There’s a Norris Trophy finalist in the Stars-Avalanche series, but in Game 2 Thursday night, he wasn’t the best defenseman on the ice.
Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen, whose name is regularly mentioned alongside the top blue liners in the league, stole the spotlight from Colorado’s Cale Makar in Game 2, scoring two goals on the power play to lead his team to a 5-3 win.
Makar was among the most dangerous players entering the series, as the defenseman had nine points in five first-round games against Winnipeg. In Game 1 against Dallas, he was Colorado’s best player with a goal and two assists for a three-point night.
But as the elite defenseman was kept off the scoresheet completely Thursday, Heiskanen’s performance sent a reminder of just how versatile his contributions can be.
“Just a guy getting rewarded for all the amazing nights he’s had,” Stars forward Tyler Seguin said. “He does so many things that you don’t get respect on the scoresheet for. He’s the No. 1 guy you hate going against in a 2-on-1 or 1-on-1 in practice. It’s been joked about for years here and all the elements he brings to his game and our team.”
Every time Heiskanen has had a multi-point outing like Thursday, Stars coach Pete DeBoer notes that he’s often taken for granted.
Last season, the Finnish defenseman set a franchise record for most points by a defenseman with 73 (11 goals and 62 assists). With eight fewer games played this year due to an injury in January, Heiskanen finished the regular season with 54 points (nine goals and 45 assists).
Despite leading all Stars defensemen in points in the regular season, his efforts were overshadowed by the advancement of 22-year-old defenseman Thomas Harley, who scored 15 goals this year, and trade-deadline acquisition Chris Tanev, who has been Dallas’ best defender even while matching up against players like the Avalanche’s Nathan MacKinnon each night.
But as his fellow blue liners became the more intriguing storylines all season, Heiskanen remained one of the most consistent players on the team. He’s done the same in the playoffs, quietly tying the team lead for points with eight (three goals and five assists).
“I think he goes out and affects the game every night for us,” DeBoer said. “It might not result in points and goals, but he has that effect for us on the game every night. … Obviously, some nights, it all comes together like last night, but even on the nights where he doesn’t score, he’s still a critical piece for us.”
Heiskanen is averaging a team-high 27:24 in ice time per game this postseason and has generated the most shot opportunities of any Star (280). It all paid off for him Thursday when he scored on a one-timer on the power play in the first period and again on a shot from the point on the man-advantage in the second period.
He became the second defenseman in Stars/North Stars history to net two power-play goals in a playoff game, joining Brian Glynn, who did so in 1991. He also became the fifth Dallas Stars defenseman to score multiple goals in a playoff game, doing so for the second time in his career.
“You do take him for granted because he is so easy to play, and he’s out there so much, and we ask so much of him,” DeBoer said. “He was at a different level last night. Him and Roope Hintz, I thought, really grabbed that game and kind of took it over.”
Heiskanen’s teammates find it difficult to put all of his value into words. From his offensive instincts to the power play to his lockdown defensive ability, he’s the most versatile player on the roster — which is why many consider him to be the Stars’ best overall player.
“It’s his quick hands. It’s his brain. It’s his skill and his speed,” Seguin said. “He’s not going to go in and run a guy, but he just seems to have that stick in the right spot to just shut down plays. It’s been a treat to watch here for many years and more to come.”
His role has changed slightly since the addition of Tanev, as Dallas’ new defenseman has been matched up with elite scorers like MacKinnon more consistently in the playoffs.
But that’s just freed up Heiskanen to contribute in other ways — and challenge Makar for the series’ best defenseman. As his coaches and teammates said, he’ll always find a way to leave his mark.
“He’s got this quiet swagger to him,” Seguin said on TNT after Thursday’s game. “He’s just so talented.”
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