C Mike Hoffman (2009, 130th overall, Ottawa)

[DJB]

Anyone seen him play? Any Q fans or maybe Scoutman1 can give me an idea as to how he plays?

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=18800

Last year put up very good numbers with Drummondville with 52 goals and 42 assists for 94 points. This year he has 23 goals and 17 assists for 40 points in 27 games thus far.

He was drafted as an overager last year.

Anyone have some more info on him?

Click to read more...

 

[avengedsevenfold]

This year he plays for the St. John Sea Dogs. In 28 games he's put up 25 goals and 17 assists for 42 points. He's listed as a left winger , 6"0 tall and weigs in at 175 lbs. This is his last year in the QMJHL and next year he will likely be in the AHL. He has potential to be a bottom six forward on an NHL team someday.

 

[DJB]

This year he plays for the St. John Sea Dogs. In 28 games he's put up 25 goals and 17 assists for 42 points. He's listed as a left winger , 6"0 tall and weigs in at 175 lbs. This is his last year in the QMJHL and next year he will likely be in the AHL. He has potential to be a bottom six forward on an NHL team someday.

So no chance of becoming a top 6 forward?

What will be really telling of his potential will be how well he performs next year in the AHL...

 

[Kevin Forbes]

He's always had some issues with consistency. But that might have a bit to do with the fact that he really bounced around a bit prior to last season.

Right now, playing with Saint John and putting up points...well, frankly as a 20-year-old on a contending team, especially given his pedigree, he's expected to produce at a high rate, so I wouldn't consider this year being any sort of breakout, nor would I read too much into this year (at least no moreso then his previous two seasons).

He's a boom or bust for Ottawa in my mind. They picked him in the fifth or sixth round and he might work out for them and become an NHL player. He might also top out as being a guy who can be a scorer for Binghamton and just an injury fill-in for the Sens, which wouldn't be a huge disappointment either, considering where he was drafted.

I've heard that part of the reason why Hoffman and Petersen (another player drafted after his 19-year-old season and now playing for Saint John as a 20-year-old) were sent back to junior is because of the coaching staff put in place with the Sea Dogs with both Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly being long standing 'hockey guys' with experience at the NHL level. So sending these guys back to junior isn't as much of a blow developmentally as one would think.

 

[BobbyRyan9]

I've had the pleasure of watching Mike Hoffman play on multiple occasions. He leads the way for a very talented and deep Saint John team in the QMJHL and plays almost every other shift for them. In my opinion, he is a well rounded forward and does a good job playing at both ends of the ice. This can be attributed to his excellent skating abilities, which helps him move quickly up and down the ice. His lateral skating is magnificent when he moves along the blueline. This goes well with his powerful shot that can reach the net both quickly and accurately. I think the reason why he isn't as well known, or atleast until recently, is due to the fact he got a rather late start on his junior career. An unfortunate cut from Kitchener's roster in the OHL delayed his development. His first season in the QMJHL was decent, but he really exploded the following season with Drummondville. He was a huge part of their dangerous power play unit and did an excellent job of quarterbacking the plays. From what I've seen of him this season, he has shown similar efforts for Saint John on the top PP unit.

While he may be one of the top players in the QMJHL this season, you have to remember he is an overager. But I still think he can be effective at the next level. It all depends on how well his game translates to the professional level and whether or not he can still be effective each and every shift. I suspect he will be in the AHL next season with Binghamton, unless Ottawa's system is too deep and he starts off in the ECHL for a short period of time. I can see him atleast getting the chance to play in some NHL games in the future. Whether he takes advantage of them and shows that he deserves to play in the NHL remains to be seen. I think if he continues to develop properly and can withstand the speed and physicality of the pro game, he could have a very bright future ahead of him.

 

[DJB]

He's always had some issues with consistency. But that might have a bit to do with the fact that he really bounced around a bit prior to last season.

Right now, playing with Saint John and putting up points...well, frankly as a 20-year-old on a contending team, especially given his pedigree, he's expected to produce at a high rate, so I wouldn't consider this year being any sort of breakout, nor would I read too much into this year (at least no moreso then his previous two seasons).

He's a boom or bust for Ottawa in my mind. They picked him in the fifth or sixth round and he might work out for them and become an NHL player. He might also top out as being a guy who can be a scorer for Binghamton and just an injury fill-in for the Sens, which wouldn't be a huge disappointment either, considering where he was drafted.

I've heard that part of the reason why Hoffman and Petersen (another player drafted after his 19-year-old season and now playing for Saint John as a 20-year-old) were sent back to junior is because of the coaching staff put in place with the Sea Dogs with both Gerard Gallant and Mike Kelly being long standing 'hockey guys' with experience at the NHL level. So sending these guys back to junior isn't as much of a blow developmentally as one would think.

I've had the pleasure of watching Mike Hoffman play on multiple occasions. He leads the way for a very talented and deep Saint John team in the QMJHL and plays almost every other shift for them. In my opinion, he is a well rounded forward and does a good job playing at both ends of the ice. This can be attributed to his excellent skating abilities, which helps him move quickly up and down the ice. His lateral skating is magnificent when he moves along the blueline. This goes well with his powerful shot that can reach the net both quickly and accurately. I think the reason why he isn't as well known, or atleast until recently, is due to the fact he got a rather late start on his junior career. An unfortunate cut from Kitchener's roster in the OHL delayed his development. His first season in the QMJHL was decent, but he really exploded the following season with Drummondville. He was a huge part of their dangerous power play unit and did an excellent job of quarterbacking the plays. From what I've seen of him this season, he has shown similar efforts for Saint John on the top PP unit.

While he may be one of the top players in the QMJHL this season, you have to remember he is an overager. But I still think he can be effective at the next level. It all depends on how well his game translates to the professional level and whether or not he can still be effective each and every shift. I suspect he will be in the AHL next season with Binghamton, unless Ottawa's system is too deep and he starts off in the ECHL for a short period of time. I can see him atleast getting the chance to play in some NHL games in the future. Whether he takes advantage of them and shows that he deserves to play in the NHL remains to be seen. I think if he continues to develop properly and can withstand the speed and physicality of the pro game, he could have a very bright future ahead of him.

 

[TheBradyBunch]

That's what I was thinking!

 

[BobbyRyan9]

Hoffman earned Offensive Player of the Month honors in the QMJHL for the second time this season. He posted seven goals and twelve assists for a total of nineteen points in ten games. His plus/minus was an honest +6 for the month of January and he notched two game winning goals. For those interested, Saint John is squaring off against Moncton tomorrow night. Should be an amazing matchup and a preview of what might come in the playoffs this year.

 

[SpezDispenser]

I've had the pleasure of watching Mike Hoffman play on multiple occasions. He leads the way for a very talented and deep Saint John team in the QMJHL and plays almost every other shift for them. In my opinion, he is a well rounded forward and does a good job playing at both ends of the ice. This can be attributed to his excellent skating abilities, which helps him move quickly up and down the ice. His lateral skating is magnificent when he moves along the blueline. This goes well with his powerful shot that can reach the net both quickly and accurately. I think the reason why he isn't as well known, or atleast until recently, is due to the fact he got a rather late start on his junior career. An unfortunate cut from Kitchener's roster in the OHL delayed his development. His first season in the QMJHL was decent, but he really exploded the following season with Drummondville. He was a huge part of their dangerous power play unit and did an excellent job of quarterbacking the plays. From what I've seen of him this season, he has shown similar efforts for Saint John on the top PP unit.

While he may be one of the top players in the QMJHL this season, you have to remember he is an overager. But I still think he can be effective at the next level. It all depends on how well his game translates to the professional level and whether or not he can still be effective each and every shift. I suspect he will be in the AHL next season with Binghamton, unless Ottawa's system is too deep and he starts off in the ECHL for a short period of time. I can see him atleast getting the chance to play in some NHL games in the future. Whether he takes advantage of them and shows that he deserves to play in the NHL remains to be seen. I think if he continues to develop properly and can withstand the speed and physicality of the pro game, he could have a very bright future ahead of him.

Very good, thanks for that.

 

[Mountainside]

To be honest, he reminds me of a past Q and Sens player, Denis Hamel. Hoffman has been downright awesome in the past two years and has lit it up. However I think he's the kind of guy who needs to be in the top-6 to strive.

I'm not sure if he'll get that opportunity in the NHL or not. I can see him as an impact scorer in the AHL who doesn't quite have what it takes to stick in an NHL top-6. He should get a few games though and who knows, maybe be able to prove himself.

All in all, where they picked him, it's a good pick.

 

[pokerface1]

birthdate: Nov 24 1989

in his 4th pro season putting up 63 pts in 48 games at the AHL level, a dramatic increase over his previous years' scoring rate. anyone have some thoughts on his play and potential?

 

[Karlssonlee]

birthdate: Nov 24 1989

in his 4th pro season putting up 63 pts in 48 games at the AHL level, a dramatic increase over his previous years' scoring rate. anyone have some thoughts on his play and potential?

Playing style he's very similar to Patrick Sharp/Clarke MacArthur. I'm not saying that's his NHL potential but that's the style you can expect in the NHL. However, both those players were late bloomers as well.

 

[ottawah]

birthdate: Nov 24 1989

in his 4th pro season putting up 63 pts in 48 games at the AHL level, a dramatic increase over his previous years' scoring rate. anyone have some thoughts on his play and potential?

Going mostly from reports, he is lights out in Bingo. Did not look out of place here, but he did not play well enough to stick and was given a fair chance IMHO. The difference may be he is an elite skater at the AHL level, but only a very good skater at the next level. He cannot blow by guys at the NHL level like he does at the AHL. Judging how a player will perform at the next level is a manner of analyzing why he is doing ggood where he is and how that translates. Thats why many top CHL scorers can never make the NHL.


Simply scoring at the AHL level is not enough unfortunately. DaCosta, Pageau, Stone are all point per game players at the AHL level, and they are collectively at 8 points in 40 games at the NHL level.

I'm not sure if Hoffman will ever have what it takes to be a first line NHL player. As such to get his shot he has to be able to contribute on the 3rd/4th line. He will not do it with size, but is a pretty good skater. Works on his defensive play and 200 foot game, and he gets a shot at the lower lines at least, then perhaps moves up.

To me he may have second line potential, but more probably should be a third line energy/PK guy. It depends if he embraces that role.

 

[McDrailers]

Not sure about anything else. Hoffman for sure has rockets on his skates blades. Good lord can that guy get from point A to point B