by Jason Karnosky | AHL On The Beat
The Milwaukee Admirals are fielding a point guard this season.
Vinnie Hinostroza he is the type of player who can change a game with his speed or his shooting, or making the impossible pass. He also leads the American Hockey League in scoring a quarter of the way through the 2024-25 season.
“Because Vinnie makes a lot of plays, he's the type of guy that makes other players better and the whole team better,” said his Admirals teammate. Cal O'Reilly said. “He is very talented, especially in the game of sharpening. He's been a great addition to us.”
With Hinostroza on the streak, the Admirals lost their first game of 2024-25 before reeling off eight straight victories to clinch the AHL's top spot in October. The 10-year champion had points in each of those victories, and had a nine-point streak that lasted until Nov. 9.
“I want to help my team win, and I was hot in the beginning,” said Hinostroza, who is tied for the league lead with 28 points in 21 contests. “The last few games have been slower than my start, but I've been trying to get back to that.”
Hinostroza has points in 17 of 21 games for Milwaukee this season. His highlight performance came on October 18 against Rockford, where he scored a goal and added three assists as the Admirals defeated the IceHogs, 6-3.
“Vinnie is like an engine out there sometimes,” the Admirals coach said Karl Taylor said. “He's just a buzzsaw, and he can really slide.”
After a year in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization, Hinostroza came to the Cream City looking for an opportunity to continue his career and play for a successful organization.
“You look at all the success they've had here in Milwaukee over the years, which has been very exciting for me and my family,” Hinostroza said. “Who doesn't want to win and be part of a good team?”
Playing in Southeast Wisconsin came with the added perk of being closer to home for the Chicago native.
“It was unreal for our family, playing here in Milwaukee,” Hinostroza said. “I was able to be at home, keep the children at school, and go here again. We were able to keep our family in one place.”
Taylor appreciates the opportunity to coach a player with extensive National Hockey League experience.
“This young man has played almost 400 games in the NHL,” said Taylor. “Vinnie wanted to go to another organization where he would be closer to home. We are very happy to have him, and his family, be a part of what we are doing here. (Also) he was showing good leadership on our bench.”
To date Hinostroza has produced 54 goals and 151 points in 374 games at the highest level of hockey. Originally drafted in the sixth round by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012, the 5-foot-10-inch forward joined his hometown team after two years of college hockey at the University of Notre Dame.
When he first turned pro, he split time between Rockford and Chicago, logging 106 NHL games with the Blackhawks from 2015-18. After his time in Chicago, Hinostroza moved on to Arizona, where he posted a 16-goal, 39-point campaign in 2018-19, and later to Florida. That was followed by a second trip to Chicago, and two seasons playing mostly NHL hockey in Buffalo (2021-23).
Last year the pitcher split time between Pittsburgh (14 games) and the AHL's Wilkes/Barre Scranton Penguins (42 games). With that impressive NHL pedigree, Hinostroza is a player Nashville is eyeing for a future call-up.
“In my opinion, the way Vinnie plays, he should be playing in the NHL because he is very good at this level,” said O'Reilly. “He is a top player and we are lucky to have him because of his goalscoring and leadership.”
Hinostroza is driving Milwaukee's offense this season. By the end of Thanksgiving the forward had scored three goals in four games and had another four-point effort in a 6-5 loss at Cleveland on November 24.
He found chemistry with many of his younger teammates, including his regular partner Reid Schaefera second-year forward who plays a completely different style of game.
“Vinnie is an NHL-caliber player, so it's fun to play with him,” Schaefer said. “He is a passer first and plays the game quickly. If I get him the puck, I know he's going to get me.”
Milwaukee has a strong history of giving senior players another chance to earn their way back to the NHL. Our veterans love it Jarred Tinordi, Colin Blackwell, Rocco Grimaldi again Mark Jankowski they are just a handful of players who have earned extended sticks in the NHL after spending time in Milwaukee over the past few seasons.
The protector Nick Blankenburg he was the latest skater to take that route back to the NHL, moving up to Nashville after 13 games in Milwaukee this season. Hinostroza may be next in line.
“We're very excited to have Vinnie,” Taylor said. “How long will we have him, who knows, especially if he continues to play the way he was. I hope he gets everything he wants this season.”
For now, Hinostroza is trying to help Milwaukee get back to playing the kind of hockey that got them off to a fast start.
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