Everyone is eager to hear how long key Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen could be out.

Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen is officially week-to-week after his collision with Mark Stone Tuesday night against the Vegas Golden Knights.

The most important blue-liner for Dallas had testing done Wednesday that included an MRI, and will now visit a specialist to understand further about his injury.

While the diagnosis is still a bit shrouded in mystery, Heiskanen is only listed as doubtful for the Four Nations Face-Off, and appears to be on track to make a return this season. Some feared the worst with an injury near the knee that crippled the Finn to the ice in visible pain Tuesday, but while it isn't a guarantee, any fear of a major long-term injury doesn't seem to be coming to light.

Last season, Heiskanen missed a stretch in the middle of the season that ended up turning into an opportunity for Thomas Harley to emerge as a stud on the back end. Harley's minutes skyrocketed and he became the clear number one in the absence of Heiskanen.

Harley is having another stellar season, and the expectation will most certainly be to fill those shoes once again. Also with the recent call-up of Lian Bichsel, the rookie will have a chance to fill a larger role leading up to the playoffs. If all goes well, it could be a similar springboard to Harley's emergence last season, which would greatly help Dallas through the postseason whether Heiskanen is back or not.

It also came out Thursday that Nils Lundkvist is dealing with an injury that will keep him out of the lineup, prompting Kyle Capobianco to get called up from Texas. Lundkvist has taken a seat over the past several games after Bichsel was called up, but it isn't clear whether the current injury is what has kept him out rather than being a healthy scratch.

Capobianco has NHL experience with Arizona and Winnipeg, playing a career high 45 games for the Coyotes in 2021-22. His call-up likely means the coaching staff has liked what they have seen from Brendan Smith at forward on the fourth line. Smith has posted scoring chances in each of his starts up front, and the defenseman appears to be a better fit than expected. Smith might start at defenseman while Lundkvist is not an option, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see him at forward when possible.

That leaves Matt Dumba, who has fallen in and out of favor with the coaching staff, to cement his position in the lineup during the most important stretch of the regular season leading up to the trade deadline and playoffs. 

A lot of what Dallas does at the deadline now rides on how the current defense plays without Heiskanen, and how long Heiskanen is out due to injury. As for now, the team is in second place in the competitive Central Division and needs to keep finding ways to win and maintain their positioning.

Make sure you bookmark THN's Dallas Stars site for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

Stars Fans Rage As Dallas Defender Leaves Game With Injury

Sharks Forward Could Be On The Stars' Radar At The NHL Deadline

DeSmith Blanks St. Louis In 33-Save Effort

Robertson's Two-Goal Performance Propels Stars Over Golden Knights 4-3

• undefined