‘Every Game Is An Audition’: Thomas Harley Carries Dallas Stars Blue Line With Miro Heiskanen Doubtful vs. San Jose Sharks

FRISCO, Texas — Stars coach Glen Gulutzan said Friday that Miro Heiskanen is doubtful for Saturday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, which would keep him out of the Dallas Stars lineup for a second straight game.

Heiskanen sustained an upper-body injury in Tuesday’s 6-5 win at Washington. He left after his first shift of the second period, when he was hit into the boards, and did not play in Thursday’s 2-1 shootout loss at Columbus.

Dallas does not play again after Saturday until Winnipeg visits on Thursday, and Gulutzan brought up that stretch of four open days when he talked through Heiskanen’s timeline on Friday.

“If he’s ready tomorrow, we would use him, but I think that’s doubtful. We’ll see,” Gulutzan said. “If he’s not ready for tomorrow, those four days are really going to help.”

On Wednesday, a day after the injury, Heiskanen did not take the ice for the Stars’ optional practice in Columbus.

“He’s going to be ‘day to day’ for a bit,” Gulutzan explained. “We’ll see how he responds today. It won’t be long, so that’s a good thing.”

Heiskanen has 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) in 15 games and averages 24:53 per game. He finished eighth in Norris Trophy voting last season.

Thomas Harley Takes On Season-High Minutes

Thomas Harley played a season-high 28:31 at Columbus. He put 6 shots on goal and finished plus-1.

Through 16 games, Harley has 1 goal, 7 assists, and 8 points while averaging 25:00 per game. Gulutzan liked his game Thursday and liked it before that, too.

“He was good,” Gulutzan said. “I think he has been good.”

The last time Heiskanen missed an extended stretch, Harley had the best season of his career. Heiskanen missed 32 games in 2024-25, and Harley posted 50 points (16 goals, 34 assists) in 78 games. He followed that with 14 points (4 goals, 10 assists) in 18 playoff games.

Harley, the No. 18 overall pick in 2019, is 25 and has played 283 NHL games plus another 130 in the AHL. He is averaging about a minute per game on the power play this season, usually after Heiskanen’s first unit comes off. Two seasons ago, Harley averaged 2:23 on the power play.

Harley welcomes the workload that comes with Heiskanen out.

“I enjoy playing 26 a night plus first power play,” Harley said. “Hopefully, I can do all the things.”

The Stars have scored on 8 of their 35 power plays this season, a 22.9% clip, with Heiskanen on the first unit. Gulutzan said Friday that none of Harley’s bigger role is being handed to him.

“Every game is an audition,” Gulutzan said. “You are always working for more.”

Esa Lindell, Tyler Myers, And Trey Taylor Fill In

Esa Lindell logged 26:05 at Columbus, about four minutes over his season average of 22:03, while Nils Lundkvist reached a season-high 21:06 and Lian Bichsel skated 18:06.

Lindell said Harley handled the bigger role well the last time it came to him, and the rest of the group has been through it before.

“I think we do a good job of filling in,” Lindell said. “I think we all understand and play well together, and we like it when we get to play more.”

Rookie Trey Taylor played 9:59 in his second NHL game. He is expected back in the lineup Saturday.

Columbus did not score until Zach Werenski beat Casey DeSmith with 3:14 left in regulation. Taylor was the defenseman Gulutzan singled out afterward.

“I thought our defense all played well,” Gulutzan said. “When you give up that few of chances and you’ve got a young guy in [Trey Taylor], he played well. We’re not happy with the result and not getting the extra point, but our game looked better.”

Tyler Myers skated 19:50, nearly four minutes above his 16:01 average, and he saw contributions up and down the group.

“I thought everybody stepped up,” Myers said.

Dallas blocked 19 shots Thursday, and Myers led the team with 5. He still came away wanting the extra point.

“We did a lot of good things,” Myers explained. “We still left a point out there, so there’s always room to get better.”

DeSmith, who made 29 saves on 30 shots in his first start since Oct. 27, pointed to the work being done in front of him as part of how this team wins.

“I’m just trying to do my best and the team’s been doing a good job defending for the most part,” DeSmith said. “And that’s just the way that we find ways to win games. That’s just the identity of this team and we’ve talked about that. There’s a lot of things we’ve been doing well on the defensive side of the puck that helps me out.”

Through 16 games, Dallas has allowed 36 goals. Before the trip’s second game, Gulutzan said each defenseman still has areas to grow in.

“I think that group is a great group, but I also think that group has room for growth,” Gulutzan said. “I truly believe that. I think each guy has areas that he can grow in. I think we can be more dynamic back there, I think they all have that ability.”

Dallas hosts San Jose at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday at American Airlines Center. The four-game homestand continues against Winnipeg on Thursday, Buffalo on Nov. 14, and Florida on Nov. 15.