After the Andrew Hammond news of yesterday, I return to the Report Cards and today I take a look at the Senators' leading goal scorer
PRE-SEASON EXPECTATION
I am not sure anyone really knew what to expect from Hoffman in his first full NHL season. He was leading the AHL in points prior to his call-up in 2013-14, but managed just 6 points in 25 games. He had the speed and shot to be successful, but would it translate to the NHL game?
WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED
All Hoffman did was step in and lead the Senators in goals, as well as leading all rookies in that category, with 27.
He did that without getting a single power play point until Valentine's Day. He scored 26 even strength goals, 8th best in the NHL behind the likes of Stamkos, Ovechkin, Perry, Pacioretty, Kucherov, Nash and Tarasenko.
Like his linemate Bobby Ryan, Hoffman had a slow finish to the season, scoring just 4 times in his last 22 games, or he would have topped 30.
THE HARD STATS
THE FANCY STATS
So Hoffman spent much of the season being sheltered in terms of deployment as well as the strength of opposition. There were times during the season where he was moved down the lineup so that a bad matchup could be avoided, and he also started the playoffs on the fourth line.
THE "KEY" STATS
Hoffman developed a shoot-first mentality, finishing with 199 shots. He had 6 more goals than he did assists.
FUTURE OUTLOOK
The future looks pretty bright for Hoffman. A late bloomer, he has scored at every level he has played at, it has just taken him some time to get used to each new level. Consistency is key for his game, but like many scorers they come in bunches, but he can also go into slumps.
I think Mark Stone has more upside, but Hoffman should continue to score around 25 goals, especially if he can manage more power play time and the confidence that will come with it. He needs to get better at handling the pressure that comes from facing opposition's top defensemen, something that increased as the season went along and he found himself in the top 6. That is a possible explanation for his late season tailspin.
It is tough to question whether a 27 goal scorer is a legit top 6 NHL forward, but those questions still surround Hoffman in many cases. Hoffman was among Ottawa's best forwards for a stretch in the middle of the season, scoring an average of a goal every couple of games in January and February.
GRADE: Stone's hot streak lasted longer throughout the second half, but for Hoffman it was hopefully a sign of things to come and a maturation into the NHL for the long term. He definitely stepped up and filled a void for the Senators. A.
Tomorrow, we head back to the blue line for one of the more maligned blueliners on the team, and we have already covered Jared Cowen.
If you missed them, check out prior Report Cards: