Can the Boston Bruins just sign Mike Hoffman already?

The Boston Bruins should just.. sign Mike Hoffman already.

For seemingly the entire offseason, the Boston Bruins have been linked to ex-Florida Panthers forward Mike Hoffman.

In theory, the pairing tracks. Over his past two seasons with the Panthers, Hoffman has recorded 129 points in 151 games and could instantly upgrade the Bruins’ middle-two lines with a 31-year old veteran equally capable of playing left-wing or center. Unlike the Panthers, who were lucky to make it into the NHL Bubble only to lose to the Islanders 3-1, the Bruins are legitimate Stanley Cup challengers who very well may have given the eventual champions, the Tampa Bay Lightning, more of a challenge if they had a player like Hoffman slotted in behind David Krejci on the left-wing.

So… why haven’t they gotten a deal done?

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I mean sure, the Bruins only have roughly $2.7 million in available cap space, which is noticeably less than the $5.5-6.5 million Hoffman was reportedly looking for, but at this point, is anyone going to give the 31-year-old that sort of money? His agent has already made it known that Hoffman would be willing to accept a one-year deal; why not just make a deal with a good scheme fit on-pace for a long playoff run and roll the dice again in 2021?

Honestly, your guess is as good as mine.

Now, in theory, there’s no real reason Hoffman has to sign with a team right now other than to give himself some peace of mind and extra time to check Apartments.com for a temporary home. With the 2020-21 NHL season’s start date still very much up in the air and therefore no clear date for the start of training camp, Hoffman is in the exact same position as every other player in the league. While his agent has clearly remained in contact with potentially interested teams, I mean, come on, articles like this exist because little nuggets about the former fifth-round pick have consistently kept his name relevant, this is neither a buyer’s market nor a particularly active one.

Maybe when the season actually is announced, things will shock back to like, and Hoffman(‘s agent)’s phone will be ringing off the hooks, but until then… what’s the point?

That doesn’t mean Hoffman-to-the-Bruins couldn’t be announced tomorrow – with my luck, it’ll be announced 15 minutes after this piece’s publishing – but it feels rather unlikely, to say the least.

But when that day does come, boy oh boy, will it be a ton of fun if things shake out how scores of fans want it to.

Again, Hoffman is an outstanding veteran presence who could instantly upgrade the Bruins’ second line considerably. Over his last six seasons split between the Ottowa Senators and the Panthers, Hoffman has averaged 28 goals and 31 assists a season. He’s got an active stick, quick skates, and a keen eye for making plays both for himself and his teammates. Presumably paired up with David Krejci on the second line, Hoffman could serve as an immediate short-term upgrade over Jake Debrusk and allow the Bruins to kick their 2015 first-round pick down to the third line where he’d be far better suited right now.

That’s the beauty of adding a player like Hoffman; he doesn’t just upgrade his one position but allows his new team to move other players around and get them in the best position to succeed.

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Whether it happens today, tomorrow, next week, or a week into the 2020-21 NHL season, Mike Hoffman will be playing somewhere when the NHL roars back to life. While the deal obviously won’t be what he was hoping for, this bizarre, shortened season presents the 31-year-old with a unique opportunity to join a contender, put up good numbers, and hopefully earn the type of money he was looking for in 2020. Will that happen with the Boston Bruins? Not necessarily… but it should. After suffering through a horrible year and even worse offseason that left the NHL’s future very much up in the air, sometimes the hockey gods just need to give the people what they want.

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