FRISCO, Texas — Lineup speculation runs rampant in July for hockey fans.
The dust has settled from NHL free agency and rosters are starting to take a more defined shape. The big names are in place for the Dallas Stars — including Alexander Radulov and Marc Mehot — so why not pass the time drawing up lines and defense pairs?
For the Stars there are some intriguing questions. Which players ultimately get scratched in the bottom six? How will the defenders be sorted out? Are they really going to carry eight defenders again? And which young players might make the NHL roster?
Roope Hintz might be the answer to that last question. If anyone is going to mimic Mattias Janmark, who went from relatively unknown European forward to NHL commodity during training camp before the 2015-16 season, the 20-year-old Finn isn’t a bad bet.
Hintz has been one of the more noticeable players at Stars development camp this week. It’s been a collection of relatively simple drills, but Hintz has shined around the net and shown off his offensive creativity with the puck.
Last season with HIFK he had 30 points and 19 goals in 44 games after an injury delayed the start to this season. He had a dominant showing in the postseason as he led Liiga with 14 points in 14 games before HIFK was knocked out in the semifinals.
Hintz was a teammate with Stars 2017 first-round pick Miro Heiskanen, and he left an impression on the Stars new defensive prospect.
“He’s a really good skater, he has good hockey sense,” Heiskanen said. “I like to play with him.”
Hintz makes life easier for his teammates. He uses his skating ability to create space, while he makes smart decisions with the puck. He’s a skilled finisher and he’s an offensive threat whenever he touches the puck.
Two years after getting drafted in the second round (49th overall) Hintz is ready to make the move stateside.
“I think it’s a good way now to go, now I get need to get good summer back in Finland and when I come back be ready to play,” he said.
While Hintz is a darkhorse to push for an NHL roster spot, it’s more likely that he’ll play in the AHL — and that’s not a bad thing.
Time in the minors should give Hintz time to acclimate to the smaller ice, which he seems to already have a good understanding of during development camp.
“The first three steps when I skate, those are the biggest (factor here),” Hintz said.
Versatility is a big thing with Hintz and the Stars want to encourage that. While he may be a long-term winger in the NHL, the Stars plan to start him at center in the AHL so he’ll have the ability to play either position as his career progresses.
“He’s a guy you can play with anybody, and we want to encourage that,” Stars assistant general manager Scott White said. “He’s going to come over here and he’s going to push in camp right away, and we expect that. He’s a good player, and talking to him you can tell he’s ready for that challenge.”
In the end Hintz will likely most likely start in the AHL, but a strong camp and an NHL regular season call-up aren’t out of the question this season.
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