Penguins forward Danton Heinen chases a new high score

Danton Heinen didn’t have much stability this past summer.

He was a restricted free agent, and the Anaheim Ducks opted not to extend a contract offer to the versatile forward, allowing him to walk away as an unrestricted free agent.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, with limited salary cap space, signed him July 29 to a tidy one-year deal worth $1.1 million.

Almost five months later, Heinen has yet to find a stable place in the Penguins’ lineup.

And he is largely responsible for that.

With the Penguins often deploying a pockmarked lineup because of injuries and illness, Heinen has been utilized on both wings and all four lines.

Despite being moved around more than a collection plate, Heinen has been one of the team’s steadiest scorers. In 27 games, he is second on the Penguins with eight goals while also adding seven assists.

“He’s kind of played up and down the lineup and with everybody, but his game never really seems to change,” said Penguins forward Jeff Carter, who serves as Heinen’s current center. “He’s got a lot of skill for a big buy. He competes hard on the puck. He’s strong on the walls. As a centerman … him being good on the walls and making those little underneath plays and chips when it’s there makes my life a lot easier. He’s been really good to play with.”

Heinen’s most recent goal was the opening score in a 4-2 road win against the Washington Capitals on Friday. On a give-and-go sequence with defenseman John Marino, Heinen found just enough open space in the slot to fire an easy forehand shot.

With 55 games remaining on the schedule, Heinen already has scored half as many goals as the career-best 16 he tallied with the Boston Bruins in 77 games during the 2017-18 season.

His current pace of 0.30 goals per game represents a career high and equates to a figure of nearly 25 goals over an 82-game season.

“Getting off to a good start helps,” Heinen said. “Helps a lot, actually. I’ve just been trying to shoot a little more. Maybe a few more have found the net this year. It’s a funny game, whether it goes in or it doesn’t. I just try to create more and go to the right areas.”

Heinen rarely found the right areas during an unremarkable 2020-21 season with the Ducks. In 43 games — he was a healthy scratch for 13 — Heinen produced only 14 points (seven goals, seven assists).

Yet Penguins management thought there was 20-goal potential in their bargain-bin signing.

“He sees the ice pretty well. He has the ability to finish. He’s got a real good shot. He’s a mobile guy. He’s a good skater,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “And he has good instincts. We felt maybe if we put him with the right people and put him in the style of play that we’re trying to play here in Pittsburgh, he might be a guy that could come in and really help us offensively. To this point, he’s done a great job of it.”

One part of the job Heinen has excelled at is the method in which he’s scoring.

He’s not just collecting goals via a clumsy carom off an opponent’s skate or a frantic net-front battle. He’s shooting with a purpose.

“Maybe early on (in my career), it was a little more get to the net, jam one home kind of thing,” Heinen said. “I’ve tried to get the mindset of shooting more. I think I can have more confidence in my shot. It’s something that I’ve worked on a lot. It’s something that I need to be a little bit more confident in and use a little bit more.”