Heiskanen makes progress, considered day-to-day

Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen took a positive step in his injury recovery, taking the ice before the team's optional morning skate Saturday.

While Heiskanen won't play Game 1 against the Colorado Avalanche on Saturday, head coach Pete DeBoer said the blue-liner is now considered day-to-day, according to TSN's Pierre LeBrun.

DeBoer said back in March it was a "realistic possibility" that Heiskanen would miss Round 1.

Heiskanen hasn't played since suffering a knee injury in January that eventually required surgery.

The 25-year-old recorded 25 points in 50 games before the injury, leading the team in average ice time (25:10). Heiskanen has finished top 12 in Norris Trophy voting in each of the past three years.

Getting Heiskanen back at some point in the series would be a huge boost to a Stars team that's also beginning the postseason without Jason Robertson, who was given a week-to-week timeline after suffering a lower-body injury in Dallas' regular-season finale.