Former Swift Current Broncos defenceman Dillon Heatherington achieved the next step of his hockey dreams.

Heatherington made his NHL debut this week for the Dallas Stars against the team that drafted him the Columbus Blue Jackets.

His debut actually came at the expense of another former Bronco in Julius Honka who ended up being a healthy scratch for Dallas against Columbus. Honka and Heatherington had formed a potent pair for Swift Current in 2013-14 when the Broncos finished tied for the best record in the East Division.

The Calgary native is in his third full season of professional hockey and had previous won a Calder Cup with the AHL's Lake Erie Monsters. He is also a former World Junior Championship gold medalist for Canada.

Heatherington played 247 games in the WHL for Swift Current and was a 2nd round draft pick of the Blue Jackets. Columbus traded him to Dallas last season for veteran winger Lauri Korpikoski.

The Stars organization has become almost a gathering for former Broncos with Heatherington and Honka currently playing in Dallas, while Justin Dowling, Reece Scarlett and Landon Bow are on the AHL roster for the Texas Stars. The Stars were also recently home to former Broncos Cody Eakin and Aaron Rome.

The connection could have some link to former Broncos Coach/GM Mark Lamb who was an assistant coach with Dallas for six years before spending seven season in Swift Current.