Name: Roope Hintz

Number: 24

Age: 27

Birthplace: Nokia, Finland

Height/Weight: 6-3, 212

2023-24 stats: 30 goals, 35 assists for 65 points in 80 games

Contract: In second year of eight-year deal that has a salary cap hit of $8.45 million

Performance evaluation: Roope Hintz has become a remarkably consistent regular-season player. He has produced 72, 75 and 65 points in the past three seasons and appears to be a pretty reliable 30-goal scorer. That’s important for the Stars’ top centers, as his line often drives play and receives the opposition’s most intense defensive attention. The problem for Hintz is his playoff performances have not been as consistent. Two seasons ago he was among the league leaders in post-season scoring with 24 points (10 goals, 14 assists) in 19 games. Last season, he had just 8 points (2 goals, 6 assists) in 15 games. He did battle some injuries, but Hintz simply was not as effective or dangerous as the year before. Now, linemate Joe Pavelski had 1 goal and 3 assists in 19 games, so that hurt the entire line. But Jason Robertson shared the team lead with 16 points, so there was still impact to be made. From a visual standpoint, Hintz didn’t seem as fast or physical as he was in 2022-23, but then the question became, “Why?”. Was he hurt? Did opponents simply find a way to neutralize him? Bottom line, he had 59 shots on goal in 19 playoff games in 2022-23 and only 17 shots on goal in 15 playoff games in 2023-24.

Expectations for 2024-25: Hintz has everything to make him one of the top centers in the league. He is big (6-3, 213), fast, strong, good defensively. He is a coach’s dream. But as much as that’s true, it will be interesting to see how Pete DeBoer uses Hintz this season. Could the coaching staff deploy Wyatt Johnston as the No. 1 center and then use Hintz in the No. 2 spot? Could he use Hintz the way the Stars did with Mike Modano, playing him against the opposition’s top line in hopes Hintz would win any head-to-head battle because of his strong two-way game? Hintz is among the highest paid players on the Stars, so he needs to take a bigger bit of the scoring pie. Is it possible for him to flirt with 40 goals or 80 points? The past seems to indicate that might be a stretch. Could he find the right mix with a new linemate to take Pavelski’s place? Should the coaches ponder trying Robertson on a new line? Would Johnston on the right wing with Hintz give the team a dynamic top line that would drive opponent’s crazy? Hintz will be in the middle of all of that. The key, however, is that he needs to be in the middle of it all during the playoffs.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.

Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @MikeHeika.