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Miro Heiskanen

Snapshots: Gronborg, Heiskanen, Talbot

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One of the names that used to come up every summer in connection to vacant NHL coaching jobs is Rikard Gronborg, former long-time coach of the Swedish national team programs. Gronborg has plenty of experience on this side of the ocean, after playing college hockey at St. Cloud State, coaching in the AWHL, and serving as an assistant in the WHL. For the last few years, his candidacy hasn’t been brought up for a while because of his commitment as head coach of the ZSC Lions in Switzerland, one of the most successful and popular teams in Europe.

Today, news has broken that Gronborg won’t be back with the Lions and instead is likely taking a multi-year contract with Tappara Tampere in Finland. However, the report out of Switzerland also states that if the NHL were to come calling, Gronborg’s new contract with Tappara has an out clause to let him pursue a North American opportunity. With seven World Championship medals, six World Juniors medals, and an Olympic silver, Gronborg has one of the most impressive international coaching resumes of all time. Whether that ever translates into an opportunity in the NHL remains to be seen.

  • Miro Heiskanen is still listed as day-to-day for the Dallas Stars and isn’t expected to play tonight, he could be back on Saturday according to head coach Pete DeBoer, who spoke with reporters including Saad Yousuf of The Athletic. Without Heiskanen in the lineup against the Boston Bruins, Nils Lundkvist played a career-high 22:04. Lundkvist had never gone above 16:39 with the New York Rangers but has now matched or exceeded that in six of seven games with Dallas.
  • Cam Talbot might be back ahead of schedule, according to Ottawa Senators head coach D.J. Smith. As Claire Hanna of TSN reports, Talbot was on the ice facing shots today and is “certainly ahead of the timeline” that had been set for him. There’s still no clear date set for his return but they could still use him, with Anton Forsberg dealing with a minor injury of his own. On that front, Forsberg was back at practice as well and is expected to be the starter when the team takes on the Minnesota Wild tonight.

Miro Heiskanen Out Tonight; Listed As Day-To-Day

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The Dallas Stars will be without one of their best players as they take on the red-hot Boston Bruins tonight on the road. As announced by the team prior to puck drop, defenseman Miro Heiskanen is out for the game and is day-to-day with an upper-body injury. Heiskanen logged nearly 27 minutes in last night’s game against the Ottawa Senators, and it’s unclear when he suffered the injury.

Heiskanen has had a solid start to the season defensively, but he has just one point at even strength through six games (and none at five-on-five). He’s matched up back on his natural left side alongside Colin Miller, and together, the two-way play of the pairing’s been a big reason behind Dallas’ 4-1-1 start to the year. The third overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft finally has the spotlight to himself on the Dallas blueline with the departure of John Klingberg in free agency.

It appears the injury is short-term at this time, as the team has opted not to place him on injured reserve (at least not yet). In his place, Joel Hanley will draw in on the third pairing for his first appearance of the season, while Esa Lindell will move up alongside Miller.

Remaining Restricted Free Agents

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August 28: The list below has been updated to reflect the remaining restricted free agents as of August 28, 2022.

August 12: We’re now coming up on one month since the start of free agency, and two months until the start of the 2022-23 regular season. Teams have mostly completed their offseason business, though a handful still have big issues to solve at some point in the next few weeks.

The arbitration schedule has finished and many of the front offices are slowing down for the rest of the summer in preparation for a long upcoming campaign. That is, except for the teams that still have restricted free agents to sign.

According to CapFriendly, 29 players who received qualifying offers are still unsigned, though that list includes a few New York Islanders minor leaguers who very well could have already agreed to contracts. The Islanders do also have Noah Dobson, who is among the most important names on the list after his breakout 51-point campaign.

Dobson, 22, looks as though he will be a building block for the team through the next decade, and seems positioned for a long-term contract at some point in the near future.

Beyond New York, many eyes are on the Dallas Stars, where Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger remain unsigned. Other than Miro Heiskanen, there may not be any more important players on the Stars roster than the star forward and emerging goaltender. Both would command hefty cap hits on long-term deals, and given the $10MM in cap space remaining for Dallas, may end up with bridge contracts when things are all said and done.

There are other full-time NHLers among the group too. Alexander Romanov, Kirby Dach, Filip Zadina, Ryan McLeod, and Alex Formenton all played at least 70 games this season for their respective clubs, and are without deals to this point. The full list is below:

Arizona Coyotes

Barrett Hayton

Calgary Flames

Adam Ruzicka

Buffalo Sabres

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Dallas Stars

Jake Oettinger
Jason Robertson

Edmonton Oilers

Ryan McLeod

Los Angeles Kings

Michael Anderson
Sean Durzi

Montreal Canadiens

Kirby Dach
Cayden Primeau

New York Islanders

Parker Wotherspoon

Ottawa Senators

Erik Brannstrom
Alex Formenton

Philadelphia Flyers

Hayden Hodgson

San Jose Sharks

Jonah Gadjovich

Seattle Kraken

Cale Fleury

Toronto Maple Leafs

Rasmus Sandin

Vegas Golden Knights

Nicolas Hague

Of note, most of these players are eligible to sign an offer sheet, if they choose to. Only Romanov and Cates are what are called 10.2(c) players, which are not eligible to negotiate with any team other than their own.

There are also several players like Josef Korenar, who are technically still restricted free agents relative to the NHL but have signed overseas. These rights will be held by their team after issuing qualifying offers but there is no need to list them with the above group.

Any of these restricted free agents must sign a contract before December 1 to be eligible to play in the NHL this season. Though training camp provides a soft deadline, that is the actual threshold that negotiations need to be completed by, or else a player could miss an entire year.

Latest On John Klingberg

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The Dallas Stars are looking to be active this offseason after bringing Peter DeBoer in as their new head coach, and multiple reports suggest Dallas is full-steam ahead on trying to stay in contention with this core. However, it seems they’ll now be doing that without defenseman John Klingberg, who Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli reports is heading to the free-agent market without “an avenue forward at the moment to keep him in Dallas.”

With the Pittsburgh Penguins all but certainly reaching an agreement to retain Kris Letang, Klingberg is undoubtedly the highest-quality defenseman for bidders looking to add this offseason. There’s some solid depth in the form of players like Ben Chiarot, Josh Manson, Nick Leddy, and Nikita Zadorov, but none have the ability to score 45-plus points like Klingberg.

He did have a bit of a rough 2021-22 campaign, though, likely limiting any contract he signs from exceeding the $7-8MM mark annually. While he did have a respectable 47 points in 71 games, he had the worst defensive season of his career with a -28 rating and a 49.7% Corsi for at even strength. It was his first season under the 50% Corsi mark since 2016-17.

Dallas has Miro Heiskanen ready to assume his role at the top of the depth chart, and it seems they’ll be able to reallocate Klingberg’s previous $4.25MM cap hit to improve their depth at all positions. The Stars have a projected $18.5MM in cap room per CapFriendly, but new contracts are also in order for Jason Robertson and Jake Oettinger. Even without Klingberg back in the fold, they’ll likely only have about $5-7MM worth of space to spend in free agency.

Klingberg will have a fair amount of suitors come July 13.

World Championship Notes: Stutzle, Swayman, Heiskanen

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Concerning news from the World Championships for the Ottawa Senators and Team Germany, as young forward Tim Stutzle was injured Monday in a game against France (link). The forward took a hit in the corner from France defenseman Thomas Thiry, coming up limp and leaving the ice, favoring his left leg. Stutzle, who had two assists in two games before the injury, would not return to the game.

It’s not immediately clear how severe Stutzle’s injury was, but seeing the young star immediately leave the ice and not come back is of concern. The injury is an unfortunate break for Stutzle, who had the opportunity to represent his country once again after a breakout sophomore season in the NHL, where he recorded 22 goals and 36 assists in 79 games. The silver lining to this situation is that if Stutzle did sustain any injury of significance, he does have over four months to recover before the start of the 2022-23 season. As for Germany, they next play on Thursday against Denmark and will hope to have one of their best players in Stutzle back in the lineup.

  • After the conclusion of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, several more key NHL names are off to the World Championships, including Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen, writes The Athletic’s Saad Yousuf (link). Though many players have finished up their NHL seasons and have gone to their international teams just as Heiskanen has, his trip could be considered even more encouraging after his bout with mononucleosis earlier this season, which cost him 11 games. After returning, Heiskanen would record seven points in 18 games while averaging a considerable 25:14 time-on-ice for Dallas down the stretch, helping the team secure a playoff spot. In the seven-game series with Calgary, he would record another three points, averaging 25:35 time-on-ice. Considering his workload after battling mono, one might reasonably expect Heiskanen to be worn out, but his venture to the World Championships continues to show how well he has rebounded from the illness, an encouraging sign for Dallas not only in the short-term, but also when looking at future playoff runs.
  • Also headed to the World Championships is Jeremy Swayman, who will join Team USA (link). Swayman’s Boston Bruins were recently eliminated in seven games by the Carolina Hurricanes. The goaltender will join former Carolina netminder Alex Nedeljkovic to form a formidable goaltending duo for the United States in the tournament. As the Bruins look to answer some questions about their future plans with their season ending, Swayman has been a question-answered in net, recording a .914 save-percentage and 2.41 goals-against average over 41 regular season games in a breakout 2021-22.

Injury Notes: Crouse, Heiskanen, Labanc, Zucker

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It’s bad news for Lawson Crouse and the Arizona Coyotes, as Craig Morgan of PHNX Sports reports that the forward suffered a broken bone in his hand when blocking a shot last night. Crouse, 24, was having the best season of his career, setting career highs in goals (20) and points (34) through 65 games. The big winger is also a restricted free agent at the end of the year, meaning every goal he scores meant a bigger ask through the arbitration process, if not extended before then.

Morgan adds that Crouse is expected to undergo further evaluation this week, but could miss the rest of the season. Here are some more injury notes from around the league:

  • Miro Heiskanen will be back for the Dallas Stars tonight, head coach Rick Bowness told reporters including Saad Yousuf of The Athletic. He won’t carry his normal load, playing just 15-17 minutes with “situational” partners, as he returns from a bout with mononucleosis. The 22-year-old defenseman normally plays close to 25 minutes, but hasn’t suited up since March 2, and will be eased back into the lineup. It’s certainly good timing for the Stars, who have gone 5-5 in their last ten and risk losing their place in the Western Conference playoff chase if they can’t get back in the win column.
  • San Jose Sharks forward Kevin Labanc could be in the lineup as soon as this weekend, according to Corey Masisak of The Athletic, but the forward will consult with the doctor who performed his recent surgery before being completely cleared for action. Labanc went under the knife in December to repair a dislocated shoulder and has played just 21 games so far this season.
  • Jason Zucker has been cleared for contact and re-joined the Pittsburgh Penguins group in a regular sweater today. Head coach Mike Sullivan called it a “significant step in the process” for the veteran forward, who has played just one game since the middle of December and just 31 total this season. Notably, the Penguins were 13-2-1 in the last 16 games Zucker played before going down to injury and will certainly look like an even deeper forward group when he’s back at full-strength.

Snapshots: Heiskanen, Petry, McDonagh, Penguins

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The Stars could have defenseman Miro Heiskanen back as soon as Tuesday, relays Matthew DeFranks of the Dallas Morning News.  The 22-year-old is once again averaging nearly 25 minutes a night on the back end for Dallas while being a capable secondary contributor as well with 29 points in 52 games.  He has been out for more than three weeks due to a bout with mononucleosis and will be a welcome return to the Stars as they look to hold onto the final Wild Card spot in the Western Conference.

Elsewhere around the NHL:

  • The Canadiens announced that defenseman Jeff Petry is out indefinitely with a lower-body injury. The 34-year-old has had a tough season both in terms of his production (16 points in 57 games) and defensive play while the team wasn’t able to find a suitable trade for him at the deadline to honor his request to be moved.  William Lagesson will make his Montreal debut against Toronto tonight in Petry’s absence.
  • The Lightning will be without blueliner Ryan McDonagh indefinitely due to an upper-body injury, per a team announcement (Twitter link). The injury was sustained in the third period on Thursday against Boston when he blocked a shot.  Joe Smith of The Athletic adds that the injury shouldn’t cost McDonagh the rest of the season but that he’ll be out for a couple of weeks.  Tampa Bay has six other defensemen on the roster so they’re okay for now but if another blueliner goes down, it could be an issue as the team does not have any cap space to bring someone up from AHL Syracuse.
  • Penguins center Evgeni Malkin is set to be a game-time decision for tomorrow’s game against Detroit, notes Matt Vensel of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The veteran was a late scratch last night due to an illness, one that kept him away from practice today as well.  Meanwhile, after leaving last night’s game after just 4:19, goaltender Casey DeSmith was cleared to skate today and is expected to be available for tomorrow’s contest.

Miro Heiskanen Out Indefinitely With Mononucleosis

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The Dallas Stars will be without young defenseman Miro Heiskanen indefinitely after he was diagnosed with mononucleosis. Heiskanen has been placed on injured reserve retroactive to his last game played on March 2, meaning he will be able to be activated whenever he is ready to return.

Just 22, Heiskanen has taken over as arguably the most important player on the Stars roster, averaging nearly 25 minutes a night while playing in all situations. Without him, the Stars played last night with almost just four defenders, giving Joel Hanley and Thomas Harley fewer than ten minutes each. The top four of Ryan Suter (28:51), Jani Hakanpaa (25:32), John Klingberg (23:36), and Esa Lindell (22:56) all played huge minutes in a losing effort against the Nashville Predators in one of the most important games of the year.

It’s Klingberg’s status that is so interesting now that Heiskanen is out. The pending free agent defenseman had been expected to be traded before the deadline, but over the last three games his ice time has exploded with the team desperately needing his offensive ability. If Dallas remains in the playoff run, it’s hard to justify trading Klingberg away until they have a more definite timeline on Heiskanen’s return.

Dallas now sits fifth in the Central Division, one point behind the Predators but still holds the second wild card spot in the west. The Edmonton Oilers, Vancouver Canucks, and Anaheim Ducks are hot on their heels, and without Heiskanen in the lineup, it will be all the more difficult to stay in that spot.

Stars Notes: Seguin, Heiskanen, Holtby

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Dallas Stars’ forward Tyler Seguin was back on the ice for practice today in Minnesota, according to The Dallas Morning News’ Matthew DeFranks (link to Tweet). Not only has Seguin returned to practice, but afterwards Stars’ head coach Rick Bowness said that Seguin “should be fine” for Sunday’s game in Minnesota against the Wild, adds DeFranks.

Seguin missed last night’s game in Winnipeg due to a non-COVID illness. The forward has 17 goals and 13 assists in 53 games this season, but will need to be a key factor in the Stars’ push to the playoffs. The Stars currently sit in a Wild Card spot in the Western Conference, sitting on 65 points in 54 games, just a point ahead of the Edmonton Oilers and Sunday’s opponent, the Minnesota Wild.

  • The Stars may still be without another key piece, writes DeFranks, as Miro Heiskanen did not practice today and is currently questionable for the game against the Wild (link). Like Seguin, Heiskanen missed last night’s game in Winnipeg with a non-COVID illness.  This was only the second game Heiskanen has missed this season, after he missed a game in December with a non-COVID illness as well. The Stars have had to rely heavily on Heiskanen this year, as the young defenseman has posted 29 points in 52 games and leads the team in average time-on-ice at 24:46. With Dallas just holding onto a playoff spot, even one extra game without a player like Heiskanen could be a big loss.
  • Shifting gears on the Stars,, should the organization decide to sell any pieces at the deadline, ESPN’s Emily Kaplan believes that goaltender Braden Holtby is definitely in play (link). Holtby is having himself a solid bounce-back season after struggling greatly the last two seasons. Holtby’s .913 save percentage and 2.78 goals against average are the best he has had since the 2018-19 season with the Washington Capitals. While he is no longer the elite goalie he once was, Holtby may still carry some value to a team looking for a quality backup, or even someone to split time in net, especially given Holtby’s pedigree as a Stanley Cup winning goaltender. Holtby only carries a $2MM cap hit that expires after this season, so acquiring him should not be a strain for interested teams.

Hintz, Lindell Added To COVID Protocol

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The Dallas Stars have two more names for the COVID list, as both Roope Hintz and Esa Lindell have been placed in the protocol. They join Jani Hakanpaa, who went in before Christmas, and Radek Faksa, Miro Heiskanen, Joel Kiviranta, Michael Raffl, and Jason Robertson who all entered yesterday. Two of the team’s support staff are also in the protocol.

Dallas is expected to return to action on Wednesday against the Colorado Avalanche, but like everywhere else in the league right now, that game could obviously be postponed at any moment. The Stars obviously have an outbreak of their own and are now down eight players from their active roster. That includes a huge swathe of defensemen, certainly making it difficult to field a competitive group in the coming days.

The team is practicing today but according to Saad Yousuf of The Athletic, it is closed to the media. The team is also not holding any media availability for the time being as they try to get things under control.

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