Vinnie Hinostroza is accustomed to tight turnarounds.
The latest in his professional hockey career came early Saturday morning, just hours after skating for the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL, the league where he just happens to be the leading scorer.
The Predators determined that output - 33 points, including 22 assists - was worth a call-up, and the veteran forward was on a plane to make it to Nashville in time for the 11 a.m. CT practice in Tennessee.
Yes, Hinostroza has changed teams quite a bit over the past decade - the Preds will be his sixth NHL club whenever he makes his Nashville debut - but that just means he’s always in demand for his skill, speed and offensive abilities which have come to life over the past two-plus months in Milwaukee.
Now, he’s ready to make the most of his latest NHL opportunity.
“It feels great,” Hinostroza said of joining the Preds. “The guys here are great. [I experienced] that in training camp, so it’s easier to walk in the locker room when you know all the guys are approachable and nice to be around.”
Hinostroza is a veteran of 374 career NHL games since debuting in 2015-16, and he’s recorded 151 points (54g-97a) with the Blackhawks, Coyotes, Panthers, Sabres and Penguins. His last NHL appearances came in 2023-24 with Pittsburgh, where he had three points (1g-2a) in 14 games.
A native of Chicago, Hinostroza’s best statistical season saw him produce 39 points (16g-23a) in 72 games for Arizona in 2018-19; he has four times topped the 20-point mark, and twice notched more than 10 goals in a season.
The Preds are hoping for some of that offensive touch, but also the other intangibles Hinostroza brings when he’s on the ice.
“I love his speed,” Head Coach Andrew Brunette said of the 5-foot-10 forward. “I had Vinnie when I was in Florida a little bit, so I'm pretty familiar with him. He's a great kid. He’s got really good skill and speed, and I think he's matured a lot as a player. We’re looking forward to seeing him [in the lineup]. Obviously we’re going on the road here for a while, so we don’t know exactly when we'll see him, but looking forward to seeing him.”
So, what has allowed Hinostroza to lead the entire AHL in points this season? His explanation may sound simple, but he’s just having fun playing the game again.
“Our team's really good…and [Admirals Head Coach Karl Taylor has] helped me work on my details, and also let me be free offensively and kind of get back to enjoying playing the game and having fun doing it,” Hinostroza said. “So, I think this year, it's just a lot clicking, and my linemates have been great all year. I can't just say it's one thing or the other, I think there's just a lot of things that are going well.”
Hinostroza may have a bit of nerves when he does make his Preds debut at some point, but unlike a rookie, he knows what to expect at the NHL level. Over time, that has come to help in these situations, and the transition from league to league doesn’t seem nearly as daunting any more.
“When you're younger coming in, you're just thinking about getting into the lineup and skating as fast as you can everywhere and always making an impression,” Hinostroza said. “I think as you get older, you realize you're not going to score every shift. Sometimes you have 10 shifts where you're just dumping it in, chasing it forward, checking, and the 16th shift, you go out there and get a bounce and you score a goal. So, [it’s not] trying to force things. Let things come to you and taking what you have, not trying to force it. I think that consistency has been a big part of growing for me.”
Depending on the length of his stay, Hinostroza may see his lead in the AHL scoring race disappear. But if that’s the case, that only means things are working out in Nashville - and no one would mind that.
“He’s matured…and he’s been around quite a while, he's played a lot of games at our level, and he's played good at our level,” Brunette said. “So, I think your expectation is that he won't be overwhelmed in situations. It’s not like his first game or his first call-up. He’s gone through this, so I expect to see Vinnie being Vinnie.”
