Salary Cap: Buyout Hoffman: Yes or No

[lamp9post]

There is a reason why Hughes said 2-3 years. He obviously is aware he needs to wait out the bad contracts.
Zero chance anyone is bought out in that timeframe.

If Hoffman were bought out, the cap penalty would expire within that same timeframe. So why wait?

It's the smart thing to do. Clean the canvas first.

Buyout is literally cleaning the canvas. Why have Hoffman linger for another year at the expense of integrating younger players into the lineup?

So many posters can't stand this guy, yet would rather have him back for a full season just to avoid a marginal cap penalty in '24-25. I don't get it.

 

[Skip Bayless]

Buyout is literally cleaning the canvas. Why have Hoffman linger for another year at the expense of integrating younger players into the lineup?

So many posters can't stand this guy, yet would rather have him back for a full season just to avoid a marginal cap penalty in '24-25. I don't get it.

Buying out Hoffman would be a dumb move...In 2024-25, it'd cost 1.6M on the salary cap for no good reason other than "some posters can't stand the guy".

I hope Hughes never buys him out, and as a matter of fact, I hope he extends him because of what you just made me reply to.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

You need two pp units.

Tell that to Gallant. He uses the same 5 guys for 95% of the power play.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Buying out Hoffman would be a dumb move...In 2024-25, it'd cost 1.6M on the salary cap for no good reason other than "some posters can't stand the guy".

I hope Hughes never buys him out, and as a matter of fact, I hope he extends him because of what you just made me reply to.

No need for any buyout unless they need the cap for a FA and it's too early to go after the sort of FA that will be available now.

 

[lamp9post]

Buying out Hoffman would be a dumb move...In 2024-25, it'd cost 1.6M on the salary cap for no good reason other than "some posters can't stand the guy".

I hope Hughes never buys him out, and as a matter of fact, I hope he extends him because of what you just made me reply to.

Peanuts. And we won't be competing that year anyway. We still have Armia, Dvorak, Evans, Savard, Allen on the books until that point; this means the dead cap from Hoffman will expire at the same time as the aforementioned contracts. All our young D and Slaf still have 2 more years of ELC, so that cap penalty won't get in the way of any key signings in the meanwhile.

The reason (and its a good one) is that we give 82 games of NHL development to young, developing forwards rather than sunk-cost Hoffman.

 

[CDN24]

Peanuts. And we won't be competing that year anyway. We still have Armia, Dvorak, Evans, Savard, Allen on the books until that point; this means the dead cap from Hoffman will expire at the same time as the aforementioned contracts. All our young D and Slaf still have 2 more years of ELC, so that cap penalty won't get in the way of any key signings in the meanwhile.

The reason (and its a good one) is that we give 82 games of NHL development to young, developing forwards rather than sunk-cost Hoffman.

At the same time we don't want guys in the NHL too early that can better develop in Laval. Also having them in Montreal too early means they become a UFA too early in some cases.

Remember when we had way to many NHL forwards last September and ended up with 1/2 an AHL lineup all winter injuries happen. Guys will get their chance.

 

[lamp9post]

At the same time we don't want guys in the NHL too early that can better develop in Laval. Also having them in Montreal too early means they become a UFA too early in some cases.

Remember when we had way to many NHL forwards last September and ended up with 1/2 an AHL lineup all winter injuries happen. Guys will get their chance.

True, and I agree that we need to ice a roster next year and since we're rebuilding we have the "luxury" of riding out bad contracts. Whether or not we buy out Hoffman is a pretty minor decision in the big picture. However I think we need to continue building the culture and integrating players who are likely to be here for the long term, where it makes sense, and look to move on from players that clearly are not a fit. Addition by subtraction. On that balance, I see little to no benefit to bringing Hoffman back for another season.

Not too concerned about the contract situation as all of Farrell, Heineman, Kidney, and Roy are full time pros and their contracts will no longer slide regardless if they play in Montreal or Laval.

 

[Redux91]

Don't care how it's done honestly
He simply put, cannot start the season here next season,
Simple as that.

 

[Bacchus1]

4 out of 9 isn't half by my count but I am an English major so what do I know.

I was an English major and there are no whole numbers that are half of nine, so it is either 4 or 5 which is acceptable for about half of nine.

 

[26Mats]

Don't care how it's done honestly
He simply put, cannot start the season here next season,
Simple as that.

How I feel.

So may options:
1. Trade
2. Trade 50% retained
3. Trade for a worse pkayer with simi look at contract and put that worse player in Laval
4. 14th forward
5. Laval

 

[Rapala]

Buying out Hoffman would be a dumb move...In 2024-25, it'd cost 1.6M on the salary cap for no good reason other than "some posters can't stand the guy".

I hope Hughes never buys him out, and as a matter of fact, I hope he extends him because of what you just made me reply to.

Easy Skip... Be careful of what you hope for.

 

[Scintillating10]

Buying out Hoffman would be a dumb move...In 2024-25, it'd cost 1.6M on the salary cap for no good reason other than "some posters can't stand the guy".

I hope Hughes never buys him out, and as a matter of fact, I hope he extends him because of what you just made me reply to.

Gives us extra 3 million this offseason. Next year cap goes up, Edmunston be off, so will Alzner. We could absorb 1.6m easy

 

[26Mats]

Might as well trade & retain 1.5M for 1 year vs pay 1.6M cap penalty for two.

At 3M we'd get some kind of return one would think...

Or retain 50%.

 

[FerrisRox]

Hello all,

With our logjam of forwards and some young guys knocking at the door: Heineman, RHP, Ylonen, Farrell, etc plus our other regulars:
Suzuki
Caufield
Dach
Gallagher
Dvorak*
Anderson*
Evans
Armia
Pezzetta
Slafkovsky
Gurianov?

That's potentially 11 spots already taken unless Anderson and Dvorak are dealt.

To allow some of these players to make the roster, would you buy out Hoffman (based on there being no teams interested of course)?

A buyout would mean a cap penalty of 1.66M for 2 years.

Is this a no brainer?

It's a no brainer in that it would require our General Manager to have no brain if he were to do this.

 

[26Mats]

It's a no brainer in that it would require our General Manager to have no brain if he were to do this.

To me, Ylonen and RHP have to have spots in the top 12

Caufield Suzuki Slaf
RHP Dach Anderson
_____ Dvo _______
Gallagher Evans Ylonen
Pitlick, Pez
Hoffman, Armia

I rather give those two missing wing spots to Monahan and Gurianov than Hoffman and Armia. I don't see Hoffman having any trade value at the deadline even if he scores at 40 points per 82 games pace. He just comits too many turnovers. Drouin had no return even though he was producing.

 

[BargainBinSpecial]

He has one year left at a decent cap hit. If you buy him you are penalized for another year. It doesn't seem logical to do this. It's not like the Habs will go after some legit UFA and need the capspace. It's better to hold on to him and trade him for a 7th even with retention to some contender. If no takers, he walks next summer and your problem is solved.

 

[StCaufield]

I’d retain 100% of his salary for a trade lol

 

[The Real Timo]

To buy out the Great Mike Hoffman?! Hell no! He has 2 first round picks written all over him. No how, no way! How quickly y'all forget those timely goals to give Habs extra points in the standings last season. He is clutch.

 

[Habssince89]

Hoffman has more value than some might think. He's one-dimensional, but that dimension is sought after. He's the kind of player a good team will take on as a back up plan in case of injury and to help roll four lines. Easily insulated on a better squad than ours, and a little retention would be worth it. But I don't think he's anywhere near buyout territory.

I think trade is the route for him, and maybe spare one of the young guns like Ylonen in a seperate deal to bolster a weakness and relieve one more spot in the logjam.

 

[Le Barron de HF]

Hoffman has more value than some might think. He's one-dimensional, but that dimension is sought after. He's the kind of player a good team will take on as a back up plan in case of injury and to help roll four lines. Easily insulated on a better squad than ours, and a little retention would be worth it. But I don't think he's anywhere near buyout territory.

I think trade is the route for him, and maybe spare one of the young guns like Ylonen in a seperate deal to bolster a weakness and relieve one more spot in the logjam.

Performing at a sub 40 points pace with the offensive and PP minutes he gets is pathetic. Especially in today's climate with scoring at unseen levels compared to past decades. Someone like Hoffman is a liability and he ain't even using his best asset anymore; his shot. Dude barely averages 2 shots a game.

 

[26Mats]

There's no point, he's done next year and unlike Drouin, will have some value at 50% retention and be moved at deadline to a team looking to add a powerplay/shooting threat into a series if they need it.

Buying out Armia would be the more wise use of a buy-out. Gallagher's buy-out is too expensive and damaging long term, otherwise that would be the most preferable option.

I'd do Hoffman for Mantha.

Mantha has a higher cap hit, but I think he has a better chance of yielding something at the TDL if he can bounce back.

I have very little expectations for Hoffman yielding anything at the TDL. He was playing better at the end. But he's still prone to turnovers like Drouin, and I think that will scare teams away. But at least he's not as soft on the boards. Maybe he gets a 4th or a Gurianov project, but I think the odds are low of something more. And we can get 4ths and 5ths anyways just by being conduits to other deals like in the Bonino deal.

 

[River Meadow]

Keep Hoffman.

He helps the tank, and we can maybe flip him at deadline.

 

[WinterLion]

Hoffy is gonna kill it this year... top PP and lots of juicy ice time... then we trade him... for a 9th...

 

[JeffreyLFC]

What can we do with the saved cap space? Nothing. Have you seen the free agent market this year? worst that I can remember. Maybe we could get another bad contract for a draft pick? possible but not many teams have bad contract with one year term.

Basically, buying out Hoffman would serve no purpose at all... If you want him out, it's smarter to demote him to the AHL and save 900k off the cap.

Gives us extra 3 million this offseason. Next year cap goes up, Edmunston be off, so will Alzner. We could absorb 1.6m easy

What de you plan to do with that 3M? Pull a Bergevin and sit on 3M saved cap for no reason?

 

[MarkovsKnee]

During the season after pretty much every game, I was in the PGT ripping Hoffman and making posts like, "Holy shit we need to buy him out NOW! Do we really need to wait for June. Guy is awful."

"I don't care how much it costs us, we can't bring Hoffman back. f*** it, buy him out!"

"Please, please buy out Hoffman, I can't stand watching this shit another year!"

"Geezus f***ing hell, can we fire Bergevin again for beating St. Louis's offer by giving Hoffman an extra year?! Ha. Ha, great negotiating. Buy the f***er out!"

But now that I haven't watched him for 2 and a half months, I can say with some distance from the situation that I STILL want to buy the f***er out.

Guy sucks. Give his spot to Farrell, Heineman or Ylonen.