New York Islanders: Mike Hoffman is the free agent to target in 2021
The New York Islanders need to solve their scoring woes and Mike Hoffman could help them do that. But can they afford him?
Whenever this offseason starts, the New York Islanders are going to have a lot of work to do. Not only must they give new contracts to restricted free agents such as Mathew Barzal, Devon Toews, and Ryan Pulock, but they also must try to upgrade a roster that struggles to score goals.
Right now, the Islanders are bottom 10 team in scoring with 2.78 goals per game. It’s because of their defense, which allows a stingy 2.79 goals against per game (ninth fewest in the league), that the Islanders have done as well as they have this season.
It will be tough for the Islanders to add anyone this offseason. They’re likely going to have right around $10 million of cap space, depending on what the cap ceiling is for next season. But considering the NHL’s lost revenue, the Islanders should assume it won’t be the projected $84 million. At this point, they would be lucky if the cap remains stagnant at $81.5 million.
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The Islanders will likely have to give bridge deals to at least two of Toews, Pulock, and Barzal. Maybe even all three. They’ll likely have to trade or buyout someone who’s making significant money. But if the Islanders want to upgrade their roster, they have no choice.
If the Isles want to be active in free agency, Mike Hoffman of the Florida Panthers should unquestionably be their top target. He would add an element of consistent goal scoring that hasn’t been there since they hired Barry Trotz. It’s funny, they spent a ton of money to hire Trotz and Lou Lamoriello, yet the Islanders haven’t spent much money to get them necessary pieces.
Why Mike Hoffman Is Perfect For The Islanders
On the ice, Hoffman is precisely what the Islanders need. He can score goals and should play well on their second or first forward line. Yes, Hoffman has flaws, but the Islanders system should help negate them. The Isles are terrific defensively, but ultimately, you’ve got to be able to score goals to win the Stanley Cup. Hoffman would give them a much-needed boost there.
The major problem with signing him is it will likely cost them quite a bit of money. Even if the Islanders manage to sign their each of three big RFAs to bridge deals, that’s not going to leave them with much money.
However, the Islanders have options to create cap space. They could trade Pulock, who is likely due a fairly substantial raise. Another option is trading someone like Cal Clutterbuck or Thomas Hickey, though it’s hard to see any team being that interested in either. Nick Leddy could be an option too, especially if the Islanders want to give Noah Dobson a larger role.
Their most likely option is buying out Andrew Ladd. Yes, it would require ownership to pay quite a bit. But it’s what the Islanders must do if they want to upgrade their roster this offseason. Even an optimist has to be cautious about what young players like Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom would be able to bring the table.
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It would be tough for the New York Islanders to afford Hoffman, but they need to explore every option possible to be able to afford him.