MAVERICKS SIGN CHAD HINZ
Center marks final veteran signing for inaugural season
INDEPENDENCE, Missouri – Missouri Mavericks’ Head Coach Scott Hillman Thursday announced the Central Hockey League (CHL) club has signed center Chad Hinz for the team’s 2009-10 inaugural season. Hinz is the Mavericks’ 12th signed player and fourth and final veteran on the inaugural season roster.
Hinz, 30 (3/21/79), is entering his 11th professional season and second full season in the CHL. The Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native was the seventh round draft pick (197th overall) of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1997 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. He has 309 games of American Hockey League (AHL) experience where he notched 117 points (43-74=117). The 5-foot-11, 190-pound center played last season with the CHL’s Oklahoma City Blazers and tallied 53 points (17-36=53) in 54 games. He also tied a Blazers’ franchise record with five assists in a 7-3 win over the Texas Brahmas on November 23, 2008.
“The signing of our fourth and final veteran is another big step for our organization,” said Mavericks’ Head Coach Scott Hillman. “We believe that Chad has the ability to compliment our line-up and give us a legitimate ability to have two very strong offensive lines. Chad has an immense amount of experience in the AHL and Austria where he has proven that he is an elite player. He will be a contributor offensively and will be used in all key situations when the game is on the line.”
In total, Hinz has 603 games of professional experience and 398 points (151-247=398) while serving 443 penalty minutes. Prior to playing professionally, Hinz played four seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Moose Jaw Warriors. In 285 games with the Warriors, he scored 332 points (121-211=332) and served 197 penalty minutes.