Hinz to play for Blazers again

It didn't take long for center Chad Hinz to make a splash in Oklahoma City and the Central Hockey League. He scored 17 points in 14 playoffs games for the Blazers two seasons ago.

What can he do for an entire season? Blazers fans are going to find out. Hinz is the latest signee for the Blazers and, arguably, the biggest so far this offseason.

"He's a big piece of the puzzle,” coach Doug Sauter said. "He's a solid player. He has me excited, and he has his teammates excited.”

Hinz was a seventh-round choice of the Edmonton Oilers in the 1997 NHL Draft and has spent most of the last three seasons playing in Austria. Two years ago, he led his team in both goals (26) and points (65) and was 11th in the league in scoring.

Hinz, a 5-foot-10, 190-pounder from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, has also played five seasons in the American Hockey League. He notched 117 points in 309 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs and Toronto Roadrunners.

"He'll be one of the smartest players in the league and can see the ice well,” Sauter said. "He told us that if there was any place he could play, it would be in Oklahoma City.”

Hinz helped Oklahoma City reach the conference finals two seasons ago. The Blazers defeated Memphis in the first round, then took champion Colorado to Game 7 before losing.

Hinz marks the 25th player signed by the Blazers for training camp. Oklahoma City begins the regular season Oct. 17 against the Tulsa Oilers at the Ford Center.