(Photo by Mark Zeleski/AP)

As the offseason continues and we start to get anxious to see what the upcoming roster is going to look like for the Pittsburgh Penguins, one guy to keep an eye on is free agent signing Vinnie Hinostroza. 

A depth signing by Kyle Dubas, Hinostroza could be a sneaky good signing for the Penguins, who signed him to a one year deal worth $775K a month ago. 

Hinostroza has bounced around the National Hockey League over his 8 year NHL career, but at such a low cap hit, the 29 year old is a very low risk, high reward type of signing. 

Last season with the Buffalo Sabres, Hinostroza tallied 11 points in 26 games, playing a depth role within the organization. 

The previous season, his first with Buffalo, Hinostroza spent the whole season with the big club, putting up 25 points in 62 games. 

Hinostroza might best be known for his 39 point performance in Arizona back in the 2018-19 season, which was 4th on the Coyotes and just 8 points behind the team lead (if you can believe that). 

He’s been known for bursts of talent, including a 12 points in 17 game run with Chicago to close out the 2020-21 season. But what can a guy like this bring to the Penguins? 

For starters, the dude has some wheels. 

Hinostroza is a very strong and fast skater, and brings an element of speed that the Penguins have so desperately needed for years. His speed allows him to skate around defenses better and take full advantage of lapses in coverage, as he did very well here. 

Though he is noted more for his passing than his shooting, that clip also shows off some of his goal scoring ability. He is capable of a very good snipe shot, as seen both here and here, as well as the more gritty style goals, like this one he scored against the Penguins. 

Along with a decent snipe, he also has some nifty hands, including this beauty of a shootout winner. 

Seeing some of his highlights, it’s not surprising to see that Hinostroza has decent finishing stats, and the Penguins could use every ounce of offensive power in their bottom six as they can get. 

The winger is more known for his passing skill, however, racking up 95 assists in his 360 NHL games. He’s got great awareness on the ice, which allows him to use his skilled hands to find teammates on the ice. A good example of both his awareness and passing skill can be seen here, as he passes to an open Cody Eakin while driving towards the net for the goal. 

While his season numbers won’t lead your team, the guy clearly has a ton of skill, and if everything shakes right, Hinostroza could have a big year in Pittsburgh. 

He’s a nice change of pace from some of the bottom-six guys the Penguins have had in recent years, and Hinostroza is a player capable of moving up in the lineup if need be. He averaged 15:16 of ice time in his career year in Arizona, and proved he can be a middle six forward. 

In the event he does not crack the NHL team come October, his presence will be a welcome addition to the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who fell off hard last year. Hinostroza has routinely put up stellar numbers in the AHL, if he is needed there. 

But Hinostroza could provide real benefits to Pittsburgh, and as previously stated, at a league minimum deal, the risk is minuscule if things don’t work out between Vinnie and the Penguins.