Roope Hintz is a special player. Dallas Stars fans have known that for awhile, but now the rest of the league is starting to catch on:
“He’s a special player,” [Minnesota Wild head coach Dean] Evason said. “What we talk about a lot is his speed. He can generate. Just as we talk about with Connor McDavid and having gaps everywhere on a player like that that can separate in a hurry, you’ve got to be close to him. Otherwise, if you give him that space, it’s going to be troublesome.”
But Hintz’s positives aren’t just on offense — he’s also one of the Stars’ best defensive players, even if he’s not typically matched up against opposing teams’ top lines:
“He’ll keep getting better,” Stars head coach Rick Bowness said of Hintz’s defense.