ANAHEIM, California — Miro Heiskanen, the defenseman for the Dallas Stars, underwent knee surgery in New York on Tuesday.

Before Tuesday evening’s game against the Anaheim Ducks, Stars coach Pete DeBoer updated reporters on Heiskanen’s condition, indicating it would be evaluated on a “month-to-month” basis. This leaves open the possibility for Heiskanen’s return either late in the regular season or during the playoff series.

Initially, Heiskanen was set to represent Finland in the upcoming 4 Nations Face-Off tournament but was confirmed out of the event late last week.

The injury occurred during the third period of the Stars’ energizing 4-3 overtime win against the Vegas Golden Knights on January 28. Heiskanen collided with Mark Stone, whose fall inadvertently targeted Heiskanen’s left knee and thigh. At the time, Stone was tripped, received a tripping penalty, yet remains unpenalized by the league.

Stone stated that he had no intention of injuring Heiskanen, while DeBoer, who had previously coached Stone in Vegas, did not view Stone as a dirty player. However, he did raise concerns about why officials did not assess the situation for a potential five-minute major penalty. Following the incident, a brief altercation erupted as Heiskanen lay on the ice.

The day after the injury, Heiskanen underwent an MRI on January 29.

The 4 Nations Face-Off tournament is set to take place from February 12 to February 20 in Montreal and Boston, marking the first international contest featuring the NHL’s top players in nearly a decade.

Currently, the Stars are enjoying a five-game winning streak and have secured victories in seven of their last ten matches, positioning themselves second in the Central Division, closely trailing behind Colorado and Minnesota.

Heiskanen has been an essential player for the Stars since he debuted at the age of 19 in 2018. He was selected third overall in the 2017 NHL Draft.