Name: Miro Heiskanen
Number: 4
Age: 23
Birthplace: Espoo, Finland
Height/Weight: 6-1, 190
2021-22 stats: Five goals, 31 assists and 36 points in 70 games
Contract: Seven years remaining at a cap hit of $8.45 million. Actual salary in 2022-23 is $7 million.
Performance evaluation
Despite battling mono and looking tired at times last season, Heiskanen posted numbers that were pretty close to his career averages. He logged 24:53 in average time on ice and had 36 points in 70 games, or about half a point a game (which is what he’s done in 275 career games). He was seventh in puck possession at 51.8 percent and was used in the most challenging situations by the coaching staff.
Video: CGY@DAL, Gm6: Heiskanen whips one in from the high slot
Expectations for 2022-23
Heiskanen is the most impactful player on the Stars, and some might say the “best” player. However, there seems to be room for him to do even more.
When you consider the NHL’s top defensemen, Heiskanen is 15th in average time on ice and 45th in average points per game. That’s not going to spark discussion for a Norris Trophy. Heiskanen has always been seen as ahead of the game on defense and needing development on offense, so it’ll be interesting to see if the new coaching staff can help him take the next step.
Video: VGK@DAL: Heiskanen nets lone goal of shootout
The loss of John Klingberg could be a very good thing for Heiskanen as Klingberg was averaging 30 more seconds per game on the power play, and Heiskanen will clearly get more minutes next season. The issue is that he still seems destined to play his offside (a lefty on the right side), and there doesn’t seem to be a natural partner for him.
All of that said, the Stars believe Heiskanen will make whoever he plays with better, and that’s a huge part of his impact on the team. Could he get up into the 50s or even 60s in points? We’ll see, but he certainly should have the opportunity to do a whole lot more.
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 Twitter @MikeHeika.
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