Miro Heiskanen

The slick-skating young Finn made his NHL debut last season and could easily have garnered Calder Trophy consideration with his performance, playing in all 82 games and scoring 12 goals and 33 points. Heiskanen's minus-14 rating highlighted his growing pains, but considering he was taking a regular shift at 19 years old, some hiccups are to be expected. Once he matures, he should be a strong two-way asset for Dallas, using his wheels and passing skills to clear his own zone and his advanced offensive instincts to make an impact at the other end. With John Klingberg entrenched as the team's No. 1 defenseman, Heiskanen can develop at his own pace without having too much responsibility piled on his shoulders, but it may not be long before he and Klingberg form one of the most dynamic blue-line duos in the league.

The third overall pick in the 2017 draft, Heiskanen missed his chance to take part in training camp last year due to a concussion, but he'll cross the Atlantic this September and might never go back to Finland. Still only 19 years old, he's an effortless skater and excellent passer with a dangerous shot who plays with poise in his own end and a killer instinct in the attacking zone. While Heiskanen doesn't have ideal size, he isn't afraid to get physical, and his overall skill set marks him as a future top-four blueliner and two-way asset, if perhaps not quite a true No. 1 defenseman. The Stars have other young offensive defenseman to try and work into the lineup, which could provide Heiskanen with a bit of a speed bump, but if he looks ready in camp don't be surprised if he makes the jump straight to the NHL.

Saddled by the league's second-worst defense last season, the Stars selected Heiskanen third overall in the 2017 draft. He played in Liiga, Finland's top pro league last season and thrived at the tender age of 17. The defensive prospect could someday evolve into a Nick Leddy or Anton Stralman type, but he sustained a concussion late in the summer and is headed back to his native country for at least one more year.