The Nashville Predators placed forward Vinnie Hinostroza on waivers Tuesday, likely for the purpose of reassignment to the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals. Hinostroza began the season in Milwaukee, where he led the AHL in scoring with 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) by the time Nashville recalled him at the end of December. He has since appeared in 13 games for the Predators, recording a pair of assists and averaging 11:32 of ice time per game during that span. A sixth-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2012, Hinostroza signed a two-year, $1.55 million contract with the Predators this past summer after spending last season in the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. His placement on waivers could be an indication that one or both of Nashville's injured forwards, Luke Evangelista (day-to-day, lower-body) and Mark Jankowski (week-to-week, upper-body), are close to returning. Both Evangelista and Jankowski skated with the team Monday morning, but neither was on the ice for Tuesday's full team practice. Nashville Predators forward Jonathan Marchessault speaks to the media following the team's 5-2 loss to the Ottawa Senators at Bridgestone Arena. If he clears waivers, Hinostroza will be assigned to the Admirals, whose season resumes Friday after the AHL All-Star break. The 30-year-old was actually selected to represent Milwaukee at the 2025 All-Star Classic this week, but he was replaced by forward Joakim Kemell while he was playing with Nashville. The Admirals were also represented by goaltender Matt Murray at the event. The Predators' next game is scheduled for Friday against the Chicago Blackhawks. The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. CT at United Center, and the game will be broadcast regionally on FanDuel Sports Network South and on ESPN+ for out-of-market customers in the United States. Visit The Hockey News Nashville Predators [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/] team site to stay updated on the latest news [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/latest-news], game day [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/game-day] coverage, player features [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/players], podcasts [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/nashville-predators/podcasts] and more.
