The primary objective of the Dallas Stars offseason has been keeping together the talent that helped them make a 2019-20 Stanley Cup Final run.

That plan continued on Monday with the announcement that restricted free agent forward Roope Hintz has signed a three-year, $9.45 million contract with the team. That comes out to a salary cap hit of $3.15 million per season.

Hintz has become an important piece for the Stars, and even finished this past season as the team’s leading goal-scorer (19), even though he played just 885 minutes (13th among the team’s skater, and eighth among forwards) and was not one of their top power play players.

When you break his production down to a per-minute level, it is clear that he is by far one of the Stars’ most effective and efficient players. Especially during even-strength play. His 1.03 goals per 60 minutes of 5-on-5 hockey during the regular season was second on the team, trailing only Denis Gurianov‘s 1.05 mark. No other forward on the team topped the 0.70 mark.

Hintz and Gurianov should get increased roles this season, not only because they have earned it, but because Tyler Seguin figures to miss some time as he recovers from offseason surgery.

Hintz’s new deal comes after the team signed contracts with Gurianov (two years), Radek Faksa (five years), and unrestricted free agent goalie Anton Khudobin (three years).

The Stars now sit $257,000 under the league’s $81.5 million salary cap for this upcoming season.

— NBC SPORTS