Stars Receive Major Reinforcement for Game 4, Sparking Concern Among Jets Fans

Heiskanen has been sidelined since Jan. 28 after undergoing knee surgery for an injury he suffered at the hands of Golden Knights captain Mark Stone. He was initially expected to return late in the regular season or early in the playoffs.

Although he was placed on day-to-day status when the playoffs began, he has not appeared in any of the first 10 Stars playoff games while skating with his team.

It will depend on how Heiskanen feels after practice, but he should play

DeBoer stated Heiskanen's return is contingent on how he feels, the diagnosis of the team's medical staff, and consultation with his New York surgeon. Heiskanen is closer to completing his rehab than ever.

A top-five defender in the NHL, Heiskanen was drafted No. 3 overall in 2017. Heiskanen had 25 points in 50 games this season, with another 16 points in 19 playoff games for Dallas in 2024.

Though the Stars' blueline has held up without him, Heiskanen's return will take pressure off of players such as Esa Lindell and Thomas Harley, who have been picking up his minutes.

Though DeBoer conceded Heiskanen's return will be a huge lift, he warned against anticipating a breakout performance after so long a layoff.

'We're not going to put him out on the ice for 30 minutes his first game back in three months,' DeBoer said Monday. 'We'll have to be smart about that.'

Game 4 gets underway tonight in Dallas at 7 PM CT, with the Stars looking to take a 3-1 stranglehold on the series.