DALLAS — Coach Pete DeBoer mentioned today that Miro might not be ready to play for the Dallas Stars when the Stanley Cup Playoffs begin.
The 25-year-old defenseman has been sidelined since January 28, when he hurt his left knee in a collision with Vegas Golden Knights forward Mark Stone during the third period.
Heiskanen underwent surgery on February 4, with an initial recovery timeline of 3-4 months. He has registered 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) in 50 games this season, averaging a team-high 25:10 of ice time.
“When asked if it’s possible the Stars might need to reach the Western Conference Second Round before Heiskanen returns, DeBoer said, ‘That’s a realistic possibility.’”
Dallas (43-21-3) won 4-3 in overtime against the Anaheim Ducks on Tuesday after losing their previous two games (0-1-1). They sit second in the Central Division, four points ahead of the Colorado Avalanche.
The Stars are 11-4-2 without Heiskanen, though two of those losses came against Colorado (4-3 in overtime on Sunday) and first-place Winnipeg Jets (4-1 on Friday).
DeBoer added, “We’re going to face Colorado, Winnipeg, or some other top team in the first round [of the playoffs]. That’s a given. On paper, we’ll have similar lineups to our opponents, so factors like chemistry and team identity will be key. These will hopefully help us stand out since there won’t be much skill difference on paper.”
The Stars made several roster adjustments to address injuries to key players like Heiskanen and forward Tyler Seguin, who had hip surgery on December 4. Defenseman Cody Ceci and forward Mikael Granlund were acquired in a trade with the San Jose Sharks on February 1, and forward Mikko Rantanen was brought in from the Carolina Hurricanes on March 7. Rantanen signed an eight-year, $96 million deal ($12 million average annual value) on the same day.
DeBoer also said that Seguin seems on track to return for the playoffs. Before his injury, Seguin had 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 19 games this season.
“The regular-season finale is on April 16 at the Nashville Predators,” DeBoer stated. “[Seguin is] skating regularly, looking good, and all projections show he’ll be back by the end of the season. He’s working hard to make it happen.”
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