Miro Heiskanen had an immediate impact for the Dallas Stars in these NHL playoffs, even after missing 42 games because of a knee injury.

Dallas made the Western Conference Final in each of the past two seasons. In those two playoff runs combined, Heiskanen led the Stars with 28:00 of average ice time and their defensemen with 28 points (seven goals, 21 assists) in 38 games. If he can get back up to speed, he can make Dallas even more dangerous.

Heiskanen, whom the Stars drafted No. 3 overall in 2017, is widely regarded as a top-five defenseman in the NHL. With both lockdown defensive abilities and offensive prowess, Heiskanen recorded 25 points in 50 games for the Stars this year after logging 16 points in 19 playoff games for Dallas in 2024.