Player Discussion Mike Hoffman - (The $5.2 Million Dollar Man)

Agent Zub

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Hoffman is put on the 3rd line because he is one of two forwards we have that can make a difference by themselves.
 

Tnuoc Alucard

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Which is extremely frustrating, considering how long people had been questioning putting our best goalscorer, who isn't good defensively, on a shutdown line.

It flies in the face of reason, but for some reason was a continued practice.


What?

It makes perfect sense to put Hoffman, who you admit is lacking defensively, on a line with two much more defensively responsible forwards........... so he can take the occasional "risk" and perhaps score...... and have two players back him up when he does.


It's just a logical to put one defensively responsible forward with two offensively skilled forwards, to give them the same "backup" when they take a risk or two.

This type of line balancing is done by all teams in the league.

Yeah, sometimes during the course of game, situational demand calls for more offense and teams will unite their three better offensive threats on a line to spark some offense ............. just as when protecting a lead calls for a complete line of "shutdown" players ......... like late in last night's game.
 

BondraTime

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What?

It makes perfect sense to put Hoffman, who you admit is lacking defensively, on a line with two much more defensively responsible forwards........... so he can take the occasional "risk" and perhaps score...... and have two players back him up?


It's just a logical to put one defensively responsible forward with two offensively skilled forwards, to give them the same "backup" when they take a risk or two.

This type of line balancing is done by all teams in the league.

Yeah, sometimes during the course of game, situational demand calls for more offense and teams will unite their three better offensive threats on a line to spark some offense ............. just as when protecting a lead calls for a complete line of "shutdown" players ......... like late in last night's game.


Yes, it makes perfect sense to put your best goal scorer who sucks at defense on the shutdown line.

"Let's limit his offensive chances, where he thrives, and increase his defensive responsibilities, where he lacks, by placing him on a shutdown line, real smart".

Jesus Christ man....
 
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Micklebot

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Hoffman is put on the 3rd line because he is one of two forwards we have that can make a difference by themselves.

Why not put him on the 4th line then....

Fact is, he'll have an easier time making that difference in the top 6, and the 3rd line will have an easier time shutting down the oppositions top lines with a guy better suited for that role.

You put guys in roles and situations where they are most likely to succeed.
 

Agent Zub

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Why not put him on the 4th line then....

Fact is, he'll have an easier time making that difference in the top 6, and the 3rd line will have an easier time shutting down the oppositions top lines with a guy better suited for that role.

You put guys in roles and situations where they are most likely to succeed.

I agree. I'd rather Hoffman play with skill.

We ran Spezza out of town partly imo because we kept giving him greenings and butlers as limemates.

lines should operate as duos where there are two offensive players with creativity supported by a speedy grinding bottom six player who can hold possession.
 

Micklebot

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If the third line wasn't used in a line matching shutdown role and was more of a scoring third, I'd have less issue with it, but Hoffman should not be tasked with shutting down the likes of McDavid or Crosby, nor should he be sacrificing defence to take offensive risks against those guys.

The Ducks didn't put Dustin Penner with Pahlsson and Moen back in 07, the put R. Neidermayer out there.
 

Micklebot

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I agree. I'd rather Hoffman play with skill.

We ran Spezza out of town partly imo because we kept giving him greenings and butlers as limemates.

lines should operate as duos where there are two offensive players with creativity supported by a speedy grinding bottom six player who can hold possession.

The difference between putting Greening out there with Spezza, and Hoffman out their with Pageau/Pyatt was the roles. Greening was out there being asked to go to the net and help create the havoc needed to score some goals. His role was still offensive, and his game was at least somewhat suited to his specific role on that line (big body that goes to the net with speed so that Spezza could bounce passes off his stick and into the net). Hoffman's skillset doesn't really add to the lines role. He's asked to make offense happen on a line that is out there to prevent it. He's working against the grain the entire time he's on that line.
 
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Beville

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What a stupid ass comment.

Now do the rest of the team.
Why? $472k a goal and on pace for a career low 22. Dzingel has more goals. As a “pure scorer” he should be doing a lot better, and for that price tag should definitely be doing a lot better.

I don’t care if the team sucks, he needs to elevate his play - big time. Especially for such a one dimensional player.
 
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Tnuoc Alucard

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Yes, it makes perfect sense to put your best goal scorer who sucks at defense on the shutdown line.

"Let's limit his offensive chances, where he thrives, and increase his defensive responsibilities, where he lacks, by placing him on a shutdown line, real smart".

Jesus Christ man....


when they were putting Hoffman on the third line, he was not playing a "shutdown" role, he was an offensive threat, and had a little more room playing with two defensively responsible (other) forwards, and usually playing vs the opponents' third pairing D........

Yes it was real smart, as it lead to a number of scoring chances, and goals.
 
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BondraTime

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when they were putting Hoffman on the third line, he was not playing a "shutdown" role, he was an offensive threat, and had a little more room playing with two defensively responsible (other) forwards, and usually playing vs the opponents' third pairing D........

Yes it was real smart, as it lead to a number of scoring chances, and goals.

The Ottawa Senators folks, the only team in the league where you are better off offensively playing on a shutdown line than you are with skilled players in the top 6.

I know you'll spin it off to show how I'm just a "fan" and condescendingly (ironically) "prove" me wrong, so I'll await it.
 
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Tnuoc Alucard

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The Ottawa Senators folks, the only team in the league where you are better off offensively playing on a shutdown line than you are with skilled players in the top 6.

I know you'll spin it off to show how I'm just a "fan" and condescendingly (ironically) "prove" me wrong, so I'll await it.




Look, at the time, early in the season, he was not up to par defensively, in the Coaches' eye to play in the top 6.

So would you suggest they have just made him a healthy scratch, rather than having him play on the third line ......... the third line, not the "shutdown line" AKA the fourth line, the third line, with two more defensively responsible forwards????
 
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BondraTime

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Look, at the time, early in the season, he was not up to par defensively, in the Coaches' eye to play in the top 6.

So would you suggest they have just made him a healthy scratch, rather than having him play on the third line ......... the third line, not the "shutdown line" AKA the fourth line, the third line, with two more defensively responsible forwards????
Well, you thinking the 4th line is the shutdown line is enough for me to not bother responding further than this.
 
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JungleBeat

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Such an under appreciated player for the Sens, I’m going to miss him. There are no valid reasons to trade him.
 

bigsby

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His 5v5 goals are on par with last year, it's his powerplay goals that have plummeted. Assists are fairly similar in both categories.

He only had 26 goals last year. It's not inconceivable to think he can get 15 in the remaining 40 games.
 

DrEasy

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His 5v5 goals are on par with last year, it's his powerplay goals that have plummeted. Assists are fairly similar in both categories.

He only had 26 goals last year. It's not inconceivable to think he can get 15 in the remaining 40 games.
We're just not using Hoff properly on the PP anymore. Why are we over-complicating things? Dude needs to stand at the Hoffice (on the right side dot) with his stick in the air and shoot at will. Score a goal or break some legs, let others handle the rebounds. Leave it to Karlsson and others to move the goalie and the defense from side to side and set him up when the time is right, which it actually always is.

I don't care if it's predictable, since there's no defense against it. Block his shots at your peril.
 

DrEasy

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I didn't mind the idea of playing him with Pageau, but I think the problem is that Pageau has been very invisible this year for some reason. I think the 2016 version of Pageau and Pyatt could be a good line for Hoff.
 

Burrowsaurus

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Why? $472k a goal and on pace for a career low 22. Dzingel has more goals. As a “pure scorer” he should be doing a lot better, and for that price tag should definitely be doing a lot better.

I don’t care if the team sucks, he needs to elevate his play - big time. Especially for such a one dimensional player.
Isn’t he in pace for 60 points. Half way through the season. What you’re asking for or hoping for doesn’t cost just 5 million.
 

Ice-Tray

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He's a quality complimentary piece, that if we can trade for a couple of young core pieces I would be interested (STL deal around Thomas/Kyrou), other than that we're better off keeping him.

All the money and budget stuff aside, it's the exact "sell-high" time for him, so if we're going to move him in a season we suck, now's the time, and we do it for a couple assets that have a good chance to develop into the same or better caliber player in the near future.

A playoff team will offer up a couple of good young assets for him, and if one is worth it we should pull the trigger. I think the real issue is not whether Hoffman should be traded, it's whether our GM can get a return that we're excited about.
 

Nac Mac Feegle

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Why? $472k a goal and on pace for a career low 22. Dzingel has more goals. As a “pure scorer” he should be doing a lot better, and for that price tag should definitely be doing a lot better.

I don’t care if the team sucks, he needs to elevate his play - big time. Especially for such a one dimensional player.

He's a pure scorer, which means he relies on a playmaker to get him the puck. That ain't anyone on the third line. He can't do his job if he doesn't have the puck on his stick.
 
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Tundraman

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I'd keep Hoff since they need the goals. No other forward has his shot he just needs better puck retrievers to set him up and his line to play a more aggressive style. When you have a natural shooter like Hoff you need to find 2 fast physically strong board men whose job is to provide a hard and fast 2 man fore check on every shift with the main purpose of getting the puck to Hoff in a scoring zone. None of this 1 man slow glide into the o-zone with a 2nd man hanging back at the blue line trying to protect a deficit like we see so often to keep the score close. Stone is a self starter and manufactures offense close to the net so he can play with tricky dickies like Brass and Duch but some perimeter scorers like Hoff need good support men suited to their game. I believe that's partly why he does ok on the 3rd line but they need to improve that line with the right people and adopt the right playing style.

There are other issues but lets start with fixing this one. Build a tenacious line that is tailored to take advantage of a pure scorer's abilities.

I fear if Dorion get rid of Hoff it will be because he can't dump enough money elsewhere in anticipation of re-signing Karlsson to a massive deal.
 

Lenny the Lynx

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This is a bit of a dumb article but it says that the Sens offered Hoffman for the Flyers 1st + Travis Sanheim (2014 17th overall pick, 35 NHL games, currently in AHL).

The angle of the story is that the Flyers balked at that - thank god they did.
 

Korpse

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This is a bit of a dumb article but it says that the Sens offered Hoffman for the Flyers 1st + Travis Sanheim (2014 17th overall pick, 35 NHL games, currently in AHL).

The angle of the story is that the Flyers balked at that - thank god they did.

What kind of return would you be expecting. Sanheim is a great prospect who is close to becoming a full time NHLer. Him and Chabot aren't that far apart for example.
 

Sens of Anarchy

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This is a bit of a dumb article but it says that the Sens offered Hoffman for the Flyers 1st + Travis Sanheim (2014 17th overall pick, 35 NHL games, currently in AHL).

The angle of the story is that the Flyers balked at that - thank god they did.

For me, If they trade Karlsson for mostly futures, they should trade Hoffman as well and tear it all down. If Karlsson stays , so would Hoffman.
For info on Sanheim.. Looks like he's ready for the next step... A mid first and Sanheim ... could be worse.
February Phantoms Report: It’s the Travis Sanheim show
 

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