Chicago Blackhawks forward Vinnie Hinostroza underwent a successful sports hernia surgery Wednesday, reports Scott Powers of The Athletic.
Powers adds that Hinostroza will not play for the United States men’s national hockey team at next month’s World Championship in Denmark.
Hinostroza, 24, scored seven goals and assisted on 18 others in 50 NHL games this past season. He started the 2017-18 campaign in the AHL with the Rockford IceHogs, and recorded 22 points (nine goals, 13 assists) in 23 games. Once he was recalled in December, the undersized forward (5-foot-9, 173-pounder) saw time in Chicago’s bottom-six forward corps.
Hinostroza is set to become a restricted free agent this summer once his three-year entry-level contract, with a $717,500 salary cap hit, expires. Chicago drafted the Bartlett, Illinois native in sixth round in 2012. The Hawks signed him after his sophomore season at Notre Dame.
Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said during the team’s exit interviews Monday that he plans to re-sign Hinostroza.
Bowman has cap space to spend, but several young players up for new deals next summer: “Our No. 1 priority as we move forward is to make sure we can keep these young players: DeBrincat, Schmaltz and Hinostroza and some other young players. That’s the direction we’re headed.”
— Mark Lazerus (@MarkLazerus) April 9, 2018