Aaaaand Now The San Jose Sharks Have Traded Mike Hoffman To The Florida Panthers
So uhhh you guys remember that time when the Ottawa Senators sent Mike Hoffman to the San Jose Sharks for Mikkel Boedker, Julius Bergman and a 6th round pick in the 2020 draft? I remember it like it was earlier this morning.
Well apparently the Sharks must have just gotten wind of this whole situation that they were bringing in to the locker room once the trade was finalized…
… and must have said, “Oh shit, nevermind”. Because just a few short hours after acquiring Mike Hoffman from Ottawa, the San Jose Sharks have flipped Mike Hoffman and sent him down to Florida.
So let’s break this down real quick. First of all, clearly the San Jose Sharks are up to something. What they were able to do was get rid of Mikkel Boedker and his $4M cap hit for the next two season. They pick up Hoffman for a cup of coffee but then send him across the country to Florida and acquire a 2nd round pick next year, plus a 4th and 5th round pick this year. So they grab a few draft picks, they open up a bunch of cap space, and clearly they’re thinking that they’re signing somebody this offseason. Whether they’re keeping that money open for Tavares, or bringing in Kovalchuk or whatever. The San Jose Sharks are definitely scheming right now.
As for the Ottawa Senators? Well this trade just went from bad to worse. Because not only were they essentially forced to get rid of one of their top producing forwards for nothing, but now Hoffman has ended up back in the Atlantic Division again (at least for now unless Florida decides to flip him too). They acquired Mikkel Boedker in exchange for having to play against Mike Hoffman 4-5 times a year. Not ideal! And if the Florida Panthers do end up holding on to Hoffman, obviously it’s the same situation as what I said before in terms of the baggage he’s bringing to that locker room. They’re taking a pretty big risk here hoping that either 1) Hoffman smartens up and calls it off with Monika, or 2) that somehow Monika Caryk doesn’t disrupt the chemistry on that team by rubbing all the rest of the WAGs the wrong way. Either way, I think Florida is in a spot where they could use the 50-60 points, I think San Jose is in a spot where they’re looking to make a splash in free agency, and I think Ottawa didn’t have any other option and they’re just holding on for dear life.
Either way, what an incredible morning in the National Hockey League. These are the days that we dream about as bloggers. All hell is breaking loose and all you can do is buckle up and enjoy the ride. I say we all just crack open a few beers and hope that Mike Hoffman ends up getting bounced around between all 31 teams by the end of the day and ends back with Ottawa sometime before the movers arrive to his apartment.
P.S. – Mike Hoffman will now go down as one of the greatest San Jose Sharks legends in franchise history.