Danton Heinen Bio
Danton Heinen (born July 5, 1995) is a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Boston Bruins in the fourth round, 116th overall, of the 2014 NHL entry draft. Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing roughly 188 pounds, Heinen has carved out a steady NHL career as a versatile forward capable of playing up and down the lineup.
Heinen grew up in Langley, British Columbia, where he played junior ice hockey with the Richmond Sockeyes before advancing through the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL). After a successful collegiate career with the Denver Pioneers, he entered professional hockey with the Bruins organization and has since suited up for the Anaheim Ducks, the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Vancouver Canucks, and a second stint with the Bruins, before returning once again to Pittsburgh.
Early Life and Background
Danton Heinen was born on July 5, 1995, in Langley, British Columbia, to parents Rick and Veronica. His father is of Dutch heritage, while his mother immigrated to Canada from Brazil, giving Heinen a multicultural family background. He is the middle child of four siblings. His sister Olivia played volleyball in high school, and his older brother Cody also played hockey, creating a sports-minded household that helped shape his path in athletics.
Heinen attended Langley Christian High School in Langley, where he balanced his studies with a growing commitment to competitive hockey. The community youth programs in British Columbia gave him a strong foundation, and his development through local minor hockey prepared him for the jump to junior-level play. His family’s encouragement and his own work ethic allowed him to progress steadily through the amateur ranks in western Canada.
Path to Hockey
Heinen began his competitive junior career with the Richmond Sockeyes of the Pacific Junior Hockey League. In the 2012–13 season, he recorded 63 points and led the Sockeyes to the Pacific Junior Hockey League championship title, a result that quickly put him on the radar of higher-level junior scouts. His poise with the puck and ability to distribute the puck made him a natural fit for the offensive side of the game.
The following season, Heinen moved to the BCHL, skating for both the Merritt Centennials and the Surrey Eagles. With the Eagles, he led the team in scoring with 62 points in 57 games and won the junior A league’s Rookie of the Year Award. That performance earned him a scholarship to the University of Denver, where he would join the Denver Pioneers men’s ice hockey program. Prior to enrolling, he was also drafted in the fourth round by the Boston Bruins at the 2014 NHL entry draft, giving him both a college path and a professional contract path heading into his development years.
Danton Heinen Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
Heinen played for the Denver Pioneers from 2014 to 2016 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC). In his freshman season, he scored 45 points on 16 goals and 29 assists in 40 games, highlighted by a 15-point month of February that earned him the HCA National Rookie of the Month award. He was named to the Second-Team All-Conference and was a finalist for the NCHC Rookie of the Year award.
As a sophomore, Heinen raised his production to a career-high 48 points, recording six points in two games to help the Pioneers reach their first Frozen Four since 2005. He became the inaugural recipient of the ASN Player of the Year Award, earned First-Team All-NCHC Honors, and was named NCHC Forward of the Year. Rather than return for his junior and senior seasons, Heinen signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins and concluded his amateur career in 2016.
Boston Bruins Tenure (2016–2020)
Following his collegiate career, Heinen joined the Providence Bruins, Boston’s American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, to finish out the 2015–16 season. He made his NHL debut against the Columbus Blue Jackets after a strong training camp, but was assigned back to Providence early in the 2016–17 season. He produced 13 points in 13 AHL games, was selected for the 2017 AHL All-Star Game, and helped Providence reach the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs.
Heinen earned a full-time NHL role during the 2017–18 season and scored his first two NHL goals on October 26, 2017, in a 2–1 win over the San Jose Sharks. He finished the year fifth on the Bruins in scoring with 16 goals and 31 assists for 47 points and made his NHL playoff debut against the Toronto Maple Leafs. After being moved in and out of the lineup in 2018–19, he posted 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points and added two goals and six assists in 24 post-season games as Boston reached the Stanley Cup Finals. He signed a two-year contract extension in July 2019.
Anaheim Ducks (2020–2021)
On February 24, 2020, the Bruins traded Heinen to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for left winger Nick Ritchie. He scored his first goal with Anaheim on February 29 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, but was unable to match his previous offensive pace. He finished the 2020–21 season with seven goals and 14 points in 43 games, and was not tendered a qualifying offer, becoming an unrestricted free agent in July 2021.
First Pittsburgh Penguins Stint (2021–2023)
Heinen signed a one-year, $1.1 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 29, 2021. Head coach Mike Sullivan praised his offensive instincts and his ability to play in the top six or the top nine. Heinen opened the season on the top line alongside Jake Guentzel and Jeff Carter, scored his first Penguins goal on opening night against the Tampa Bay Lightning, and led the team in goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time for stretches of the year. He re-signed with Pittsburgh on a one-year, $1 million deal in July 2022 for the 2022–23 season.
Return to Boston (2023–2024)
Heinen signed a professional tryout agreement with the Bruins on September 5, 2023, and officially returned to the organization on October 30, 2023, signing a one-year, $775,000 contract. He posted 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points, his highest total since his rookie season, and scored his first career hat trick against the Montreal Canadiens on January 20, 2024. He became a core member of Boston’s third line and helped the team push deep into the post-season.
Vancouver Canucks (2024–2025)
On July 1, 2024, Heinen signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent, bringing his steady two-way play to the Pacific Division. He served in a depth and middle-six role for Vancouver through the first half of the 2024–25 campaign before being moved at the trade deadline.
Return to Pittsburgh (2025–Present)
On January 31, 2025, Heinen was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins, along with a conditional 2025 first-round pick, defenceman Vincent Desharnais, and right wing prospect Melvin Fernström, in exchange for defenceman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor. The move returned him to a familiar organization and reunited him with head coach Mike Sullivan, under whom he had previously flourished.
Driving Style and Strengths
Heinen is best known for his hockey sense, his playmaking ability, and his reliability in all three zones. Coaches have consistently deployed him in matchup situations, on the penalty kill, and in middle-six scoring roles, trusting his decision-making and his ability to drive play at even strength. His willingness to play a 200-foot game has made him a valued complementary piece wherever he has skated.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones in Heinen’s career include scoring his first two NHL goals on October 26, 2017, helping the Bruins reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, notching his first career hat trick on January 20, 2024, against the Montreal Canadiens, and being part of a notable midseason trade that returned him to Pittsburgh in January 2025. Each of those moments has reinforced his reputation as a steady, adaptable NHL contributor.
Danton Heinen Career Wins
Heinen’s trophy case is built on team and individual recognition rather than championship banners. He captured a Pacific Junior Hockey League title with the Richmond Sockeyes, earned NCHC Rookie of the Year, NCHC Forward of the Year, and the inaugural ASN Player of the Year Award at Denver, and reached the AHL Eastern Conference Finals with Providence. While he has not yet raised a major professional championship, his consistent production and longevity in the NHL remain the defining measure of his career.
Boston Bruins Highlights
During his combined stints in Boston, Heinen appeared in well over 200 regular-season games for the Bruins, registering 17 goals and 19 assists for 36 points in his most recent 2023–24 campaign, his highest total since his rookie year. He scored his first NHL goals against the San Jose Sharks in 2017, helped the Bruins reach the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals, and delivered several timely third-line performances during deep playoff runs.
Pittsburgh Penguins Highlights
In his first Penguins stint, Heinen led the team in goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time over stretches of the 2021–22 season and opened his Pittsburgh tenure with a goal on opening night against Tampa Bay. Upon returning to the organization in January 2025, he stepped back into a familiar middle-six role and added another chapter to his Penguins story.
Other Wins & Performances
Heinen’s path to the NHL was built on regional and collegiate success, including a Pacific Junior Hockey League championship with the Richmond Sockeyes and a BCHL Rookie of the Year Award with the Surrey Eagles. His strong two seasons at Denver cemented his status as an NHL prospect and set the stage for a professional career that has now spanned nearly a decade.
Danton Heinen Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Heinen comes from a blended, sports-oriented family. His father, Rick, is of Dutch heritage, while his mother, Veronica, immigrated to Canada from Brazil. His older brother Cody also played hockey, and his sister Olivia played volleyball in high school, giving Danton a competitive household that helped nurture his athletic development.
Personal Life
Heinen has kept most of his personal life private. He grew up in Langley, British Columbia, and has continued to base himself in North American hockey markets tied to his NHL clubs. Public information about a spouse or children has not been widely reported.
2025 Season Performance
The 2024–25 season opened for Heinen in Vancouver after he signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Canucks on July 1, 2024. He served in a middle-six and depth role for Vancouver through the first half of the campaign, providing two-way play and penalty-killing value as the Canucks competed in the Pacific Division.
On January 31, 2025, Vancouver traded Heinen to the Pittsburgh Penguins as part of a package that included a conditional 2025 first-round pick, defenceman Vincent Desharnais, and prospect Melvin Fernström. The Penguins sent back defenceman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor in the deal, marking Heinen’s return to a familiar organization and a coaching staff that already knew his game.
Back in Pittsburgh, Heinen slotted into a versatile forward role under head coach Mike Sullivan, the same coach who had previously praised his offensive instincts and ability to play up and down the lineup. With the Penguins still in the Eastern Conference playoff picture in the second half of the season, Heinen’s experience, two-way reliability, and special teams usage are expected to remain key factors in their push down the stretch.