The injury bug has bitten the Dallas big time during the 2023-24 season. When injuries do occur, the only thing you can do is try to weather the storm and get through them. That is easier said than done, but the Stars have proven they can do that.
Jake Oettinger has been out with an injury and has been labeled as day to day. Since his absence, the Stars have shown they can win without him, which is great. However, they have been dealt an injury that will be harder to overcome.
Miro Heiskanen Out Week to Week
During their game against the Colorado Avalanche last night (Jan. 4), the Stars were dealt a big blow as Miro Heiskanen left the game during the third period after a hard collision with goaltender Scott Wedgewood. He did not return and it put the Stars down a man. Heiskanen is a major component to the Stars’ defensive unit and without him the team loses a premier puck mover and shutdown player.
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The Stars eventually lost the game in overtime and it forced head coach Pete DeBoer to roll three forwards for majority of the overtime period. That is an area where the Stars would’ve loved Heiskanen, as he is a smooth skater and with all that open ice would’ve helped generate more chances.
Heiskanen is out week to week and won’t need surgery, which is great news. Overcoming Heiskanen’s absence, however will be tough for the Stars, as he is a valuable player.
Replacing Heiskanen is Never Easy
Heiskanen is more than just a top defenseman. He is a player that plays big minutes and matches up against the opponents’ top lines. Nobody on the Stars averages more ice time than Heiskanen, who averages 25:03 per game. The next closest player is Esa Lindell, who averages 19:58.
Heiskanen plays in all situations, which makes him a great asset. Ever since DeBoer’s arrival, he has tapped into his offensive potential. During the 2022-23 season, Heiskanen set a career high in assists (62) and points (73). He has followed that up with four goals, 23 assists, and 27 points in 37 games played this season. Heiskanen is an elite puck mover and is precise with his passing. His ability to generate offense is a huge reason for him quarterbacking the Stars’ top power play (PP) unit
In all PP situations, Heiskanen has logged the most minutes (118:57) and has the third-most points with the man advantage (10). He has not been shy to fire the puck (16 shots on goal) and has the most shot attempts of any skater logging PP minutes.
His deployment goes further, as he has been put on the penalty kill (PK). He has not been the focal point on this special teams unit, but has done his job when out on the ice. Heiskanen does not get enough credit for his ability to be a shutdown defenseman. On the PK, he has done a good job of suppressing the opposition, factoring into 4.14 expected goals against. As you can see, he can play in any situation and is hard to replace. So how can the Stars go about coping with his absence.
Reinforcements From Within to Replace Heiskanen
If Heiskanen is to miss an extended period of time, it will give players from within an increased opportunity. One option to be considered is Thomas Harley, who has proven that he can play in multiple situations. However, his level of ice time is not near Heiskanen’s and begs the question if he can handle a larger workload. In the last five games, Harley has seen he his ice time go from 17:55 to 24:30, which instills optimism.
Harley is the next-best offensive threat from the Stars’ back end, as he has the second most expected goals in all situations (3.4). His 17 points are second behind Heiskanen and he has gotten time on the second PP unit.
Another player who could see increased opportunity to be a consistent member of the lineup is Nils Lundkvist. He has often been scratched but with the team lacking a puck mover from the back end, adding him to the fold would be a great way to help with the offense.
There are options from within, but if Heiskanen is to miss a long period of time it could force general manager Jim Nill to make a move.
Weathering the Storm Without Heiskanen
Life without Heiskanen will be a difficult challenge for the Stars. Overcoming life without Oettinger is one thing but Heiskanen presents an entirely different situation as he is a franchise defenseman for good reason.
There are options within who could thrive while he is out but if not Nill will need to make a move. There are key defenseman on the trade block (Noah Hanifin, Chris Tanev) and if Heiskanen is to be out long term these two could fit in the lineup like a glove.