Miro Heiskanen, the NHL star, embraced fatherhood at the age of 24. The past week has been quite eventful for Heiskanen, filled with numerous activities and travels. Last Sunday, he became a father when his partner, Julia Taka-aho, gave birth to their first child, a daughter. As a result, the 24-year-old Finnish defenseman of the Dallas Stars chose to stay home while his team went on an away tour.
Heiskanen states that he managed to play last Saturday’s home game, after which they went to the hospital for the birth. The process went smoothly and they were able to return home by Monday. Heiskanen was overjoyed by the experience, calling it a “really cool thing.”
He didn’t have much time to enjoy the life of a stay-at-home dad, as he soon joined his team in New York. He admits that shifting his focus back to the game was somewhat challenging initially. However, knowing that his partner and child were doing well made the transition easier.
Due to his new role as a father, Heiskanen missed the away game against Boston, which took place last Tuesday, Finnish time. However, he made a comeback to the Dallas lineup on Wednesday in an away game against the New York Rangers. The match marked Heiskanen’s 400th regular-season game in his NHL career. He celebrated the milestone by scoring Dallas’ only goal in a 1–3 defeat, which he dedicated to his newborn daughter.
Heiskanen has faced some challenges this season, including a lower body injury in January that sidelined him for three weeks and ten games. Since his return, he has collected 3+5 performances in ten matches. The Finnish defenseman is currently in his sixth season in the NHL.
Heiskanen has been a consistent performer in his career, scoring 239 (51+188) power points in 401 regular-season games, placing him 16th among all defensemen in the series. Despite some difficulties this season, Heiskanen remains positive about his performance and looks forward to spending more time at home with his family next month.
