With the possible exceptions of Mathieu Darche and Emil Heineman, even the most optimistic believer in the latter’s potential did not expect this sort of output when Heineman was put into the trade that sent Noah Dobson to Montreal on draft night.
The 24-year-old Heineman was coming off a strong rookie year in which he’d established himself as an effective fourth-line wrecking ball who could give opposing teams problems. He’d scored 10 goals in 62 games, averaged 11:24 of ice time and given himself plenty to build on.
“We see potential,” Darche said on draft night, in the sort of quote that looks very good for a rookie general manager to have pinned to his first-ever trade. “He’s a strong kid that skates great, he’s got a rocket of a shot. If you look at his goals, it’s a high-velocity shot that can score. We see a lot of potential in this player.”
From the outside, the idea was that Heineman, whom Darche had pushed for in a deal that also brought back two first-round picks, would turn into an effective bottom-six player for the Islanders, the sort of guy who could compete hard and help give the team an identity.
Thirty-four games in and that has been wildly, hilariously wrong. Heineman has been in the top six for all 34 games and, though all of the above about his ability to play physically and cause problems for the opponent is true, he’s also scoring at a 26-goal pace. In barely over half the games, he’s passed his goals total from all of last season, scoring No. 11 in Tuesday night’s 3-2 loss to the Red Wings.
In other words, the combination of Heineman’s own play and circumstances has conspired to make the Swede a vital piece for the Islanders.
“Try to contribute in any way,” Heineman said in Detroit on Tuesday night. “Try to use my shot, my skating, use my 200-foot game pretty much. Trying to build. It’s obviously a nice feeling. But today we wanted that win.”
Heineman’s goal on Tuesday broke an eight-game stretch without a point, and the Islanders couldn’t afford for it to go on much longer. Without Kyle Palmieri, and now Bo Horvat, Heineman’s contributions are no longer an unexpected luxury but a necessity.
The Heineman-Horvat combination, a staple since training camp, is no longer a factor either, at least as long as Horvat is out with a lower-body injury. Heineman moved to Mat Barzal’s wing following Horvat’s injury.
That has been a traditionally tough assignment given Barzal’s unique tendencies.
The early returns, though, have been positive.
Not only did Barzal feed Heineman’s goal on Tuesday with a nifty backhand feed, but on a night where the Islanders struggled to generate much, their line was the only one that consistently created offensive zone time and chances.
Heineman has even gotten himself into consideration for Team Sweden at the Olympics.
Tre Kronor assistant general manager Josef Boumedienne has been at UBS Arena for a handful of games, and Heineman figures to be right on the bubble for a nation that expects to be in medal contention in February in Milan.
That would be yet another measure of vindication for a player who was something of an afterthought in a deal that included a big-name defenseman in Dobson plus two first-round picks that quickly became high-end prospects in Viktor Eklund and Kashawn Aitcheson.
Although, at this point, more vindication might not be needed.
