Where do Stars’ Jason Robertson, Miro Heiskanen rank in top 100 player projections?

A Stanley Cup contender needs elite talent and the Dallas Stars have a quality combination of young players and veterans in their lineup.

Dallas had four players listed in ESPN’s top 100 NHL predictions, including several who had significant jumps from last season to now.

Here are the four players who were recognized.

There’s no reason to be surprised with Robertson here unless the expectation was for the left winger to crack the top 10. But that’s what the season is for. Robertson’s 2022-23 campaign was spent scoring goals and breaking records.

For that, Robertson jumped from 30th to 12th. He’s one of three players at 24 years old or younger in the top 12.

Robertson led the Stars in goals (46), assists (63) and points (109), and was the left wing on the NHL First All-Star Team. Robertson is the first player since the team moved to Texas in 1993 with consecutive 40-goal seasons.

Yeah, pretty good.

Heiskanen just scored a game-winning goal in the third period for the Stars Thursday night. A direct representation of how much Heiskanen has improved offensively in his time with the Stars.

Heiskanen was given +850 odds to win the Norris Trophy this season with only three players ahead of him.

Heiskanen had 73 points (11 goals, 62 assists) in 79 games. Last season, he became the fourth defenseman in NHL history with 30 playoff assists at age 23 or younger, joining Paul Coffey (50), Cale Makar (45) and Ray Bourque (32).

Many NHL clubs use a tandem of goalies but Oettinger has given the Stars a reliable netter who can play on a nightly basis. He also climbed from. No. 88 on last season’s list.

He posted a 2.37 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage in 2022-23, good for five shutouts and a 37-11-11 record in 62 games. The 24-year-old has two full seasons under his belt now and can further climb the ladder of top goalies in the NHL.

Hintz wasn’t even ranked on this same list last year. His 75 points in the regular season and 24 points in 19 playoff games certified Hintz as a top-40 player in the NHL. The 26-year-old gives the Stars another young, talented player to build a future with.

Hintz was possibly the Stars’ best all-around player last year, and that was before his massive breakout in the playoffs. Dallas followed Hintz to the Western Conference finals. The Stars would like to go a little further this time around. An improved Hintz, Heiskanen and Robertson would suggest that’s possible.

Not every Stars standout can be a youngster. Here’s Pavelski at No. 74. The 39-year-old is the second-oldest player in the NHL and gives Dallas a veteran presence.

His performance in the 2022-23 playoffs was a sign that he’s still got it.

Pavelski went 15 days between a concussion against the Minnesota Wild in the playoff opener and his return against the Seattle Kraken in Round 2. In his first game back, the 39-year-old became the oldest player in NHL history with four goals in a playoff game, albeit in a loss.

During the playoff run, Pavelski also passed Capitals great Alexander Ovechkin with 73 career postseason goals, the most among active NHL players.