NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Roope Hintz

Get to Know Roope Hintz

Date of Birth: November 17, 1996
Place of Birth: Tampere, Finland
Ht: 6’2”  Wt: 190 lbs
Shoots: Left
Position: Right Wing
Team: Ilves (Liiga)

Roope Hintz is a versatile right wing and center who’s seen his name rise on draft boards everywhere. This season Hintz made the jump to Ilves Liiga squad and at just 17 years old, scored 17 points in 42 games in the mens league. Hintz also tallied 2 assists with Finland’s World Junior Championship team.

Statistics

What Scouts See

Curtis Joe, Elite Prospects

A highly intelligent Finn who can play the role of scorer or playmaker; has killer instincts and a keen eye for scoring opportunities. Very high hockey-IQ and has incredible awareness on the ice; is able to play the puck creatively, all the while creating space for his adjoining teammates. Creates separation, not through physical play, but through outskating the opposition. His proactivity, recognizing and taking advantage of scoring chances, makes him a valuable teammate and offensive catalyst for whoever he plays with. A very good skater that is able to create chances through his speed. Possesses a hard, accurate release on his shot, as well as good hands and overall puckhandling ability. All-in-all, a prolific scoring threat that continuously plays with jump and provides energy for teammates.

Future Considerations

An intelligent two-way forward who plays very calmly and maturely for his age. Has an impressive size and skating blend. He is a little unbalanced on his feet and choppy in his mobility, but the kid can flat out fly when he gets moving [. . .] He is a big body in front of the net on the powerplay and can cause havoc for opposing defenders. He is hard to move but we would like to see him put up more of a fight for a longer time. [. . .] Loves to take charge and be in control. Inconsistent getting back to defend, but once in his own zone he is reliable and reads the play well.

Ben Kerr, Last Word on Sports

Roope Hintz’s defensive game is well-developped for a player his age. He shows his hockey IQ in the way he reads plays, anticipates, and creates turnovers in his own end of the ice. He is able to quickly transition those into offense with a good quick pass, or starting the rush himself. Hintz has a big body, and a long active stick that cuts down passing and shooting lanes. He backchecks hard and supports the defence down low, but this is again another area where he would be greatly helped by adding some muscle mass to a tall and lanky frame.

Not crazy to suggest Roope Hintz is a better prospect than Mikko Rantanen. Roope has looked great this season.

— Corey Pronman (@coreypronman) December 27, 2014

Highlights

NHL Potential

On the high end Hintz projects as a middle six two-way winger with the potential to kill penalties. While he has some skills that could one day land him on the second line if he continues to develop, he’s more likely suited to a depth, checking role on an NHL third line.

Expected Draft Position

There is some major variance among scouts in regards to Roope Hintz and rankings stretch from the end of the first round to the middle of the third. Average those scores and factor in Hintz’ NHL size frame, and it’s safe to assume that many teams will consider the Finnish winger in the draft’s second round.

How Prospect Fits in Avalanche Organization

With a lack of offensive upside in their prospect pool, the Avalanche may be looking for players with more scoring flair in the top half of the draft. That said, if the Avalanche opt for a high scoring forward in the first round, a complete two-way forward like Hintz could be an intriguing option in the second or third round of the draft.

Hintz brings good size and smarts which the Avalanche should find attractive and unless the Avalanche chose to add more defensive prospects in these early rounds, he would be a good fit for the system. Hintz will likely return to Liiga next season to continue his development abroad.

For a look at the other wingers available near Hintz, check out these other prospect profiles:
Blake Speers
Erik Foley
Filip Ahl
Glenn Gawdin
Graham Knott