IMO the idea is alright. The issue is Hoffman is already 28 and he will be in the down turn of his career soon and the Oilers are still 3-4 years away from competing. If Hoffman was a few years younger I think it makes a lot of sense. At the moment? No, Oilers too far away from a cup.
What's the plan in EDM if being too far away from the cup to make the team better is the mentality though? I don't follow every other team with the same amount of dedication as I do the Senators, so has there been something put out there that pinpoints the Oilers plan on taking a few steps back to try and rebuild?
The reality is, Hoffman gives the Oilers a cost controlled winger who under Guy Boucher over the last two seasons has put up an average of 27 goals per 82 games on a team with an awful PP that plays an offensively stifling system.
What could he do on Edmonton under a more offensive system playing with McDavid? The last time Hoffman played in a run and gun system (Dave Cameron) he put up 26 ES goals his first season which was 8th in the entire league (Tarasenko had 29, Ovechkin 28), Hoffman then put up 23 ES goals in his 2nd season.
He's signed for two more seasons at just a shade above 5M. EDM is not giving up futures for him, they are making a hockey trade in this scenario. So even if he walks in 2 years, they get two years out of him at a below market value cap.
Now, if you disagree that Hoffman in and RNH out is a better fit for EDM, then all this is irrelevant. But this post is in response to people who seem to agree it is a better fit but only if EDM gets additional value in the form of futures from OTT. It doesn't mean OTT loses, but in this scenario, I think EDM wins. They get the better fit for two years at a very manageable cap hit. They also get a player whose past goal totals dictate that he might not be playing under a coach that allows his strengths to work in his favour.