The Edmonton Oilers announced that they have released Mike Hoffman from his professional tryout (PTO) on Monday. The veteran forward played in four games for the Oilers, scoring a goal and three assists. His numbers might have suggested there was a shot he could earn a contract with the team, but the organization ultimately decided otherwise.
There are a few reasons why.
Oilers Don’t Need a Player Like Hoffman
It was a bit surprising the Oilers offered Hoffman a PTO in the first place. He’s older, slower, and not gritty. Edmonton needs more speed, size, and youth after losing the likes of Dylan Holloway, Warren Foegele, and Ryan McLeod. Hoffman, while skilled, doesn’t effectively replace any of the attributes of the pieces lost.
At the same time, Edmonton found out a week ago that they would be without the services of Evander Kane for six months. What he brings to the team, Hoffman would not. Kane is a no-nonsense pain in the butt. Hoffman is a skilled scorer and power-play specialist. If the Oilers are going to use a contract for another forward, they need speed and toughness. Hoffman isn’t any of those things.
Hoffman’s Best Days Are Behind Him
While four points in four games seems like the kind of production that the Oilers might have wanted to reward, it’s too hard to ignore what Hoffman has done in recent seasons. Not since the 2019-20 season has Hoffman surpassed the 20-goal mark. His numbers have steadily declined, all way down to last season, where he posted 10 goals for the San Jose Sharks.
On the Oilers, there wasn’t a natural spot to place him. The team’s top six is stacked with more elite talent. He wasn’t going to get a look there. In pre-season, he got better matchups against weaker players. To assume he’d have kept up anything close to his pre-season production is a far-fetched dream.
The Oilers’ top two lines appear set, with Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins alongside Connor McDavid, and Viktor Arvidsson and Jeff Skinner playing with Leon Draisaitl. In the bottom six, Connor Brown, Mattias Janmark, Corey Perry, and Vasily Podkolzin are expected to fill the wing roles. However, 24-year-old Raphael Lavoie is still in camp, pushing hard for a roster spot to avoid being exposed to waivers.
Related: Oilers Send Top Prospect Matt Savoie to AHL, Delaying Edmonton Debut
In other words, in the Oilers’ bottom six, there is still tough competition for jobs. That Sam O’Reilly and Matt Savoie both didn’t make the team speaks volumes as to how deep this roster is. Yes, both are younger prospects, but both arguably played better than Hoffman. If the team is going to invest their time and energy into anyone, it would be them.
Youth on this team has been garnering attention.
It’s Another Contract the Oilers Don’t Want to Waste
As it stands, the Oilers are at 22 of 23 contracts. If there’s going to be another deal given out, it’s likely to a defenseman. Hoffman could have been signed to a two-way contract that would see him eligible to move up and down from the AHL to the NHL, but he may be hoping that the four points he scored in pre-season will catch the attention of another team.
What is in his future isn’t clear, but the chances he’s given a one-way deal by anyone at this point might be a stretch. The Oilers simply didn’t need to add Hoffman when they have other priorities and holes on the roster that could need filling as the pre-season and regular season get underway.
Hoffman will likely land on his feet. But, his PTO with the Oilers might have been more about doing him a favor and giving him a potent offense to work with for a few games, then seeing if anyone’s ears perk up. This PTO might never have been about a potential contract, as on paper, Hoffman doesn’t fit what the Oilers are looking for.