A former Panthers forward returning via trade. The details
The Florida Panthers have made a second trade with the Minnesota Wild in as many days ahead of the NHL’s 3 p.m. trade deadline.
This time, though, a former Panthers player (albeit with just a brief stint with the team) is returning to South Florida.
The Panthers have acquired forward Vinnie Hinostroza and will be sending unspecified future considerations back to Minnesota, the team announced Friday.
“He’s got a lot of speed, he’s got some skill and plays hard,” Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito said. “He’s a kind of a jack-of-all-trades, not dissimilar from Roddy [Evan Rodrigues]. I think Vinnie can play center. He can play wing. He could jump around the lineup, and he’s fast. And he’s been here before. So that one was pretty seamless.”
Hinostroza, 31, is in the final year of a two-year deal that has an average annual value of $775,000. The veteran has played in 460 NHL games across 11 seasons, producing 171 points (62 goals, 109 assists).
Nine of those games came with the Panthers during the 2020-21 season — the first season under Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito — before he was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks on April 2, 2021, for Brad Morrison.
The Panthers on Thursday traded defenseman Jeff Petry to the Wild for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft.
More Panthers moves
In addition to acquiring Hinostroza, Florida also claimed forward Cole Reinhardt off waivers from the Vegas Golden Knights on Friday.
The 26-year-old forward has played in 44 games this season for Vegas, producing seven points (three goals, four assists). He is under contract through the 2026-27 season.
Florida on Friday also sent forward Sandis Vilmanis and defenseman Tobias Bjornfot to the Charlotte Checkers, a move that allows them to be eligible for the Calder Cup Playoffs. They are able to be recalled to the Panthers at any time.
This story was originally published March 6, 2026 at 12:51 PM.
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