If you didn’t believe Darren Dreger when he told TSN 1200 yesterday that Mike Hoffman was likely to be traded before or during the June 22nd NHL Entry Draft, perhaps you’ll take another look after Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic was on the same radio station today explaining the situation surrounding the speedy winger.
From what I understand I think there’s a really strong chance that Hoffman gets dealt in the next couple of weeks here. But I think [the return] depends on the team you end up dealing with. Different teams have different assets, that if you’re [Senators GM] Pierre Dorion probably appeal to you. For example, let’s just pretend the Calgary Flames—who we know did reach out to Ottawa before the trade deadline about Mike Hoffman—you know if you’re Ottawa, you’ve got to look at Sam Bennett do you not? Is that not a desirable asset, hoping that you can turn the young man’s career around, and he’s a center? But if it’s another team it could be a younger player. I think it really depends on what team you end up finding a fit [with] in terms of the return.
At the very basic minimum, my understanding is that the Senators would want multiple assets back. Certainly not just a one-for-one.
Hoffman, 28, is coming off another 20-goal season and has two seasons left on his current contract. Able to bring speed and skill to any lineup, there will certainly be several suitors knocking down Dorion’s door to get a chance at him. For the Senators, trading him means giving up on the chemistry he seemed to build with Matt Duchene in the second half of the season, and attempting to rebuild with younger assets.
This summer could be one filled with fireworks for the Ottawa front office, as Erik Karlsson finds himself amid a hurricane of trade rumors as well. The superstar defenseman is heading into the final year of his current contract, and if the Senators can’t re-sign him quickly after July 1st the distraction might prove too much for a team trying to get back into the playoffs. Karlsson remains one of the top prizes on the trade market, but Hoffman doesn’t fall far behind.
Though teams have other options this summer with the free agent market looking like it will have players like James van Riemsdyk, James Neal and David Perron available, none are quite the style of player Hoffman is and will likely all demand longer contracts on the open market. For teams like the aforementioned Calgary Flames, he might seem like a much more appetizing option, even if he will cost multiple assets.
Ottawa is also facing a situation where they do not have a first-round pick next season, regardless of where it ends up. That’s thanks to the top-10 protection they placed on this year’s selection they sent Colorado for Duchene, which ended up landing at fourth-overall after the team struggled to find any success. It’s been a clear goal of the team to get back into the first round next season, as the team doesn’t look anywhere close to being a Stanley Cup contender and has never been able to afford quick fixes from the free agent market. Trading Hoffman and Karlsson though becomes a scary proposition when Colorado could potentially select first-overall in next year’s draft, and get to bring Jack Hughes (or another top prospect) in while Ottawa flounders at the bottom of the standings. Making a team that wins just enough to keep Colorado out of the top-10 may seem petty, but the pain from giving up a top pick can feel like too much to bear.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Personally if the Sens trade anyone, the first to go has to be Ceci. He is one of many that just looks lost out there. He did have a few good games but I’d rather him be gone and bring up someone like Jaros and see what he can do. Cody Ceci was a reach in the draft imo and it’s all because he is from OTT. Annoying how the FO feels like it’s a must for them to do that for prospects from OTT and draft them higher than needed to show hospitality. I like Hoffman. Just think the coaching staff shuffles lines too much for the players to gain consistency with each other. Karlsson needs to stay. Don’t get me started on what he means to this franchise. Besides the players, Dorion needs to lay off brady tkachuk! He and the staff would be stupid to draft him.
Some team is bound to overpay for Ceci. Apparently other teams are high on him for some reason and the Sens don’t want to trade him because they fear he’ll become a top pairing guy. That’s not happening.
Kings look like a fit but who will they give up???
Kings would have to part with some sort of package like Clague and Anderson-Dolan. Just imo.
Thats not going happen. Kings are done trading good prospects for rental players
Another prime Dallas target. Very solid 2nd liner..