Vinnie Hinostroza Has Found A Home In Minnesota

When we think of the face of the league, Alex Ovechkin, Sidney Crosby, or Connor McDavid come to mind. All talented players who have been integral players on the same team since their rookie year. However, most NHL careers are not this steady or consistent. 

Vinnie Hinostroza is an example of a talented player who is still trying to find the right fit. 

The Chicago Blackhawks took Hinostroza 169th overall in the 2012 draft. He made his NHL debut in 2015-16 and played 3 seasons in Chicago. Chicago traded him to the Arizona Coyotes, and he had a brief stint with the Florida Panthers before they traded him back to Chicago. Hinostroza signed with the Buffalo Sabres,  Pittsburgh Penguins, and Nashville Predators before the Minnesota Wild claimed him off waivers on February 5. 

The Predators signed Hinostroza but assigned him to their AHL affiliate in Milwaukee. However, Nashville called him up on December 29, 2024. Hinostroza was the AHL’s leading scorer then, with 11 goals and 33 points. Unfortunately, this success did not translate to Nashville. 

Hinostroza had 0 goals and 2 assists in 13 games and averaged 11:32 minutes per game. Minnesota added him to the lineup for their February 6 game against the Carolina Hurricanes. He got a practice and a pregame skate with his new team but immediately produced with the Wild. Hinostroza scored at the start of the 3rd period with Minnesota, breaking both his 26-game goal drought and the Wild’s 2-game goal drought. 

At 5-foot-10, 183 lbs., Hinostroza isn’t a large player but uses his size to his advantage. For his goal with the Wild, he gets around Carolina center Jordan Staal and tucks under him to bat the puck in. 

In 17 games with the Wild, Hinostroza averages 14:31 TOI and has 4 goals and 2 assists. Why has he been so productive with the Wild? 

Hinostroza is only playing three more minutes per night, but he’s playing with a better team. The Wild rank 7th in the Western Conference, while the Predators are in 14th. 

Hinostroza doesn’t have highlight reel plays, but he scores greasy goals. Maybe his style didn’t work as well in Nashville, or he’s motivated to prove himself in Minnesota. Regardless, his goals and assists come from hustling to the puck, getting his body in front of opponents, or muscling his way to the front of the net. 

That playstyle is especially important in playoffs, where a last-ditch effort to cram a puck into the net often decides the game, rather than fancy, multi-pass, top-corner shots. 

Hinostroza’s goal against the Seattle Kraken on March 4 is a microcosm of Hinostroza’s playstyle.

Hinostroza pushes to the front of the net, shaking off the Kraken defender. Mats Zuccarello takes a shot on net, and Hinostroza can deflect it in because he’s in the right spot. Most of his points for the Wild look similar. He digs in close to the net to bat in any loose pucks rather than staying wide for a one-timer. 

Team chemistry has also boosted Hinostroza’s production. Ryan Hartman and Hinostroza grew up in Chicago and met playing for the Chicago Mission, an AAA youth team. They later reunited while playing for the Rockford IceHogs, the Blackhawks AHL affiliate. The pair aren’t just former teammates but close friends: Hinostroza was also a part of Hartman’s wedding party. 

Since the end of Hartman’s suspension, the Wild have paired the Chicagoland forwards to great effect. Hinostroza has already been much more successful than he was in Nashville, and Hartman has 6 points in 10 games, compared to 17 in his previous 48 games this season. 

Strong players know their linemates well and can predict where they will be, allowing them to constantly be in the right place at the right time. The way this pair moves in sync reflects their history of playing together.

Hinostroza got the second assist on Hartman’s goal against the Kraken last Wednesday. He picked up the loose puck along the boards and held onto it, drawing the Kraken up high in the zone. Hinostroza waited until Zach Bogosian crossed the blueline before passing to him.

He had other passing options but had the patience to take an extra moment and wait for Bogosian, who was coming from an undefended angle. Bogosian then passed to Hartman, who took the lane that Hinostroza opened up and scored. 

Hinostroza’s assist against Buffalo on Saturday is also an example of his hustle and use of body making the play. Hinostroza raced to catch up with Sabres defenseman Owen Rogers, muscled in front, and beat him to the puck. He took a quick look up and nudged it back to Yakov Trenin. Trenin then passed it out front to Marco Rossi, who scored. 

The Chicago native is not afraid to battle it out in the corner, and his size allows him to be physical without drawing a lot of penalties. He also has good patience with the puck and can make smart decisions and clean passes under pressure. Hinostroza has struggled to find a long-term home in the NHL but has good chemistry with the Wild.

He took a long and winding road. But Hinostroza may have found a place he can call home.