Former Hearts hero Ryan Stevenson reckons Liam Boyce will keep up his scoring hot streak when he returns to the top flight.
Boyce arrived in Gorgie at the end of the January window last season and made an instant impression with a debut winner against Rangers.
But he only had a matter of weeks to make an impact before the season was curtailed early because of Covid-19 in March.
Now he's back in the division in which he finished top scorer in 2016-17, fresh from winning the PFA Scotland Player of the Year award over the weekend, and Stevenson reckons' he'll be key to a successful step up.
He wrote in his Daily Record column: "A major reason why Hearts don't have to concern themselves with the play-offs has been Liam Boyce’s form this year.
"Him scooping the PFA Scotland Championship Player of the Year award was richly deserved.
"I’ve been critical of Hearts this year but every single time, he's been the player that's looked decent and done everything that’s asked of him. The goals that he's scored at times have been pivotal and got the club promoted.
"So it was a fitting award after a good season and for him now, it’s about proving he can play at the top end of the Premiership. He’s obviously been there with Ross County before and was top scorer but to be at the top and score goals week in, week out is a bit different.
"But I’m confident he’ll do that.
"Craig Gordon could have just as easily won the award as well after doing what Craig does all season.
"We saw Allan McGregor winning the Player of the Year in the Premiership which shows just how vital goalkeepers are in any team that wins a league. You need to have a good goalkeeper; that’s just a fact.
"But scoring goals is the hardest thing in the game and as much as they’ve huffed and puffed at times, Boycey’s done it consistently over the full season."
Stevenson insists manager Robbie Neilson must trim the fat from a side still bloated from the Craig Levein years and put a renewed focus on youth development.
Some supporters have been concerned at how young talents keep slipping through the club's fingers with Andy Irving's contract stand-off a prime example.
Stevenson added: "I read that Robbie Neilson plans to go with a smaller, younger squad next season. There’s a lot of dead wood there and he knows that. There are players there who haven’t shown they’re good enough.
"They can’t keep going through the amount of players they’re going through. They should be bringing more players through the academy.
"They had a big squad this season, but it’s going to be a lot tougher next year."
