Vinnie Hinostroza remembers playing hockey against good friend and (now) teammate Ryan Hartman, starting when they were seven years old.
“He was one of the toughest kids in the area to play against,” Hinostroza said. “You never wanted to play against him, even when there wasn’t checking.”
So basically, Hartman has always played this energy-driven, sandpaper game. It just so happens that his game is a lot like former Blackhawks forward Andrew Shaw’s. So when Shaw was traded, the inevitable questions arose. Who was going to take Shaw’s place in the lineup? Who was going to bring Shaw’s agitation?