The way Miro Heiskanen is playing deserves Norris Trophy discussion

Tyler Seguin didn't even wait for the media to ask a question.
He stepped up to the podium after a 3-2 overtime victory against the LA Kings Friday and picked up the stat sheet that was laying in front of him.

"Oh, Miro…Classic Miro…Standard," Seguin said with appreciation glowing from his smile for Miro Heiskanen. "29:07, one goal, two assists. Just Miro. Standard. Two hits. He's hitting guys, too. What else you want from him?"
It was a really neat moment to show just how much respect the 22-year-old defenseman receives from his teammates and peers. The third overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft, Heiskanen has always been tabbed as the next great superstar on this team. He was on the All-Rookie squad. He led them in playoff scoring while helping to lead a trip to the 2020 Stanley Cup Final. He signed an eight-year contract extension that averages $8.45 million a year during the summer.
The fact that Heiskanen is good is no surprise.
The fact he's this good, well, it's a nice confirmation of a great start in what's expected to be a breakthrough season.
"Miro was outstanding, he's just dominant out there," Stars head coach Rick Bowness said. "Miro had a great training camp and it's carried into the regular season. It really has. He's just dominant out there. He played 29 minutes and it's effortless. He's been amazing. Good for him. We need him like that."

That the Stars do. With John Klingberg sidelined by a lower-body injury he suffered in the season opener, there has been much weight on the shoulders of Heiskanen. Dallas has a solid group of defensive blueliners, but they don't have a ton of skilled puck-movers. So, with Klingberg out of the lineup, Heiskanen has been called on to help the Stars in all sorts of ways.
After five games, Heiskanen is second in the NHL in average time on ice at 27:14 and is tied for second in defenseman points at six (two goals, four assists). More importantly, his team is 3-2-0 while not playing great and missing Klingberg, Jason Robertson and Blake Comeau.
Asked what the biggest challenge the team faces without Klingberg, Bowness says it's matchups based. "It's easier for the opposition without John to get the right guys on the ice against Miro and contain him a little bit," Bowness said. "John gives us that other element where now you've got to worry about two guys coming up offensively."
That just underscores how impressive Heiskanen has been. Klingberg twisted his leg against the Rangers, and Heiskanen played 26:28, with a goal and an assist, including the overtime game-winner. In a 3-1 loss to Boston, Heiskanen didn't have a point but played 28:21. In a 3-2 loss at Ottawa, Heiskanen played 27:47 and had five shots on goal. Then, in a 3-2 shootout win at Pittsburgh, Heiskanen played 24:27 and had an assist. And he of course followed that with Friday's dominant performance.
Along the way, the Stars saw some great defensemen. Adam Fox won the Norris Trophy last season and had a great game for the Rangers. You could argue Heiskanen had a bigger impact on that game. He was as impactful as Boston's Charlie McAvoy, who just signed an eight-year deal that averages $9.5 million. He was as good as Ottawa's Thomas Chabot. He matched strides with Pittsburgh's Kris Letang, who has won three Stanley Cups.

Truth is, Heiskanen's $8.45 million looks like a pretty good deal in an era where contracts for defensemen are going through the roof. He currently ranks ninth among defensemen in pay scale, and he's expected to slide down the charts as new deals get signed.
That's beside the point, really, but it's interesting to see how Heiskanen has dealt with his new deal. He bought a Land Rover in Finland but has taken everything in stride.
"I wanted to be part of the Stars, and now I can be part for a long time, so of course it's a great feeling," Heiskanen said in training camp. "I didn't have to think about that too much anymore. It's nice to be here for a long time. Love the city, love the organization. It's great."
The fact that Heiskanen is unflappable is one of the things that Bowness likes so much.
"He's so poised with the puck right now," Bowness said. "He wants to be out there when the game is on the line, that's what the great ones want."
Heiskanen has been a big reason why the team has been better in overtime. He scored the game-winner against the Rangers and assisted on Denis Gurianov's OT winner Friday. The Stars believe he's already on the way to becoming one of the "great ones." Is he a candidate for the Norris Trophy this year? Could he be a playoff leader for the Stars again? It seems like he's putting all the elements together.
"He's taken the next step," Bowness said when asked about Heiskanen improving his offensive play. "It's not just that, it's just dominance on the ice. You're seeing goals and you're seeing points and that's great. But man, you watch him defend. Watch him, if he's up, he breaks up plays coming back. He's just been dominant."
So maybe Seguin brought up a pretty good point.
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This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.