Mike Hoffman is the Key to the Ottawa Senators’ Offseason
By Ian Smith
The most pressing question of this offseason for the Ottawa Senators involves the fate of Mike Hoffman.
The speedy sniper lead the team in goals last season with 29 and was 3rd on the squad with 59 points.
He doesn’t offer much as a defensive forward, but his goal scoring ability is special, albeit a little inconsistent.
Hoffman’s contract situation is still somewhat unsettled. The Senators tendered the restricted free agent on a qualifying offer. What happens next is to be determined, but the Senators can match any offer he receives from another team.
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Hoffman and the team went to salary arbitration last season. He was looking for a one-year deal worth $3.4 million, and the team was seeking a one-year, $1.75 million contract.
Hoffman was eventually awarded a one-year deal worth $2 million. That was the contract he played under while scoring 29 goals, establishing himself as an absolute bargain.
Along with Hoffman’s status as the most talented goal scorer on the roster and the Senators’ ability to match offers, another important factor is seemingly working in his favor towards a return.
The Senators hired Guy Boucher to replace Dave Cameron as head coach for this upcoming season.
Boucher coached Hoffman from 2007-2009 with the Drummondville Voltiguers of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Boucher is a huge fan of Hoffman, and it makes sense that the Senators’ front office considered this connection.
Hoffman appears to be on an upward trajectory. He scored 2 more goals and had 9 more assists in 1 less game this past season compared to 2014-2015.
Hoffman has the talent to score 35-40 goals per season in this league, and the Senators would feel awful if they lost him before he could reach that potential. Nothing is so cruel as to watch a former player develop into a superstar with another team.
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Consistency will be key for Hoffman, as he’s prone to long goal scoring droughts mixed in with prolific streaks of lighting the lamp. The Senators would really enjoy having him continue his improvement in Ottawa instead of elsewhere.