FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Stars started these NHL playoffs missing key players Miro Heiskanen, a prominent defenceman, and top goal scorer Jason Robertson, yet they still reached their third straight Western Conference final.
Both players rejoined the team in the second round. Heiskanen returned midway through the six-game series against Winnipeg, having been sidelined for three and a half months due to a left knee injury. Now, coach Pete DeBoer is preparing for a Western Conference final rematch against Edmonton with a lineup depth he hasn`t experienced in quite some time.
“This is the first time since January that we`ve had anything resembling our full lineup,” DeBoer stated on Monday. “You never want to enter a battle with one arm tied behind your back. Essentially, that`s what we had in the first two rounds, and credit to our team, they managed to battle through those series. But it`s certainly better not to be in that kind of position.”
Dallas will host the opening game of the Western Conference final on Wednesday night, a week after the Oilers concluded their second-round series against Vegas with a 1-0 overtime victory in Game 5.
The Stars players had their second straight day off on Monday. They would have been playing a Game 7 in Winnipeg had they not defeated the Jets with a 2-1 overtime win on Saturday night.
“We just faced two of the league`s top teams, so we feel comfortable, and I believe we`re getting healthier and the returning players are getting back into form,” DeBoer commented.
Robertson, like Heiskanen a 25-year-old drafted by the Stars in 2017, sustained a lower-body injury in the final regular-season game and sat out the first-round series versus Colorado. Despite achieving 80 points (35 goals) in 82 games for the third consecutive regular season, he recorded only one assist, eight shots on goal, and 19 total shot attempts in his six games facing the Jets.
“He`s no longer a young, inexperienced player. He isn`t seeking excuses or creating them,” DeBoer remarked. “He`s looking internally, searching for ways to improve. He`s been very receptive to coaching. Therefore, I observe a significant level of maturity in him.”
Heiskanen required surgery after suffering an injury from a hard hit by Vegas captain Mark Stone on January 28th. The Stars defenseman missed the final 32 regular-season games and the first 10 playoff games before rejoining the team for Game 4 against Winnipeg, where he registered an assist in the 3-1 victory.
“Look, he took the appropriate time needed for recovery. He wasn`t hurried back, nor did he hurry himself back,” DeBoer stated. “It took him a couple of games to regain his timing, but I`m not surprised to see him performing at this level already.”
In his return game, Heiskanen played close to 15 minutes across 19 shifts. This increased to 18 and a half minutes and 22 shifts in Game 5, and then over 23 and a half minutes across 29 shifts in the deciding game of the series.
Heiskanen commented that he felt “quite normal” following the series against the Jets and was growing more comfortable with each period and each game played.
Since Heiskanen`s return, Dallas has opted for a lineup of 11 forwards and seven defencemen, but they may soon revert to dressing 12 forwards.
Regardless, DeBoer described Heiskanen`s presence back on the defence as “game-changing” for the Stars.
“Suddenly you can better position players, they play fewer minutes but are more effective, and they are utilized in more favorable matchup situations,” DeBoer explained. “Bringing a player like that back into the lineup puts everyone else back into their proper roles.”
This positively impacts players like Thomas Harley, who scored the series-winning overtime goal against the Jets. Harley saw increased ice time while Heiskanen was absent, averaging from 22 and a half minutes to nearly 25 minutes per game over roughly the same number of shifts.
“We relied heavily on him [Harley], so I believe he understands,” DeBoer commented. “He`s a more effective player with slightly less ice time, and naturally, he also recognizes how crucial Miro`s return is for our success.”
