What do you expect from: #29 Vinnie Hinostroza?

[dudacek]

Small, fast and plucky, Hinostroza was a longshot drafted in 2012 by the Chicago Blackhawks out of the USHL in the 6th round. Three years later he was leading Notre Dame in scoring, skating with old friends like Anders Bjork, Cal Petersen and Conor Hurley.

He signed with the Hawks and after one very good season in the minors made the jump to the NHL, where he's spent most of his time as a middle six forward. In 2018, he was traded to Arizona as an incentive to take on the Marian Hossa contract and responded with his best season, 16 goals and 39 points.

He's a product of the Chicago suburbs and played for Don Granato when he was an assistant with the Blackhawks.

https://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=130908

Coming out of the pandemic shutdown, Hinostroza was not qualified in Arizona, and reunited with former Hawks coach Joel Quenville in Florida. It didn't work out. He failed to crack the regular lineup and was traded back to Chicago at the deadline, where he saved his season and maybe his career with 12 points in 17 games.

What do you expect from Hinostroza this season?

[Pimlach]

A JAG on a team filled with them.  

[Weave]

I expect nothing.  Then again I expect nothing from half the lineup this season.

[GASabresIUFAN]

JAG but with possible positive performance over last season.

[French Collection]

I voted 4th liner which is a JAG, in my opinion.

Non JAG 4th liners excel at something like PK, checking assignments, critical face offs or fighting.

[LabattBlue]

Can he play goalie? 😈

[K-9]

Hart contender. Nothing less. Then again, I’m easy to please.

[inkman]

I expect I’ll call him Hiney-Stroka anytime he does anything of note on the ice 

[msw2112]

The option I would have picked, if available, would be "Useful BOTTOM-6 production with speed and effort that help establish a team identity."  He seems like a guy that plays with hustle and heart and has a little bit of offensive upside.  He probably isn't a good enough player to warrant 2nd line minutes, but can contribute on 3rd and 4th lines.  Guys like this are needed (think Curtis Lazar), but you can't win with them on our top 2 lines.  You need to fill out those lines with the more talented guys.

[PerreaultForever]

Nothing. very little. why is this even a question?

[Curt]

Where is the all star breakout season option?

[spndnchz]

Who?

[dudacek]

I look at the depth chart and I can see him getting a lot of ice time this year.

I think he'll be like Torrey Mitchell and Bryan Flynn during the tank years: you can't fault his effort but he won't accomplish much.

[klos1963]

I watched him play a lot here in AZ, he's actually a pretty decent player. Not top 6, but a solid player. You will notice him out there, he contributes, but he's limited.

2 hours ago, dudacek said:

I look at the depth chart and I can see him getting a lot of ice time this year.

I think he'll be like Torrey Mitchell and Bryan Flynn during the tank years: you can't fault his effort but he won't accomplish much.

definitely higher end than Flynn, Vinnie is a 30-40 point player over a full season.

[dudacek]

17 minutes ago, klos1963 said:

I watched him play a lot here in AZ, he's actually a pretty decent player. Not top 6, but a solid player. You will notice him out there, he contributes, but he's limited.

definitely higher end than Flynn, Vinnie is a 30-40 point player over a full season.

I hope so. He had it in him, and given what he did to finish the year in Chicago, he still does.

[Doohicksie]

He's a glue guy that complements any line.

[Norcal]

After watching him play a couple times in some meaningless games I'd say he will be an energy guy and hard forechecker who will pot a few similar but hopefully better than Reider. 

[Andrew Amerk]

1 hour ago, Doohickie said:

He's a glue guy that complements any line.

Are you sniffing the glue?