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Senators Rumors: Mike Hoffman On The Trade Block

By Dave Stevenson

OTTAWA, ON - DECEMBER 19: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mike Hoffman (68) as there is a stoppage in play during third period National Hockey League action between the Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators on December 19, 2017, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
OTTAWA, ON - DECEMBER 19: Ottawa Senators Right Wing Mike Hoffman (68) as there is a stoppage in play during third period National Hockey League action between the Minnesota Wild and Ottawa Senators on December 19, 2017, at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, ON, Canada. (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The latest Ottawa Senators rumors have the team receiving calls about forward Mike Hoffman.

NHL trade rumors season is starting to heat up now that the roster freeze is over. No team has been more aggressive as sellers than the Ottawa Senators, who are reportedly listening to offers for anyone not named Erik Karlsson or Mark Stone. Mike Hoffman does not have either of those names. And, yes, he is on the Senators roster. So it stands to gain Hoffman has been the topic of a lot of Senators rumors.

Teams are definitely interested in Hoffman, according to Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Sun.

"League sources indicated Wednesday the most popular Senators players if Dorion wanted to trade remained the likes of winger Mike Hoffman, centres Derick Brassard and Jean-Gabriel Pageau and defenceman Cody Ceci."

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On paper, Hoffman’s not having his best season. He has 24 points (nine goals and 15 assists) in 35 games with a plus-minus rating of -12. Hoffman’s 0.69 points per game are nothing to sneeze at, but it’s a clear decrease from his previous two seasons. Though the Senators have scored the third-fewest goals in the league, so that’s obviously a factor.

However, Hoffman still brings a lot to the table. His shot is one of the best in the NHL. Hoffman’s shooting percentage this season is 7.5 percent, which is lower than his career average of 11 percent. That number should go up. Hoffman’s possession numbers are down, but still very good.

The Tip Of The Iceberg

The Senators shopping one of their top wings is quite telling. This is beyond cutting salary. Rather, it suggests the Senators are considering an all-out rebuild. Which is fascinating, considering they traded for Matt Duchene only a few months ago.

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This has multiple layers to it as well. Do the Senators try to retool for next season? Especially if they see this season as a lost cause? It’s going to be interesting to see how the Senators approach a rebuild when they don’t have a first-round pick in one of the next two seasons. Hoffman could help them regain some of the assets they lost in the Duchene trade.

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