After an eventful 2018 offseason which saw Hoffman traded twice on the same day, the former Ottawa Senator is set to start his career as a Panther this season. Off-ice drama aside, Hoffman was a terrific winger during his time in Ottawa, scoring 104 goals and 224 points over the last four years. He has become a serious threat on the man advantage, posting 21 goals and 47 points over the past two seasons alone. The 28-year-old Ontario native is expected to see a familiar role in Florida, slotting in as a top-six winger and likely carving out a spot on the No. 1 power-play unit as well. All told, Hoffman figures to remain a consistent 20-25 goal scorer with 50-plus points during the 2018-19 campaign.
Hoffman had his best year as a pro in 2016-17, setting career highs in assists (35) and points (61) in 74 games with the Senators. The 27-year-old winger was one of Ottawa’s most potent offensive weapons last season, ranking second on the team in scoring behind Norris Trophy finalist Erik Karlsson. A 2009 fifth-round pick who’s made good, Hoffman is locked into a top-six role and is also a key member of the team’s top power-play unit. He racked up 26 of his 61 points while skating with the man advantage, averaging a notable 3:11 of power-play ice time per game. There’s no reason to believe Hoffman won't return to the same role this season, so he should be able to surpass the 60-point threshold for a second consecutive campaign in 2017-18, making him a valuable asset in all fantasy formats.
With coach Dave Cameron out of Ottawa, Hoffman's future just got slightly brighter. Even with his best performance as a pro – 29 tallies, 30 assists and 242 shots on goal – the Canadian winger found himself in the doghouse late in the season, putting a dent in a potential 60-plus-point campaign. New coach Guy Boucher is familiar with the 26-year-old, as he coached him in the QMJHL, so don’t expect him to be held back anymore. Hoffman has the potential for 30-plus goals skating with newcomer Derick Brassard and Bobby Ryan, especially if he continues to launch the puck and see power-play time – and there's no reason he shouldn't. If he’s rewarded with a top-line position, the sky's the limit for Hoffman as he enters his third full NHL campaign.
After getting stuck in the AHL for most of the last four seasons, Hoffman was starting to look like he was on the path to being a career minor leaguer. But a dominating AHL campaign in 2013-14 (30 goals and 67 points in just 51 games) earned him a job with the Senators, and last year, that gig turned into a 27-goal, 48-point season in Ottawa. Hoffman has an outstanding shot, and he's not afraid to use it -- after he fired 199 pucks on net despite averaging only 14:33 of ice time last year, it's easy to imagine Hoffman's shot total spiking to 250 or higher with the top-six minutes he'll likely enjoy this year. It won't be surprising if Hoffman clears 30 goals and supplants Clarke MacArthur as the Senators' top-line left wing this season.
Hoffman recorded 13 goals and 15 assists to go along with 38 PIM in 41 games last year for AHL Binghamton, but failed to crack the scoresheet in three contests with the Senators. He will likely spend most of the year down in the AHL again in 2013-14, but could fill a need for Ottawa if injuries occur.
Hoffman is an under-the-radar left winger who could be very close to earning a regular position in the NHL in Ottawa depending on how well his training camp goes. He's fast, highly skilled, and has put in exactly two years with the Binghamton Senators. The 22-year-old Hoffman lead the B-Sens in scoring last season, notching 21 goals and 28 assists in 76 games.
Hoffman should spend most of the 2011-12 season with Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Binghamton, but if he shows the progress he made during the 2011 AHL Playoffs, he has an outside chance of seeing a few games with the big club if injuries occur to Ottawa's forward ranks. The former Saint John Sea Dog and 2010 QMJHL MVP, Hoffman is one of the most purely skilled offensive forwards in Ottawa's system. While he doesn't garner much attention as he was a late round pick in 2009 (130th overall), he has all the tools to excel at the NHL level--on-ice vision, hands, and speed. Hoffman grew up a lot in his first full pro season with Binghamton, and will be counted on to take his game to the next level after he stepped up his play during the Baby Sens' 2011 AHL playoff run with nine points in 19 games, with many of the points coming in important situations.
Hoffman possesses elite offensive skills with a fantastic NHL-caliber shot. He's also extremely quick on his skates with speed to burn. He turned a lot of heads with his performance during Ottawa's rookie tournament in September, but he'll need to put on about 15-20 pounds of muscle in order to handle the more physically demanding NHL. Hoffman should start in the AHL in 2010-11 and will likely need at least a full year or two with Binghamton before he becomes a fulltime NHLer. He has tremendous potential, but needs a top-6 role to reach it.
Will likely begin the 2010-11 season with Ottawa's AHL affiliate in Binghamton.
