Minnesota Wild trade Vinnie Hinostroza to Florida Panthers for future considerations

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Daniel Lucente
March 6, 2026 (1:14 PM)

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Photo credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

Michael Russo had it first, and the Minnesota Wild made it official fast, Vinnie Hinostroza is headed to the Florida Panthers for future considerations.

Hinostroza is 31, a former Penguin, and a former Panther too. Chicago drafted him in 2012, round 6, pick 169.

His cap hit is just $775,000, and his two-year deal expires after this season. There are no clauses attached, so this is pure depth math.

For Florida, the fit is simple. He brings pace, forecheck pressure, and a cheap right-shot option for the bottom six.

For Minnesota, this opens one more roster spot before Friday gets louder. Bill Guerin already added Michael McCarron and Jeff Petry this week.

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Hinostroza gave the Wild honest depth after they claimed him off waivers from Nashville on February 5. He chipped in 3-7-10 in 48 games this season.

That is not top-six offense, but it is real utility. He won draws, skated both center and wing, and kept shifts moving.

Panthers fans will probably shrug at first, and that is fair. This is a margins move, not a headline swing.

Still, those moves matter in April. Florida plays Detroit on Friday, and Hinostroza now looks like extra cover for that push.

He knows the room and the market from his earlier Panthers stop. That lowers the adjustment cost right away.

The bigger Wild angle is cap and roster flexibility. Minnesota turned a waiver pickup into an asset slot, even if the return is tiny.

This one will not own the deadline, but it could still help both clubs by the next game, and that is usually how smart depth deals age.

Previously on HockeyUnplugged

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MARS 6\|91 ANSWERS Minnesota Wild trade Vinnie Hinostroza to Florida Panthers for future considerations Did Vinnie Hinostroza make the Florida Panthers better for the playoff push?
Yes	32	35.2 %
No	59	64.8 %
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