Esa Lindell and Miro Heiskanen cement Dallas’ reputation as a defensive powerhouse, outshining league rivals with a dominant showing in The Hockey News’ prestigious shutdown defender rankings.
The Dallas Stars had two representatives among the NHL's top five defensive defensemen in The Hockey News' 2025-26 awards, with Esa Lindell finishing third and Miro Heiskanen taking fourth in voting for the Rod Langway Award.
The honour, given annually by a panel of THN staff and contributors to the league's best defensive defenseman, went to Detroit's Moritz Seider this season. But Dallas' showing, with two players cracking the top five, underscored just how much defensive depth the Stars carried on their back end throughout the year.
Lindell has long been regarded as one of the league's steadiest, most reliable defensive defensemen, a reputation that shows up more in results than in box scores. His inclusion in the top three reflects the trust Dallas has placed in him against top competition for years running, even as flashier names around the league draw more attention.
Make Sure You Bookmark THN's Dallas Stars Site For The Latest News, Exclusive Interviews, Breakdowns, And So Much More.
Heiskanen's fourth-place finish speaks to a different kind of value as he's long been known as one of the most well-rounded defensemen in the sport, capable of driving offense while still handling the toughest defensive assignments.
His presence on this list is a reminder that his two-way game remains among the best at his position, even in a category built around shutdown ability rather than production.
Together, Lindell and Heiskanen gave Dallas more top-five finishers in the category than any other team, edging out clubs like Carolina and Minnesota, which each had a single representative in Jaccob Slavin and Jonas Brodin, respectively.
While neither Lindell nor Heiskanen unseated Seider for the top honour, their showing adds further weight to the idea that Dallas' defense corps, often discussed in terms of its offensive contributions, is just as capable of shutting opponents down. The full awards package can be found in the June 2026 issue of The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
