Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen had knee surgery in New York on Tuesday.
Before the Stars’ game against Anaheim on Tuesday night, coach Pete DeBoer told reporters that Heiskanen’s status is now “month to month,” which means he might be able to return later in the regular season or during the playoffs.
Heiskanen was set to play for Finland in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, but he was ruled out late last week.
Heiskanen was injured during the third period of the Stars’ 4-3 overtime win against Vegas on January 28. Mark Stone hit Heiskanen after falling toward his left knee and thigh when he got tripped. Stone was not fined or suspended for the incident.
Stone, who was penalized for tripping, said he did not mean to hurt Heiskanen. DeBoer, who coached Stone in Vegas, said he did not think Stone was a dirty player but questioned why officials didn’t review the play for a potential five-minute major penalty. There was a brief scuffle between the teams while Heiskanen was on the ice.
DeBoer mentioned that Heiskanen had an MRI on January 29.
The 4 Nations tournament will take place from February 12-20 in Montreal and Boston. It’s the first international tournament with the NHL’s top players in nearly 10 years.
The Stars, who have made it to the Western Conference Final in each of the past two seasons, are on a five-game winning streak and have won seven of their last 10 games. They currently sit second in the Central Division, with Colorado and Minnesota trailing closely behind.
Heiskanen has been one of the top defensemen for the Stars since making his debut at 19 years old in 2018. Dallas drafted him third overall in 2017.
