'He Needs to Take Some Steps': Heiskanen Misses Practice, Dallas Down to Five Healthy D Before Benn's Next Shot at 1,000

By Nolan Frost, RF Sports Radio Stars voice

Stars Nation, the good news is the Stars finally got real practice time. The bad news is the guy everybody wanted to see on the ice in Frisco on Tuesday was not there. Miro Heiskanen sat out again, and with Winnipeg coming Thursday, Dallas is a little thin on the blue line.

The facts

Per Stars Thoughts, Heiskanen did not practice Tuesday, a week after his upper-body injury in Washington on Nov. 3. "He needs to take some steps if he's going to [play]," Glen Gulutzan said. "The encouraging part is, every day, you feel a little bit better. He's dealt with this before over his career, and said once it starts to go, it goes quickly." It did not sound like he had been ruled out for Thursday.

With Trey Taylor loaned to the AHL's Texas Stars on Monday and Kyle Capobianco on injured reserve with a leg injury, Dallas has five healthy defensemen, per Stars Thoughts and Dallas Sports Journal. Forward Colin Blackwell filled in on a pair with Tyler Myers at practice. Stars Thoughts reports Taylor can be recalled for Thursday as long as he plays at least one AHL game first, and Texas plays Tuesday and Wednesday.

Jamie Benn is still at 999 points, all with Dallas, per DSJ. Mike Modano is the only player in franchise history with 1,000, finishing with 1,359. Benn has three goals and four assists in 17 games and is skating with Mikko Rantanen and Wyatt Johnston, and the lines at practice stayed the same as Saturday. Against Winnipeg, Benn had 19 goals and 26 assists in 52 career games before the Oct. 22 meeting, per the Stars via DSJ.

Dallas (10-5-2) hosts the Jets (8-8-3) on Thursday at 7 p.m. CT, military and veterans appreciation night. Winnipeg is coming off a 4-2 win over New Jersey in which Dawson Mercer scored twice, per AP. The Stars' power play ranks eighth at 27.5 percent and the penalty kill is first at 89.7 percent, per DSJ.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: do not rush him. I have said it all week. If 'once it goes, it goes quickly' is true, then a few more days costs you one game against a .500 team. Getting it wrong costs you a month.

The five-defensemen thing is the real story. Calling Taylor back for one night is the smart play. Asking a forward to play defense in a real game is not.

As for Benn, it is going to happen on a power play. Harley has been running the top unit, and that is where the captain gets his chances.

Prediction: Stars 3, Jets 2. Benn gets No. 1,000 on a power-play assist, and Heiskanen sits one more game.

What to watch next

Watch Wednesday's practice for Heiskanen, any Taylor recall Thursday morning, and the lineup at warmups. Buffalo visits Saturday and Florida Sunday. For our look at the Taylor move, read our Nov. 10 Taylor move column, and follow every game on our Dallas Stars page.

Radio question: should Dallas sit Heiskanen Thursday even if he says he is ready?

Sources: Stars Thoughts - Tuesday roundup: Heiskanen still a few steps away; Dallas Sports Journal via Yardbarker - Stars' blue line thins out before Jets visit; Dallas Sports Journal - Stars vs. Jets: Benn eyes 1,000th point; AP News - Jets play the Stars after Mercer's 2-goal performance.