 Heinze played three seasons for Boston College, where he, David Emma, and Marty McInnis formed the "HEM" Line.Heinze, Emma, and McInnis finished first, second, and third, respectively, in the 1989–90 Hockey East scoring race.Heinze played for the 1992 U.S. Olympic hockey team and signed a multiyear contract with the Boston Bruins on March 6, 1992, following the Olympic games.