Dan Hinote

American ice hockey player and coach

Daniel Chester Hinote (born January 30, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey player and current assistant coach for the Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League. He finished his playing career playing for Modo Hockey of the Swedish Elitserien. Though born in Florida, he was raised in Rogers, a small town near Elk River, Minnesota, where he attended Elk River High School.

Hinote accepted an appointment to the United States Military Academy in 1995, and initially planned on a career with the FBI. He left the Academy in 1996 when he became the first NHL player ever to be drafted from West Point when the Colorado Avalanche selected him in the 7th round (167th overall pick) of the 1996 NHL Entry Draft. Hinote subsequently spent one and a half seasons playing major junior hockey for the Oshawa Generals of the OHL before turning pro with Colorado's AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears, midway through the 1997–98 season. Hinote cracked the Avs' roster in the 1999–2000 season out of training camp, but spent most of that season in Hershey before making the NHL roster for good the next season. Though he would only score once during that brief call up in 1999 2000, the goal itself marked the first time a Florida born player ever scored an NHL goal. Hinote demonstrated good offensive potential as an NCAA, OHL and AHL player. However, at the NHL level he has been known more for his defensive skills and efficient penalty killing than for scoring. Hinote was a member of the Stanley Cup champion Avalanche in 2001. In 2004–05, Hinote joined Modo Hockey of the Swedish Elitserien during the NHL lockout. On July 3, 2006, Hinote signed a multi year contract with the St. Louis Blues as an unrestricted free agent. A shoulder injury limited Hinote to only 41 games in his first season with the Blues. A recurring hip injury caused him to miss 24 games during the 2007–08 season. On September 4, 2009, it was announced that Hinote would participate in the San Jose Sharks training camp for the 2009–10 season. He did not make the roster and was released by the Sharks on September 27, 2009. On November 18, 2009, Hinote signed a one year contract with MoDo Hockey in the Swedish Elitserien, the club he played for during the 2004–05 NHL lockout.