On a fall Thursday morning in Boise, Idaho, in the unblemished shine of a new season, the shadow of past failings and the promise of a new savior, Miro Heiskanen arrived. He was the teenager from Finland too prized to part with in trade negotiations, whose adolescence radiated through his boyish face and soft-spoken voice. Heiskanen was the 19-year-old present the Stars were waiting to unwrap, to see if his skills could translate to the NHL and if he could become the next great Dallas defenseman.
He unfurled his skillset quickly and easily during training camp in Boise: the poise, the hockey sense and, of course, the skating.