Mike Hoffman (ice hockey, born 1989)

Hoffman started his junior hockey career with the Kitchener Dutchmen of the Mid-Western Junior Hockey League in 2006–07.[1] earning a rookie of the year nomination.[2] At the end of the 2006–07 season, the Kitchener Rangers of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) called him up for two games in the season, and four in the playoffs. At the start of the 2007–08 season, he failed to make the Rangers.[3] Since no OHL team picked him up,[4] he transferred to the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he played until 2010.

Hoffman first joined the Gatineau Olympiques of the QMJHL but was released after 19 games. In 2010, Olympiques General Manager Charlie Henry said that Hoffman was "a good player for us, but he didn't work as hard as he works today."[5] The last-place Drummondville Voltigeurs eventually picked him up and he finished the season with 24 goals in 62 games. He was not selected in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, his first year of eligibility. However, he attended the Philadelphia Flyers' training camp on an amateur tryout and was released on September 29.[6]

Hoffman then returned to Drummondville. In the 2008–09 season, he achieved prominence by scoring 52 goals in 62 games with the Voltigeurs, who came from last in the 2007–08 season to win the 2009 QMJHL championship title[7] and a berth in the 2009 Memorial Cup.[8] In Game 7 for the QMJHL championship, Hoffman scored a goal and an assist in Drummondville's 3–2 win over the Shawinigan Cataractes, finishing with 21 goals in 19 games in the playoffs.[7] He was then selected by the Senators 130th overall in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft at the age of 19.[9] The Senators could have signed him after the Draft as a free agent had he gone unselected, but 14 other NHL teams had shown interest in drafting him, necessitating Ottawa's selection.[9] Hoffman subsequently attended the Senators' development and training camps and played in a pre-season game against the Montreal Canadiens, but was designated for assignment and returned to the QMJHL.[10]

Hoffman played the 2009–10 season, his "over-age" season, for the Saint John Sea Dogs, who traded a second-round draft choice to Drummondville for the player.[11] Hoffman recorded 85 points (46 goals, 39 assists) in 56 games.[8] His goal scoring broke the all-time goal single-season scoring record for the Sea Dogs, surpassing Scott Howes' goal total.[12] His point total also placed him third in the QMJHL in goals, tied for second in power-play goals (17) and seventh in overall scoring. Hoffman was also named a First Team QMJHL All-Star, won the League Most Valuable Player trophy,[5] the League Sportsman of the Year trophy[5] and was a finalist for the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Player of the Year award.[13]

Hoffman with the Binghamton Senators (2011)

In July 2010, Hoffman attended the Ottawa Senators' development camp, and on July 22, 2010, he signed an entry-level contract with the NHL club.[13] After attending rookie camp and training camp with Ottawa, Hoffman was assigned to the Binghamton Senators, the Senators' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate. Hoffman played the majority of the season with Binghamton and was a member of the 2011 Calder Cup-winning team. He also spent time in the ECHL with the Elmira Jackals during the season, Ottawa's second-tier affiliate.

Hoffman returned to Binghamton for the 2011–12 season. He was called up to Ottawa in December 2011 and made his NHL debut on December 23, 2011, against the Carolina Hurricanes; he was held pointless in his debut.[14]

Hoffman was the leading scorer for Binghamton during the 2012–13 season prior to suffering a broken collarbone just before the AHL All-Star Game. He played three games with Ottawa before re-injuring the collarbone and missing the last 12 regular season and first 10 playoff games.[15]

Hoffman began the 2013–14 season in Binghamton. He was recalled to Ottawa on December 2, 2013, after recording 26 points in 21 games, the second-highest point total in the AHL at the time.[16] He was returned to Binghamton, but returned to Ottawa in February 2014 and remained with the team for the final 23 games. In 2014–15, Hoffman played the whole season in Ottawa and his 27 goals led the team. He was selected to play in the NHL All-Star weekend and led all NHL rookies in goals.

Following the 2014–15 NHL season Hoffman became a restricted free agent under the NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement. The Ottawa Senators made him a qualifying offer to retain his NHL rights and, on July 5, 2015, Hoffman filed for salary arbitration.[17] According to media reports, Hoffman asked for $3.4 million, while the Senators countered with $1.7 million. Hoffman was awarded a one-year $2 million deal, which the Senators accepted. Hoffman became a restricted free agent at the end of the 2015–16 season. On July 27, 2016, he re-signed with the Senators to a four-year, $20.75M deal, thereby avoiding arbitration.[18]

On May 4, 2018, teammate Erik Karlsson's wife, Melinda, filed an order of protection against Hoffman's fiancée, Monika Caryk. The order came in response to a large number of harassing messages directed toward the Karlssons over an extended period of time, allegedly originating from Caryk. The alleged harassment included utilizing multiple fake social media accounts to direct over 1,000 "negative and derogatory" comments towards the Karlssons, including comments wishing that someone would injure Erik Karlsson’s legs to end his career, and others wishing Karlsson's wife and her then-unborn child dead.[19] The Karlssons' son was later stillborn.

Although the allegations against Caryk remain unproven in a court of law, Hoffman was swiftly traded once the allegations became public.[20][21] Senators goaltender Craig Anderson later referred to the situation as "drama" and hinted that it was a factor in his own poor performance the season prior. He noted that he felt the situation had been resolved with Hoffman's exit from the team.[22]

On June 19, 2018, the Senators traded Hoffman, along with Cody Donaghey and a fifth-round pick of the 2020 NHL Entry Draft to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Mikkel Boedker, Julius Bergman, and a sixth-round pick in the 2020 Draft.[23] About two hours later, he was traded to the Florida Panthers together with a seventh-round pick of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft for a fourth-round and fifth-round pick of the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and a second-round pick of the 2019 Draft.[24]

On October 13, 2018, Hoffman embarked on a 17–game point streak with the Panthers, scoring 10 goals and 10 assists, breaking the franchise record previously held by Pavel Bure with 13 games in 1999–00.

On December 27, 2020, Hoffman signed a professional tryout agreement with the St. Louis Blues.[25] On January 11, 2021, Hoffman and the Blues officially agreed on a one-year, $4 million contract.[26]