Danton Heinen was born on July 5, 1995, in Langley, British Columbia. During the 2011-12 hockey season, Heinen competed in the British Columbia Elite Hockey League, where he had a stellar season with 19 goals and 24 assists in 37 games for the Valley West Hawks U18 team as a 16-year-old. The next season, in the Pacific Junior Hockey League, the forward collected 21 goals and 28 assists in 43 games for the Richmond Sockeyes. Heinen then played for the Surrey Eagles in the British Columbia Hockey League, was named Rookie of the Year, was a captain for one season, and contributed 29 goals and 33 assists in 57 games before committing to The University of Denver for the 2014-15 season.
At Denver, Heinen played two seasons under current Boston Bruins Head Coach Jim Montgomery. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound wing scored 36 goals with 57 assists in 81 collegiate games. During his freshman season, Heinen was a Rookie Year, a member of the All-Rookie Team in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference, and a second-team All-Star. The next season, Heinen was a first-team All-Star and was named Forward of the Year in the conference.
Danton Heinen Drafted 116th Overall By the Boston Bruins in the 2014 NHL Draft
The Boston Bruins selected Danton Heinen in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft with the 116th overall selection. Heinen was the 24th left wing chosen in the draft. The Bruins picked right wing David Pastrnak in the first round and center Ryan Donato in the second round that year. Anders Bjork was Boston’s fifth-round choice. Only Viktor Arvidsson has played more games as a fourth round selection from that draft.
Heinen’s NHL Debut To Today
Danton Heinen signed a three-year, entry-level contract worth $2,987,500 with the Bruins on April 11, 2016, and played two games with the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League at the end of the 2015-16 season. Heinen would play eight games with the Boston Bruins during the 2016-17 season and made his NHL debut on October 13, 2016, in a 6-3 Bruins win in Columbus. Heinen played 11:25 of ice time over 16 shifts and committed one minor penalty. The former University of Denver star scored his first two NHL goals in a 2-1 win over San Jose on October 26, 2017. Heinen played 220 games for Boston before being traded to Anaheim for Nick Ritchie on February 24, 2020. He then signed as a free agent with Pittsburgh in July of 2021 and played 141 games for the Penguins with a career-high 18 goals during the 2021-22 season, including the first goal scored in the league on opening night.
Heinen was given a Professional Tryout Offer during camp before the 2023-24 season with Boston and it paid off for the club as Heinen scored 17 goals and 19 assists in 74 games. Heinen is currently an unrestricted free agent.
