Hoffman top 5 wrister in the league?

[Vaclav Varada]

Overrated by his fans, underrated by the rest sounds about right.

This sounds about right.

 

[Kranix]

"The way he's going right now, the way he shoots, he might be the best player of all time." -Wayne Gretzky (Dec issue of The Hockey News)

 

[Vesa Awesaka]

as discussed earlier, if you dont score much with it then how can it be one of the best? Like Semin, I would assume they dont get it off fast enough. imo, thats the biggest difference between being a top sniper and not.


no ones mentioned Mike Fisher's wrister, I remember it being quite good.

It was hard and quick but not accurate IIRC

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

It was hard and quick but not accurate IIRC

If NHL efficiency was measured in amount of bruised sternums one causes, Fisher would be the G.O.A.T.

 

[CanadienShark]

Top 10 I can get on board with. Top 5... eh... not right now.

I really don't know why I don't think he'll become a superstar. He's got all that you can ask for: speed, strength, defensive ability, elite shot, great playmaker, good hockey IQ, etc. Something just seems to be holding him back from the next level and I don't know what. Great player though, and should be a great top 6 winger for the next 5-7 years at least.

 

[pm88]

Top 10 I can get on board with. Top 5... eh... not right now.

I really don't know why I don't think he'll become a superstar. He's got all that you can ask for: speed, strength, defensive ability, elite shot, great playmaker, good hockey IQ, etc. Something just seems to be holding him back from the next level and I don't know what. Great player though, and should be a great top 6 winger for the next 5-7 years at least.

He'll never be a superstar I agree but he'll be an elite scorer if he keeps progressing the way he has this season

 

[blankall]

He'll never be a superstar I agree but he'll be an elite scorer if he keeps progressing the way he has this season

The thing about Hoffman is that he's already 26, and 26 is actually the year that most forwards begin to see their numbers drop, followed by a sharp decline at 27.

I think people are over-rating Hoffman based on a small sample size and a high shooting percentage. He seems more like a 25-30 goal and 50-60 point guy than a superstar.

 

[Real Smart Sens Fan]

Top 10 I can get on board with. Top 5... eh... not right now.

I really don't know why I don't think he'll become a superstar. He's got all that you can ask for: speed, strength, defensive ability, elite shot, great playmaker, good hockey IQ, etc. Something just seems to be holding him back from the next level and I don't know what. Great player though, and should be a great top 6 winger for the next 5-7 years at least.

His hockey IQ is average, I'd say. He's kind of like Ovie in that sense - and before people think I'm comparing Hoffman to Ovie, let me explain.

If hockey IQ/injury/luck/etc. played no factor, and players succeeded based purely on physical skills, I think Ovie would be the best player in the league. Because his IQ is not as good as a Kane/Crosby/Seguin, though, there are other guys who are arguably more effective.

So, to me, what is keeping Ovie from being the clear-cut best player in the league is the same thing that will keep Hoffman from being one of the best players in the league.

 

[Minister of Offence]

His hockey IQ is average, I'd say. He's kind of like Ovie in that sense - and before people think I'm comparing Hoffman to Ovie, let me explain.

If hockey IQ/injury/luck/etc. played no factor, and players succeeded based purely on physical skills, I think Ovie would be the best player in the league. Because his IQ is not as good as a Kane/Crosby/Seguin, though, there are other guys who are arguably more effective.

So, to me, what is keeping Ovie from being the clear-cut best player in the league is the same thing that will keep Hoffman from being one of the best players in the league.

That's fair. I say this about Ovechkin all the time. Super Elite skills, average head.

Hockey sense is always king. It's why despite not having an upper elite shot, or not even having great speed at all, Mark Stone will probably always be the guy over Hoffman. Despite shortcomings, Stone's Hockey IQ makes him upper echelon.

 

[NyQuil]

He's a bit like Patches, no?

 

[George Binks]

There are 50 players that have a top 5 shot in this league according to this board

 

[Sens Rule]

The thing about Hoffman is that he's already 26, and 26 is actually the year that most forwards begin to see their numbers drop, followed by a sharp decline at 27.

I think people are over-rating Hoffman based on a small sample size and a high shooting percentage. He seems more like a 25-30 goal and 50-60 point guy than a superstar.

Well he started slow and became the best in the league in junior and then the AHL.

Sure many that start at 18,19 decline at 26. But also many players start in their early/mid 20's and get better for the next decade. Like St. Louis, Datsyuk, Alfredsson... Lots of smart skilled forwards peak much later then 26.

Considering Hoffman's history... There is no really reason to think this is his best and he won't continue to improve. Let alone decline soon.

 

[blankall]

Well he started slow and became the best in the league in junior and then the AHL.

Sure many that start at 18,19 decline at 26. But also many players start in their early/mid 20's and get better for the next decade. Like St. Louis, Datsyuk, Alfredsson... Lots of smart skilled forwards peak much later then 26.

Considering Hoffman's history... There is no really reason to think this is his best and he won't continue to improve. Let alone decline soon.

Hoffman's style of play is nothing like St. Louis, Alfredsson, or Datsyuk. Players who rely on creativity and hockey IQ often peak and play later. Players who rely on speed or a quick release often peak earlier.

Those players are also from, what is now a different time. They played in a league that was much slower.

I think Hoffman is a great player. Like I said before, the odds are, however, that he is really just a 50-60 point winger and his current stats are skewed by a low sample size and high shooting percentage.

Also AHL scoring is meaningless and far from a guarantee of NHL success. In Hoffman's best year in the AHL he was still 20 points behind the scoring leader, Travis Morin. Morin is turning 32 shortly and has only played 13 games in the NHL and registered 1 point.

 

[AINEC*]

Hoffman is a top 10 skater.
Hoffman has a top 10 release.
Hoffman is top 20 in dangles.

What a combination.

Bure-esque skillset.

Better than Bure imo not close

 

[Agent Zub]

I don't know where this train of thought that Hoffman (and Ovi) have average hockey IQ is coming from. both are insanely creative players, and can make the highlight real passes, but are both shooters. Which is what you want them to be doing anyway, because they have laser beams.

Hoffman has great creativity, and his hockey IQ is fine.

 

[quat]

Top 5 wrister, best toe-drag, faster than Kane.

I think I know who the most overrated player is right now.

Yeesh.

There's something almost mythical about Kane these days, and yet that game last night, having the chance to watch both players was a treat. The Sens are developing quite the team, and the Hawks are still the Hawks.

Watching Kane work as hard as he could and still get left behind by Karlsson and then the finish by Hoffman. Just great hockey.

 

[bert]

Can confirm this

Source: GF has crush on him and calls him Hottman

As does mine she melted down when she met him haha

 

[jbeck5]

Fisher's shot was probably clocked during a drill. You can get extra velocity when you can come straight at the net at full speed without worrying about shooting around a defender.

That's what I'm thinking. He probably got to skate with speed into the slot and unleashed it.

 

[blankall]

I don't know where this train of thought that Hoffman (and Ovi) have average hockey IQ is coming from. both are insanely creative players, and can make the highlight real passes, but are both shooters. Which is what you want them to be doing anyway, because they have laser beams.

Hoffman has great creativity, and his hockey IQ is fine.

High hockey IQ, yes. Of course, any one with a lot of goals has a high hockey IQ. You need to be in position to score those goals.

Not going to comment on Hoffman, but Ovy is not an especially creative player. The vast majority of his goals are scored from the same spot. He he a great puckhandler with decent speed/power and will use his abilities and reputation to draw players in and occasionally make a great pass. However, he's not especially creative in any way.

 

[jbeck5]

Better than Bure imo not close

Well, atleast equal to.

 

[bert]

High hockey IQ, yes. Of course, any one with a lot of goals has a high hockey IQ. You need to be in position to score those goals.

Not going to comment on Hoffman, but Ovy is not an especially creative player. The vast majority of his goals are scored from the same spot. He he a great puckhandler with decent speed/power and will use his abilities and reputation to draw players in and occasionally make a great pass. However, he's not especially creative in any way.

Atleast you make every player appear underwhelming and its not just Hoffman you are downplaying.

Id love to know which players you do think are creative.

 

[Karl Eriksson]

The thing about Hoffman is that he's already 26, and 26 is actually the year that most forwards begin to see their numbers drop, followed by a sharp decline at 27.

I think people are over-rating Hoffman based on a small sample size and a high shooting percentage. He seems more like a 25-30 goal and 50-60 point guy than a superstar.

That's all we can ask for!

 

[Hale The Villain]

Since the start of last season the only players to have higher point-per-game/60 minutes at even strength than Hoffman (2.69) are Jamie Benn (2.74) and Vladimir Tarasenko (2.72).

The only players that have more even strength goals since the start of last season than Hoffman (35) are Vladimir Tarasenko (39), Rick Nash (38) and Alex Oveckin (37).

He's been an even strength dynamo for 1.33 seasons now. 26 of his 28 goals and 45 of his 48 points last season were collected at even strength. So for those thinking he's just some kid riding a lucky unsustainable hot streak, he's produced with the elite of the elite at even strength for 100 games now. Biggest reason his production has skyrocketed is because he's getting more PP time and he's finally getting points with the man advantage.

 

[Sleepy]

I may get laughed out of here, but I think Burns may have the best blue-line wrister in the game. It's a different skillset than your normal circles/slot wrister and he can freaking unload it in a hurry from any angle.

 

[Randy BoBandy]

I came here to make a thread. Well done HF.

I had never really heard much about him until he burst onto the scene last year, as I don't pay much attention to Ottawa. But I watch every goal scored and saw right away that this kid could shoot the damn thang. God damn he has such a quick release on his wrist and snap shot it is ridiculous. Him and Karlsson running the PP point is awesome. Hoffman has a great slapper too. Love watching him play the game.

As a Wild fan he reminds me a little bit of Jason Zucker. In that they shoot the puck a lot and have zero hesitation and the ability to throw a shot on goal and still make it a dangerous shot when others wouldn't be able to.