Miro Heiskanen injury update: NHL insider gives latest on star D-man's return timeline as playoffs inch closer

By Jackson Weber

Modified Apr 02, 2025 21:02 GMT

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Dallas Stars superstar defenseman Miro Heiskanen's availability for the start of the Stanley Cup Playoff remains in question.

The team's No. 1 blueliner missed the last 24 games due to a knee injury he suffered during a collision with Golden Knights captain Mark Stone in a 4–3 overtime win in Vegas on Jan. 28. The play itself drew plenty of questions and concerns from the Stars, but resulted in no penalty or supplemental discipline.

The hope and expectation are that Miro Heiskanen will return before or just in time for the start of the playoffs. However, with less than a month in the regular season, not many updates on his status have been given.

On Wednesday, fans got some clarity as TSN hockey insider Pierre LeBrun wrote an article providing updates on several injured stars around the NHL, beginning with Heiskanen.

"He started skating last week, it is still early in the process," LeBrun wrote. "The initial timeline was three to four months, it will be two months on Friday. But the updated timeline right now is anywhere from the start of the Stanley Cup playoffs to the end of the first round. And when you consider that the Stars are currently lined up to play the Colorado Avalanche in a conference final-worthy matchup in the opening round, the difference in those two timeline scenarios is massive."

Heiskanen still has another four years remaining of his four-year, $67,600,000 contract extension that he signed with the Stars in 2021. With the large salary cap increases expected in the coming years, Heiskanen's $8.45 average annual salary should be a bargain for Dallas.

The Dallas Stars will need Miro Heiskanen to make a Stanley Cup run

The Dallas Stars have continued to win games without him, but they need Miro Heiskanen back to win the Stanley Cup.

Heiskanen is the workhorse and engine of the team. While his point production was down this season, having registered only 25 points (five goals, 20 assists) through 50 games, Heiskanen was logging 25:10 of ice time per game and shutting down the opposition on a nightly basis.

He's widely regarded as a top-five defenseman in the league, and Dallas is not the same without him. He's shown to be a prolific playoff performer, racking up 61 points (16 goals, 45 assists) in 85 postseason games while averaging a massive 26:46 minutes played.

The Stars will continue on the final games of their regular season without Heiskanen on Thursday night against the Nashville Predators. The puck drops at 8 p.m. EST at American Airlines Center.