Prospect Report: Heiskanen hits ice at Olympics this week

Stars defense prospect Miro Heiskanen will hit the international stage this week when he suits up for Finland's national hockey team at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
"It's good experience for him," said Stars general manager Jim Nill. "He's 18 years old, you're playing in the Olympics, you are playing against men, and it's high pressure. It's a big part of his development. He's a big part of their team; he's kind of their go-to defenseman. That's a big compliment to him, and it's great experience for his resume."

Heiskanen, the Stars' first-round pick (third overall) in the 2017 NHL Draft, has had a strong season in Finland's top league, registering 19 points (11 goals, 8 assists) in 25 games. Despite missing about half the season due to a couple of injuries plus international play including the World Juniors and now the Olympics, Heiskanen is still tied for third among league defensemen in goal scoring and 21st in points.
"He's had a really good year," Nill said. "Unfortunately he missed training camp (due to a concussion), but once he got healthy, he was one of the best defensemen there. He played for the national team at the Karjala Cup, World Juniors, and now the Olympics. It's a pretty impressive year for an 18-year-old."
Heiskanen tallied a goal in a pre-Olympic game on Sunday, skating in from the point, slipping by a defender and then scoring from the left circle in Finland's 2-0 win over Czech Republic.
Finland's first preliminary round game at the Olympics is Wednesday vs. Germany. The Finns are in Group C at the tournament with Sweden, Norway, and Germany. The Olympic tournament, which involves 12 teams, runs through Feb. 25.
Heiskanen Stats: HIFK (Liiga) | 25 GP | 11 G | 8 A | 19 PTS | +13 | 6 PIM
Here's a look at how other Dallas prospects playing in Europe, college and juniors fared over the past week.

NCAA

G Jake Oettinger(1st round/2017) stopped 47 of 49 shots in Boston University's 3-2 double-overtime win over Harvard in the Beanpot semifinal at TD Garden last week. BU plays Northeastern in the Beanpot final this week. Oettinger also stopped 20 shots in a 3-3 tie with UMass over the weekend. Oettinger is 7-0-2 in his last nine starts with a 1.89 goals against average and .927 save percentage. For the season, he is 14-10-3 with a 2.56 goals against average and .910 save percentage.
Oettinger Stats: Boston University (Hockey East) | 14-10-3 | 2.56 | .910
G Colton Point (5th round/2016) did not play for Colgate this weekend due to an injury. Point is 12-9-4 and ranks third in the nation in goals against average (1.74) and second in save percentage (.946).
Point Stats: Colgate (ECAC) | 12-9-4 | 1.74 | .946
C/LW Rhett Gardner (4th round/2016) returned to action after missing five games with a lower-body injury and tallied one assist in two games as No. 8 North Dakota split a weekend series with Colorado College. Gardner, who won 39 of 54 faceoffs in the two games, has won 332 of 569 faceoffs this season (58.4 percent). Gardner has 16 points (5 goals, 11 assists) in 25 games.
Gardner Stats: North Dakota (NCHC) | 25 GP | 5 G | 11 A | 16 PTS | +7 |32 PIM
D Joe Cecconi(5th round/2015) picked up one assist as Michigan went 1-0-1 against Michigan State over the weekend. Cecconi has 16 points (4 goals, 12 assists) in 30 games.
Cecconi Stats: Michigan (Big Ten) | 2 GP | 0 G | 1 A | 1 PT | -3 | 0 PIM
D Michael Prapavessis (4th round/2014) had no points in one game for RPI over the weekend. Prapavessis has 15 assists in 30 games.
Prapavessis Stats: RPI (ECAC) | 30 GP | 0 G | 15 A | 15 PTS | -10 | 8 PIM
LW Riley Tufte (1st round/2016) and Minnesota Duluth did not play this weekend. Tufte has 21 points (13 goals, 8 assists) in 28 games and leads the Bulldogs in goal scoring.
Tufte Stats: Minnesota Duluth (NCHC) | 28 GP | 13 G | 8 A | 21 PTS | +7 | 22 PIM

North American Juniors

LW Jason Robertson (2nd round/2017) scored one goal in four games for Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League over the past week, giving him 70 points (34 goals, 36 assists) in 54 games. Robertson is tied for fourth in the OHL in goal scoring and is tied for sixth in points.
Robertson Stats: Kingston (OHL) | 54 GP | 34 G | 36 A | 70 PTS | +15 | 30 PIM
RW Nick Caamano (5th round/2016) recorded one assist in three games for Hamilton in the OHL. Caamano has 48 points (23 goals, 25 assists) in 51 OHL games with both Flint and Hamilton this season.
Caamano Stats: Hamilton/Flint (OHL) | 51 GP | 23 G | 25 A | 48 PTS | +6 | 80 PIM
C Liam Hawel(4th round/2017) picked up one goal and one assist in three games for Guelph in the OHL last week. Hawel has 32 points (9 goals, 23 assists) in 47 games.
Hawel Stats: Guelph (OHL) | 47 GP | 9 G | 23 A | 32 PTS | -2 | 27 PIM
C Brett Davis (6th round/2017) tallied two assists in four games last week for Kootenay in the Western Hockey League over the past week. Davis has 42 points (20 goals, 22 assists) in 56 games.
Davis Stats: Kootenay | 56 GP | 20 G | 22 A | 42 PTS | -14 | 19 PIM
D Ondrej Vala (Free agent/2016) recorded two assists in three games for Everett in the WHL this past week. Vala has 25 points (7 goals, 18 assists) in 46 games with both Kamloops and Everett in the WHL this season.
Vala Stats: Kamloops/Everett (WHL) | 46 GP | 7 G | 18 A | 25 PTS | +16 | 34 PIM

Europe

LW/C Fredrik Karlstrom (3rd round/2016) scored one goal in two games for Linkoping in the Swedish Hockey League, giving him 5 points (2 goals, 3 assists) in 35 games.
Karlstrom Stats: Linkoping (SHL) | 35 GP | 2 G | 3 A | 5 PTS | -2 | 6 PIM
Linkoping (Sweden, Jr.) | 4 GP | 2 G | 0 A | 2 PTS | -3 | 4 PIM
C Jacob Peterson(5th round/2017) played two games for Frolunda in the SHL last week, registering no points. Peterson has no points in nine SHL games this season. He has 34 points (13 goals, 21 assists) in 31 games in Swedish juniors.
Peterson Stats: Frolunda (Sweden, Jr.) | 31 GP | 13 G | 21 A | 34 PTS | +3 | 24 PIM
Frolunda (SHL) | 9 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 PTS | -1 | 0 PIM
Bjorkloven (Allsvenskan) | 4 GP | 1 G | 0 A | 1 PT | +1 | 2 PIM
D John Nyberg(6th round/2014) did not record any points in two games for Frolunda in the SHL. Nyberg has 12 points (2 goals, 10 assists) in 45 games and is averaging 18:41 of ice time per game.
Nyberg Stats: Frolunda (SHL) | 45 GP | 2 G | 10 A | 12 PTS | -2 | 40 PIM
D Jakob Stenqvist (6th round/2016) returned to action after missing time due to illness and had no points in two games with Bjorkloven in Sweden's second league. Stenqvist has 19 points (4 goals, 15 assists) in 38 games.
Stenqvist Stats: Bjorkloven (Allsvenskan) | 38 GP | 4 G | 15 A | 19 PTS | E | 12 PIM
Frolunda (SHL) | 2 GP | 0 G | 0 A | 0 PTS | E | 2 PIM
G Markus Ruusu(6th round/2015) played one game in Finland's second league last week, suiting up for LeKi and stopping 24 of 29 shots in a 7-4 loss to SaPKo. Ruusu is 6-1-3 in the second lead with a 2.98 goals against average and .892 save percentage.
Ruusu Stats: TUTO/LeKi (Mestis) | 6-1-3 | 2.98 | .892
Ilves (Liiga) | 5-6-0 | 3.75 | .851
Ilves (Finland, Jr.) | 0-2-0 | 2.57 | .924
D Miro Karjalainen(5th round/2014) had no points in three games for HPK in Finland's top league. Karjalainen has 4 points (1 goal, 3 assists) in 28 games.
Karjalainen Stats: HPK (Liiga) | 28 GP | 1 G | 3 A | 4 PTS | -5 | 135 PIM
LW Valeri Nichushkin(1st round/2013) did not play last week since the KHL is on a break. Nichushkin has 24 points (14 goals, 10 assists) in 48 games.
Nichushkin Stats: CSKA (KHL) | 48 GP | 14 G | 10 A | 24 PTS | +9 | 14 PIM
This story was not subject to approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club. Mark Stepneski is an independent writer whose posts on DallasStars.com reflect his own opinions and do not represent official statements from the Dallas Stars. You can follow Mark on Twitter @StarsInsideEdge.