See where Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen landed

The NHL season will be here before you know it.

The Stars drop the puck on their 2025-26 season on Oct. 9, looking to take the next step after three straight seasons have come up short in the Western Conference finals.

To do that, they’ll need big players, and according to NHL Network’s hockey experts, they’ve got ‘em.

The network began its annual countdown of the top 50 players in hockey, starting with Nos. 30-21 on Sunday.

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Miro Heiskanen landed at No. 21. Just a couple spots below his ranking at No. 19 in 2024.

Despite missing part of the campaign with a knee injury, Heiskanen elevated Dallas when he returned in the postseason. Heiskanen appeared in 50 games during the regular season, posting 25 points (five goals, 20 assists).

“[Heiskanen] has helped Dallas advance to the conference final each of the past three seasons and had 26 points (six goals, 20 assists) in 27 games in the 2020 playoffs, the sixth-most points by a defenseman in a single postseason,” NHL.com said.

Who was the first Dallas Star to appear on the list? That would be Jason Robertson at No. 49. Robertson comes in one spot above the NHL’s all-time leading goalscorer, Alex Ovechkin at No. 50.

Robertson is coming off another stellar season for the Stars in which he played all 82 games, the third straight season he’s had perfect attendance. He led the team in goals with 35 and was second in points with 80.

Despite the nice season, Robertson sees a drop on the top 50 list, having come in at No. 23 last year. As NHL Network’s crew attested, if 35 goals and 80 points is Robertson’s “down” year, he’s doing pretty good.

“I think he was the player we think he can be in the second half [of the season],” former NHL goaltender Cory Schneider said. “He might’ve fallen down this list a bit because of the way he started, but the way he finished is who I think he is as a player.”

Robertson scored 25 of his 35 goals in the second half of last season. His heater continued into the playoffs when, after missing the first round vs. the Avalanche due to a leg injury, he came back strong with six goals over the next two rounds against the Jets and the Oilers.

His strong season paid off, as in August, Robertson was one of the 44 players to attend the U.S. Men’s Olympic Orientation Camp.

“He’s good enough to be on [the Olympic team], I think he should be on that team, ”Schneider said. “If he starts the year the way he finished it, that’s the big question — but he’s got the talent for sure, on a really good team, and that always helps, too.”

This post will be updated as more Dallas Stars are announced to NHL’s top 50 players.

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