Wild 2024-25 Grade Reports: Liam Öhgren & Vinnie Hinostroza

He only played one more game than Öhgren but had four more hits for 28. He had seven blocked shots, an alarming 19 giveaways, and just seven takeaways. It’s hard to say if Hinostroza will be back next season, but he’ll need to fix those numbers if he is. 

Hinostroza Small Postseason Presence 

Hinostroza played just one game in the postseason when Marcus Johansson was injured in Game 3. He had one game to make an impression, and although he didn’t accrue any points, he did have one shot on goal. On the downside, he took a penalty early in that game, which led to the game’s first goal for the Vegas Golden Knights. 

He had one hit and one blocked shot with zero giveaways or takeaways. He played almost 12 minutes, and that was it for his postseason as Johansson returned in the next game, and Hinostroza was back on the sidelines. 

While Hinostroza played one game in the postseason, Öhgren came up to join the team if needed, but never got the call to suit up. It was close, but he watched the games instead of playing. Again, he’s young, so he’ll have time to join the team, possibly as early as next season if all goes well. 

Öhgren & Hinostroza’s Overall Grades

They didn’t have much time in the regular season, but they both made an impact when in the lineup. Öhgren didn’t put up a lot of points, but he does have a future in the lineup, and from the little bit fans saw of him this season, it looks promising. He will only get better the longer he’s in the lineup. He earned a B+, and although that may seem high for his short season and stats, he has a bright future and did well with his small amount of time in the lineup. 

Öhgren wasn’t given enough time to acclimate to the roster, but he adjusted as quickly as possible. It wasn’t any higher because he has much potential and still makes some mistakes to improve. However, it wasn’t lower because he did do well for being so young and playing without showing any nerves. 

Hinostroza had a similar impact when he joined the lineup and gave the roster a breath of fresh air after having to deal with a suspension. He tried to have an immediate impact, and he was noticed. He earned a B because he could’ve done better, but also could’ve done worse. He didn’t have much time to adjust to the lineup, but did well with the situation he was given. Hopefully, if he sticks around, he can do more. 

It’ll be interesting to see the future of these two players. One is a young, up-and-coming player looking to make a roster spot, and the other is an experienced veteran hoping to keep a spot on the team and not switch again. Hopefully, the Wild can find a way to make them both work and see their future unfold.