Add Washington Caps forward Marcus Johansson to the list of comparable contracts for Ottawa's Mike Hoffman to use at his August 4 arbitration hearing.
On Wednesday morning, Johansson and the Caps settled before arbitration, per Chris Johnston of Sportsnet.
MOJO will get a three-year, $13.75M contract.
That's $4.583M AAV.
In 419 career games, the 25 year old Johansson has scored 79 goals and added 119 assists. In 2015-16 Johansson scored 17 goals and added 29 assists. His career high for points came in 2014-15 when he produced 20 goals and 27 assists.
Sens fans can say goodbye to The Hoff.
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Don't Hassle The Hoff, Man! https://t.co/X1vfPjJWTi pic.twitter.com/1uuNDgVDax
— SabresBuzz (@SabresBuzz) July 20, 2016
$2M AAV.
Mike Hoffman was one helluva value to the Ottawa Senators last season.
Those days are now over for Pierre Dorion and the Sens. If they want to retain Hoffman, they are going to have pay the man.
Hoffman will be looking to bust open Eugene Melnyk's piggy bank with a Bauer Vapor clapper.
On August 4, Hoffman, 26, is a restricted free agent. He is scheduled to have his case heard by the NHL arbitrator in Toronto.
I fully anticipate the arbitrator ruling in favor of Hoffman based on his impressive body of work the past two seasons in the NHL.
Dorion did not want Hoffman to file for arbitration. No kidding. The Sens GM is going to have to pay Hoffman big money.
In the past two seasons, Hoffman has scored 56 goals and added 51 assists. That's 107 points in 157 games. When I take my skates off and use my toes to do the math, that means that Hoffman is scoring at a sizzling .82 points per game clip.
At 6'1" and 190 lbs., the Kitchener native finds himself in the best possible place that he can be. He easily outplayed each of the two contract that he has signed with the Senators.
Last summer, Hoffman bet on himself by signing a one-year "show me" contract for $2 million.
Winner!
He showed them alright by setting his personal best NHL scoring highs by burying 29 goals and adding 30 helpers for 59 points in 78 games played.
Hoffman is very happy about Dorion's decision to name Guy Boucher as the Sens' new head coach.
Hoffman and Boucher worked together during their time with the QMJHL's Drummondville Voltigeurs. I've heard Hoffman say publicly that he and Boucher had a great player-coach relationship in junior. Hoffman knows Boucher and vice versa. Boucher also coached newly acquired forward Derrick Brassard at Drummondville.
This isn't junior hockey. It's the NHL where big money talks and you-know-what walks.
Hoffman and his agent better be prepared to pack up and leave Ottawa. Personally, I think that Hoffman will be traded after his August 4 arbitration hearing. I see the Sens declining to pay Hoffman his just desserts. As Hoffman waits for his case to be heard, more restricted free agent forwards continue to sign lucrative long term contract extensions.
Over the weekend, the Tampa Lightning locked up forward Alex Killorn to an eight year $31 million contract that carries a $4.45 million AAV. In 272 career regular season games, Killorn, 26, has scored 53 goals and 85 assists.
Last week, Jaden Schwartz, the 24 year old scoring forward for the St. Louis Blues signed a whopping 5 year contract with an average annual value of $5.35 million. In his first 188 NHL games, Schwartz racked up 141 points on 61 goals and 80 assists. His points per game average is very similar to Hoffman's PPG.
Winnipeg Jets forward Mark Scheifele struck it rich two weeks ago when he signed an 8 year contract at a $6.125 million AAV. Scheifele avoided restricted free agency by signing his whopper of a deal. In 216 games, Scheifele has scored 57 goals and chipped in 87 assists for 144 points.
The NY Rangers avoided an arbitration hearing with 23 year old forward signed J.T. Miller to a two year contract with a $2.75M AAV. In 181 games, Miller has scored 38 goals and added 43 assists for 81 points.
In Florida, the Panthers recently inked two of their up and coming wingers to juicy, lucrative long term contracts. Vince Trocheck, 23, has scored 37 goals and 46 assists in 146 games for 83 career points. For that, Trocheck nabbed $4.75M AAV for six seasons. In 245 career games, Cats forward Reilly Smith has scored 58 goals and 83 assists for 141 points. For his efforts, Smith will be a $3.425M AAV for the next 5 seasons.
Like I said, Hoffman is smiling from ear to ear right now. He has a right to. He will be using his own production along with the comparable production and new contracts awarded to the aforementioned forwards to convince the arbitrator that he is worthy of a pay raise that will boost his annual salary into the $4+ million neighborhood.
In Ottawa, Eugene Melnyk is the owner of a budget team. He is not going to spend to the salary cap. After the Derrick Brassard for Mika Zibanejad trade on Monday, the Sens now have $14 million in available salary cap space.
The Sens presently have 13 forwards, 6 forwards and 2 goalies under contract for the 2016-17 season. Hoffman is RFA. Promising young defenseman Cody Ceci is also a restricted free agent.
I don't see it in the cards for Hoffman earning a long term, lucrative contract in Ottawa. Why should he settle for another team-friendly bridge contract? Nope. Those days are done. Mike Hoffman is about to get paid.
I can tell you that there are two teams watching the scheduled Hoffman arbitration hearing run-up with eager anticipation. They are the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks.
Should Tim Murray swing and miss on former Harvard standout left winger Jimmy Vesey on August 15, keep an eye on Buffalo. Tim Murray scouted and drafted Hoffman to Ottawa. He knows the kid. He knows his agent. Murray also knows Hoffman's value bang on. Murray has a restricted free agent in Zemgus Girgensons who refused to accept his qualifying contract offer from the Sabres last Friday. Girgensons is looking for long term security. Murray likely is offering him a similar one year "show me" contract, the same kind that Hoffman out performed last season in Ottawa. Geddy said it best: "Show, don't tell". If Murray can't work out a contract with Girgensons, who is looking for a top six center role in Buffalo, then maybe it's time to trade the Latvian Locomotive to Ottawa for Mike Hoffman. IF Vesey signs with Buffalo on August 15, he will roll with Jack Eichel and Samson Reinhart for the Sabres next season. If Vesey throws shade at Murray then signs an entry level contract with the hated Boston Bruins, Murray will continue his pursuit for a scoring left winger who can set up and score goals created by the Wonder Twins. Buffalo's eighth overall pick Alex Nylander will be given an opportunity to audition for the Eichel-Reinhart snipe show, however, Murray may want to find an NHL veteran to ride with Jack and Samson.
Hoffman may be the answer for Buffalo.
Again, Murray's first choice would be to sign Vesey to a two year ELC. However, a plausible Plan B will be to call his great friend Pierre Dorion about Hoffman.
Murray currently has $9.4 million in salary cap space.
Restricted free agent D Rasmus Ristolainen is going to eat up two thirds of that cap slush when he signs his long term contract extension in the days to come.
So, how can Murray afford to trade for Hoffman when he will have only $3 million in salary cap space and the Senator sniper will be looking at a $4+ million AAV?
Trading Evander Kane's $5.25 million cap hit (2 seasons) to Vancouver for left D Ben Hutton is a solution.
Also, trading Kane to Anaheim for Cam Fowler is a real possibility as well.
Tim Murray wants a QB and he won't rest until he finds one.
The Anaheim Ducks have been seeking a scoring left winger to ride shotgun for Ryan Getzlaf and Corey Perry. Hoffman would more than adequately compliment those two future Hall Of Famers.
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