This offseason, the Dallas Stars picked up some veteran talent. It’s a rarity to have so much leadership in one room, and that is important for the young players just starting their NHL careers.
Miro Heiskanen, Jason Dickinson, and Roope Hintz were on fire last season for the Dallas Stars. They’ve established themselves in the league and are making the Lone Star State hard to ignore. So now let’s check in with some of the younger guys and what they’re going to bring this season.
Miro the Hero: Avoiding Sophomore Slump
Miro Heiskanen had a breakout rookie campaign for the Stars. The 19-year-old impressed the NHL with his skill and was sent to his first All-Star game to represent the Stars. The trick will be: can he avoid the infamous sophomore slump?
He played in all 82 regular season games with 12 goals and 21 assists for 33 points. Heiskanen averaged an astounding 23:07 minutes per game while blocking 71 shots with 34 hits. In a season where the Stars were plagued with injury, Miro shined bright.
Heiskanen played in all 13 playoff games with two goals and two assists, stepping his time up to 25:31. He blocked 28 shots with five more hits. It was an amazing way to start his NHL career.
He is a determined player with a beautiful hockey IQ. He’s a natural defenseman that can defend and score. But he is chill as a cucumber, more of a “play-your-game-keep-your-head-down” kind of guy – there will be nothing to fret, Stars fans. He’ll come in, play his game, and keep the Stars booming this season.
Dickinson Returns
Jason Dickinson was big for the Stars this season and deep into the playoffs. In the regular season, Dickinson played in 67 games with six goals and 16 assists. In playoffs he played in 13 games with three goals and two assists while averaging 15:57 minutes on the ice a game.
Dickinson has resigned with the Stars for two more seasons. The contract is worth three million dollars so he’ll have an AAV of $1.5 million a season.
Dickinson is a great investment for the Stars. At just 23 years old, Dickinson has made an impression upon the league. Dickinson is a versatile forward with talent. On top of that, the guy is 6’2″, 200 lbs and recorded a whopping 106 hits on the ice during the regular season along with 17 in the playoff run. Dickinson is just hitting the beginning of this prime years and there are only good things to come from him.
Roope Hintz: Model By Day, Hockey Player By Night
Roope Hintz has been living it up this summer according to his Instagram, as he should following first season with the Dallas Stars. Hintz played in 56 games this regular season, collecting nine goals and 13 assists with 14:03 minutes on the ice per night. He continued to amaze in playoffs with five goals and three assists in 13 games.
Hintz has one more year on his entry-level contract, so this season coming up will be a test for a new one. He’ll begin as a RFA next season but for now the Stars have a great player in Hintz. Keeping a player like him should be a part of their long term plans. At only 22, Hintz is just getting started in the NHL and he’s got so much more to offer.
Although the Dallas Stars are on average older than most NHL teams, they’ve got key youngsters keeping the group tied together. The base has been built for something beautiful this season. These young players are going to help the team shine out within the league and that’s something to be excited about!
Featured Image: Frederick Breedon/Getty Images
