had a 2.46 GAA. In the final 32 when he was out, that jumped up to 3.09.

“He affects every part of the game,” Oettinger said. “He just has a calming effect on everyone.”

To paraphrase a great coach: That shouldn’t surprise us.

“Listen, he took the proper amount of time. He wasn’t rushed back, he didn’t rush back,” DeBoer said. “He missed three and a half months and he’s healthy, so it took him a few games to get his timing, but I’m not surprised he’s back to where he’s at right now. He’s an amazing athlete.”

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 @MikeHeika.