Things for the Minnesota Wild in the current season have been mixed. Indeed, the team has high hopes of getting into the Stanley Cup playoffs and might even have a chance to put their hands on the cup, but there’s one big flaw. They have been missing many of their major players that make up the proper roster, and it has been an ongoing issue for the team.

However, to counter the recent string of players being unable to play in the squad, either for injury or for suspension, the Wild have acquired a certain center from another team. And what is the new player’s reaction? They are really excited to be part of the team for the rest of the season.

The Minnesota Wild will be facing the Carolina Hurricanes tonight at Xcel Energy Center, and it will be a home game that many will be looking forward to, especially Vinnie Hinostroza, who was claimed off waivers from the Nashville Predators recently. And what’s his take on this?

“Yeah, I think it was a quick turnaround, but I’m really happy to be here; you know, everything was set up so nicely, getting here yesterday, and coming in and coming to the rink. Meeting the guys, the coaching staff, and everyone. This is a great place, it seems, and I’m happy to be here,” said the star center, as seen on the NHL’s official website.

Comparing the Predators with the Wild, there is a big difference. One is struggling to even secure wins, and the other is giving a tough time to top teams in the NHL and aiming for the playoffs. Indeed, for Hinostroza, it’s an upgrade. Furthermore, he clears the air on his coming to Minnesota, stating, “Anytime you get picked up by a team, it feels good, you know. Obviously, they saw something in me that thinks I can help here in whatever aspect that may be, so I’m just looking to, you know, to me in this team and help them along the way.”

Clearly, the Predators wanted him gone, for which they had him on waivers, and the Wild took the opportunity. This will also be a big chance for the player to prove himself on the rink, and he is determined, as he shares the same goals as the team. Due to their major players’ extended absences, the Wild might calm down with this addition, but there are many possibilities.

Concerns grew for the Minnesota Wild

In the standings, the Minnesota Wild are in the third position of the Central Division with 66 points after playing 54 games, where they have had 31 wins, 19 losses, and 4 overtime losses. However, the Colorado Avalanche, trailing in 4th place with 64 points, is gaining ground on them. The Wild have a goal to get to the playoffs, and they just can’t risk this position.

However, they have lost many players; for example, recently, their star forward Ryan Hartman received a whopping ten-game suspension after roughing Ottawa Senators’ Tim Stutzle, who got a cut above his eyebrows after the Wild player pushed him down the ice. The same goes for Kirill Kaprizov, who also tends to miss a lot of games, owing to undergoing surgery.

The list doesn’t end for the Wild there, as there are other players on injury reserve like Jakub Lauko, Jonas Brodin, and Marcus Johansson. So who exactly will Vinnie Hinostroza be replacing? They have brought him in to replace their center Lauko, who recently sustained a lower-body injury. Indeed, there will be a lot of responsibilities on Hinostroza’s hands, and the Wild fans will be excited to see him debut with the team tonight.