Miro Heiskanen hasn’t even turned 18 years old yet, and already he’s under contract.
The Dallas Stars signed the third overall pick to an entry-level contract yesterday, taking another official step with the talented defenseman, who joins a pool of skilled blue liners that also includes Julius Honka and John Klingberg.
It’s a selection and move that bodes well for the future of the Stars’ blue line, especially with Klingberg signed for another five years. Dallas, however, is in the win-now part of its evolution and the many different roster moves they’ve made since missing the playoffs in 2016-17 signifies that.
Heiskanen’s impact on this team may not be felt in the immediate short-term, and there isn’t any sense in hurrying his development.
He’ll get a chance to earn a spot on the NHL roster, but his odds of making it this season are probably slim. With Dallas already carrying nine defensemen, the best thing for Heiskanen’s development would probably be returning to HIFK in the Finnish Elite League, where he played 37 games last season and tallied five goals and five assists as a 17-year-old.
“He’s a very good player,” general manager Jim Nill said. “He’s a very level-headed kid, he’s already played against men, really it’s just a maturing thing. In the end, his play will dictate where he ends up, but we’re not going to rush him.”
After finishing 24th in the overall standings, the Stars had a 5.8 per cent chance of winning the draft lottery. They moved up enough to secure the third overall pick, leading them to Heiskanen, who celebrates his 18th birthday on July 18.