Here is where NHL Network ranks Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley among NHL's top defensemen

The Dallas Stars already boast one of the NHL's deepest forward groups, but now, NHL Network has made it clear their defense is just as formidable.

In its latest rankings of the league's top 20 defensemen, two Dallas stars, Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley, made the cut. It's yet another sign the team's core talent runs across all positions, following earlier recognition for Jason Robertson and Mikko Rantanen among the top 20 wingers.

According to NHL.com, Harley landed at No. 14, just ahead of Vegas' Shea Theodore, while Heiskanen took the No. 4 spot, behind only Zach Werenski, Quinn Hughes, and Cale Makar.

Miro Heiskanen and Thomas Harley form one of the NHL's best defensive duos

Harley's 2024-25 campaign cemented his place among the league's rising stars. He posted 50 points in 78 games, logged over 23 minutes per night, and registered 110 blocks, stepping up during Heiskanen's knee injury.

"Harley proved that his first season in the NHL was no fluke,"

Heiskanen, meanwhile, continues to anchor Dallas's blue line. Despite missing nearly half the season, he still averaged 25:10 in ice time and tallied 25 points in 50 games. As Puck Prose highlighted earlier this summer, his return in the playoffs was critical to Dallas's run to the Western Conference Final.

With both defensemen in their prime, Harley at 23, Heiskanen at 26,the Stars enter 2025-26 with a blue line that could be the backbone of a Stanley Cup push.

I believe if both stay healthy, Dallas has as good a chance as anyone to come out of the West.