Fans are going crazy about this key stat by Thomas Harley
Photo credit: D magazine
After Miro Heiskanen's injury and a surprise Team Canada call-up, Thomas Harley took over for the Dallas Stars and now looks like a future Olympic blueliner
For years, Thomas Harley was seen as the defenseman behind Miro Heiskanen.
Now, after a breakout year in 2024-25, that label no longer fits.
The 23-year-old from Syracuse, New York, just put together the best season of his young NHL career.
He scored 50 points in 78 games, including 16 goals, and averaged over 23 minutes a night for the Dallas Stars.
But it wasn't just the numbers.
What truly shifted Harley's status in the league was what he did when the Stars needed him most.
When Heiskanen went down in January, Harley stepped into the top role.
He didn't flinch.
Over the next 30 games, he averaged nearly 25 minutes per night and added 27 points.
Only five defensemen in the NHL scored more during that stretch.
Then came February's 4 Nations Face-Off.
Harley wasn't even expected to make the roster, but after a late injury, he was called up by Team Canada.
He didn't just show up.
He helped Canada win the gold.
«That tournament gave me a ton of confidence,» Harley said after the final.
«To wear that jersey and play at that level, I just felt like I belonged.»
Harley's playoff performance and power play impact give the Dallas Stars another elite weapon on defense
Back with Dallas, he picked up right where he left off.
In the playoffs, Harley posted 14 points in 18 games, tripling his total from the previous year.
He led the team against Colorado, then continued to log big minutes in Round 2 as Heiskanen recovered.
Looking back, his year with the Texas Stars in 2022-23 now feels like a turning point.
That season under head coach Neil Graham gave him the time and space to evolve into the player Dallas now relies on.
I really believe Harley is entering this season not as a future star, but as a present one.
| POLL | ||
AOUT 8 | 31 ANSWERS Fans are going crazy about this key stat by Thomas Harley Do you think Thomas Harley will become a top-pairing defenseman for Team Canada at the Olympics? | ||
| Yes | 24 | 77.4 % |
| No | 7 | 22.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
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