The Dallas Stars used their first NHL Draft pick to select defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday. What all does this mean?
The Dallas Stars selected left-handed defenseman Miro Heiskanen with the third overall pick in Friday’s first round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Heiskanen was the game’s top defenseman entering the Draft, and also our projected third overall selection.
The Dallas Stars had an immense need for strong left-handed blueliners. Heiskanen’s handedness is not is only valuable asset, but it’s what made him the ideal choice over comparable defenseman Cale Makar, who was selected by the Colorado Avalanche at fourth overall. Miro was exceptional in all international competitions for Team Finland, and tallied 10 points (five goals, five points) for HIFK Helsinki this season.
Heiskanen earned top-pair minutes over the course of the SM-Liiga postseason and was averaging over 20 minutes a night with HIFK in a number of varying roles. Miro racked up penalty kill, power play, and loads of five-on-five time at just 17 years old in one of Europe’s top leagues.
The selection itself was no surprise, but what comes after could be. Heiskanen, 17, will likely play another season in Finland’s SM-Liiga (the top-tier Finnish league) before jumping aboard the Dallas Stars system, whether it’s in Cedar Park (American Hockey League) or Dallas (National Hockey League).
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Heiskanen will succeed mightily alongside righties like Julius Honka or John Klingberg after his final season in SM-Liiga. Since Esa Lindell is essentially the only Dallas Stars left-handed defenseman in the future blueprints, Heiskanen and his specific role was a necessity.
Heiskanen is an extremely smooth skater with a quick acceleration and powerful first step. He will waste no time getting up to speed for the Dallas Stars, and with his offensive instincts being as good as anyone in the Draft field, Heiskanen will keep his head up and make the smartest possible play with the puck on his stick.
Heiskanen’s most-direct comparison to a pre-established NHL defenseman is Anaheim Ducks defenseman Cam Fowler, on whom the Dallas Stars passed in 2010’s Draft. Heiskanen is a bonafide elite offensive defenseman with skating abilities that allow him to play effectively and calmly in all three zones; his elite senses put himself in situations where he’s rarely beat.
His defensive game is reminiscent of Marc-Edouard Vlasic from the San Jose Sharks. Heiskanen doesn’t often get beat one-on-one, he always makes the right play, and when his agility and coordination gets acclimated to the NHL game, his potential will be endless.
He has unreal acceleration on either side of the puck, and can use his ability to break the puck out of his zone. Heiskanen, at 6’0″ and 174 lbs, would be a flawless power play catalyst and a three-zone triggerman for an NHL team.
Miro Heiskanen jumped the HIFK Helsinki squad to a dominant 52.9% Corsi For Percentage when he was on the ice, as opposed to 49.3 CF% with Heiskanen on the bench. He’s noticeably calm and confident with the puck in all situations, which allows the his teammates to play looser hockey with more upside.
FUN FACTS ON MIRO HEISKANEN:
Miro Heiskanen was born on July 18, 1999, which means the Dallas Stars last won the Stanley Cup before the 2017 third overall pick was even born.
Heiskanen hails from Espoo, the second-largest city in the nation of Finland. Espoo is also where Dallas Stars legend Jere Lehtinen was born.
Heiskanen led Team Finland to the Under-18 World Championships silver medal with two goals and 10 assists in just seven games.
Heiskanen was the first of four Finnish defensemen taken in the first round of the NHL Draft (Juuso Valimaki, Urho Vaakananien, Henri Jokiharju).
Heiskanen is the first defenseman taken third overall in the NHL Draft since Florida nabbed Erik Gudbranson in 2010.
Heiskanen is not a particularly physical defenseman, but he reads the developing play well and therefore doesn’t get into trouble in the defensive zone too often. His transitional game, like we have reiterated to, is extremely smooth.
Heiskanen, to me, automatically becomes the top defensive prospect in the Dallas Stars system, and perhaps the entire National Hockey League. He passes Julius Honka, who is primed to become an NHL lock this season, and Gavin Bayreuther, who was signed out of college this last season. Nonetheless, with Heiskanen, Honka, and Bayreuther, and Lindell still young in the system, the Stars have one of the best young defensive cores in hockey.
Next: Dallas Stars Unveil 2017-18 Regular Season Schedule
Heiskanen oozes hockey skill and smarts. He will be a staple for the Dallas Stars within two years, easily. Fans, like us at Blackout Dallas, should be elated.