Dallas Stars’ top defenseman, Miro Heiskanen, has not played in an NHL game since January 28 due to a knee injury sustained after a collision with Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone in the third period. Heiskanen underwent surgery on his left knee on February 4, with an estimated recovery time of three to four months. Head coach Peter DeBoer provided an update on Heiskanen’s recovery, mentioning that it’s “a realistic possibility” the 25-year-old defenseman may miss at least the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Since Heiskanen’s injury, the Stars have gone 10-4-2, although two of their losses were against tough teams—a 4-3 overtime defeat to Colorado on Sunday and a 4-1 loss to the top-ranked Winnipeg Jets on Friday. Dallas currently holds a two-point lead over Colorado in the Central Division heading into Tuesday’s games.
DeBoer acknowledged the challenge ahead, saying, “We’re going to get Colorado, Winnipeg, or someone really good in the first round [of the playoffs]; that’s a given. On paper, our lineups will be similar to whoever we play, so it’s the chemistry, team identity, and other factors that will hopefully give us the edge at that time of year, as skill levels will be close.”
Heiskanen has tallied 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 50 games and leads the team with an average ice time of 25:10 this season.
