Nashville Predators Lose Vinnie Hinostroza To Division Rival

Vinnie Hinostroza's time with the Nashville Predators is officially over, as the Minnesota Wild have claimed him off waivers.

The #mnwild has claimed forward Vinnie Hinostroza off waivers from the Nashville Predators and placed forward Jakub Lauko (lower-body) on Injured Reserve.
— Minnesota Wild PR (@mnwildPR) February 5, 2025

Seeing the Wild snag another depth forward is entirely understandable. Wild forward Ryan Hartman was recently handed a big 10-game suspension, so bringing in an experienced player like Hinostroza makes sense for Minnesota. In addition, fellow Wild forward Jakub Lauko has been placed on injured reserve

Hinostroza, 30, played in 13 games this season with the Predators before this waiver claim, where he had two assists and an even plus/minus rating. Down in the AHL with the Milwaukee Admirals, he was dominant, as evidenced by his 11 goals and 33 points in just 26 contests.

Hinostroza will now provide the Wild with another solid option for their bottom six, as he is can play both down the middle and on the wing.

In 387 games split between the Chicago Blackhawks, Arizona Coyotes, Florida Panthers, Buffalo Sabres, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Predators over 10 NHL seasons, Hinostroza has 54 goals, 153 points, and 266 hits.

It will be interesting to see how much of an impact he can make with the Wild from here.