GENEVA, Ill. — Vinnie Hinostroza had a lot of time to think as he traveled from Russia back to the United States following the IIHF World Championship a few months ago.



The 22-year-old Hinostroza played in 10 games for the U.S. team and held his own against some of the world’s top players.



As the hours passed on his flight home, Hinostroza thought about what he had just experienced and how he wanted more. In his first professional season, Hinostroza made his NHL debut for the Chicago Blackhawks, led the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs in points and was picked to participate in the Worlds. For his second season, he’s out to be a permanent NHL player.



“Russia was kind of a taste of being in the NHL,” Hinostroza said recently at the Acme World Sports camp at the Fox Valley Ice Arena. “You get treated real well. You’re playing with all NHL players. Coming back from that, you have a long nine-hour flight and kind of just...