Hintz of Stars delivers smiles during children’s hospital visit in Finland 

HELSINKI -- Roope Hintz might have been the best medicine of all.

The Dallas Stars forward and native of Nokia, Finland, visited New Children’s Hospital on Tuesday, spending time with patients in their rooms and signing autographs for other patients and staff in the lobby.

He was joined by the Stars’ mascot, Victor E. Green. They’re in Hintz’s home country for the 2024 NHL Global Series presented by Fastenal, with games against the Florida Panthers at Nokia Arena in Tampere on Friday (2 p.m. ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS, NHLN, SN) and Saturday (Noon ET; Victory+, SCRIPPS, NHLN, SN1).

“They brought smiles everywhere they went, and that is invaluable in a place like this,” said Dr. Pavi Miettinen, the chief medical administrative officer at the hospital. “The [patients] are children, and they want to play and have fun experiences and having fun things is part of healing. So, I think this is very important.”

That’s why Hintz was happy to do it, taking time after a hard practice Tuesday to spend close to an hour at the facility.

“This was a great visit,” Hintz said. “It was special, and it was great to see them to be able to come here and see the kids and get some little [stuffed animal] presents for them and I signed them. It was great.

“[Their smiles] are the biggest things. You just want to make them happy and try to be yourself and talk to them, just about anything. It’s a special thing.”

The parents of the patients here were immensely grateful for the appearance of Hintz.

At one point, 11-year-old Kaisla Keski-Loppi was brought over in a wheelchair to Hintz. He bent down, shared a moment with her, signing a puck, smiling. Keski-Loppi, attached to a rolling medicine dispenser, smiled shyly in return. She is an avid skater who has been to a few hockey games, according to her mother, Ervi Ikonen.

“I think it gives more motivation to get better, and a little bit of a happy moment,” Ikonen said.

Another patient, Oliver Makkonen, 10, his wrist wrapped in a bandage, walked over and had his picture taken, smiling shyly as his dad, Timo, snapped away.

Oliver is more of a soccer fan, but the appearance of Hintz was a memory that won’t soon be forgotten.

“[Oliver] was just interested in seeing what is going on,” Timo Makkonen said. “It was a great gesture by the player to visit. It’s a great thing.”

It’s also somewhat of a tradition. Two seasons ago, the Columbus Blue Jackets were in Helsinki for a Global Series matchup against the Colorado Avalanche.

Patrik Laine and Joonas Korpisalo, two Finns playing for the Blue Jackets back then, made the trek here and signed autographs and posed for pictures.

Laine, a forward now with the Montreal Canadiens, said at the time the visit brought perspective to his life.

Hintz echoed that sentiment Tuesday.

“Obviously, a huge part of the thing we do is to give back,” he said. “To be able to be here and talk to them and hang out is pretty special. I like that stuff and want to do it.

“I think it is a big part of what we do. It’s pretty special to go there and help them have a little bit of fun.”