Question: Curious on your thoughts about teams standing in the Stars' way. Which additions/losses for other teams stick out to you?

Heika: The Central really is a very tight collection of teams. Chicago is no longer the hands-down champion. St. Louis might be weaker. Nashville is improved, but still lost Mike Fisher and James Neal. Minnesota, Dallas and Winnipeg each are wild cards.

I think you could see some transition in the West this year. Edmonton and Calgary are improving. Nashville could be the team to beat now. Dallas could make a quick turnaround. I really look forward to this season. I think it's going to be a lot of fun.


Question: What's a reasonable NHL comparison for Miro Heiskanen?

Heika: It's so hard to do with 18-year-olds, but Heiskanen is the third overall pick, so he has drawn comparisons to players like Scott Niedermayer, Kris Letang and Cam Fowler. Some even say he sees the game the way that Nicklas Lidstrom did, but comparisons of that level are shot down pretty quickly.

The good thing about Heiskanen is that scouts say his defensive game is ahead of his offensive game, and that is very rare in young defensemen. He will be able to earn confidence quickly in the NHL, earn big minutes quickly, and then slowly expand his offensive game. He's a great skater with great vision, but he does not have a big shot. If he can learn to be good with tricky wristers on the power play, the points will come.

It should be fun to watch him develop, because he has exceptional tools and simply needs to find out the kind of NHL defenseman he can be.


Question: I recall you talking to Hitch about what his lines may look like and that even he didn't really know. What would your lineup with this roster look like?

Heika: The whole Hanzal-Spezza dilemma at center makes things difficult, but I will go with this:

Benn-Seguin-Radulov
Janmark-Hanzal-Spezza
Roussel-Faksa-Pitlick
McKenzie-Shore-Ritchie

Methot-Klingberg
Hamhuis-Honka
Lindell-Johns

Bishop
Lehtonen


Question: Any reason to think Dallas will ever host an outdoor game?

Heika: I actually think they have a nice setup in that AT&T Stadium can be a big part of the party, and that would make it uniquely Texas. The problem is you have to find the right window when you can use AT&T Stadium for a couple of weeks to get the set-up right. They could never play the New Year's Day game there, but maybe something in late January or February.

I think it will happen one day if the Stars can put a team on the ice that draws the attention of the NHL and shows television that this will be a good game to sell.

Dallas Morning News