Oilers release veteran forward from PTO

Despite leading the Edmonton Oilers in preseason scoring, Mike Hoffman was released from his professional tryout on Monday, the team announced.

As the Oilers approach opening night against the Winnipeg Jets at home on October 9, the roster is getting smaller and smaller. Hoffman had a solid showing, recording a goal and three assists over four preseason tilts.

The team also fared well when he was on the ice at five-on-five, controlling 53.7 percent of the shot attempt share, 51.9 percent of the expected goal share and 52.5 percent of the scoring chances, while breaking even in goals, per Oilers Nation.

Still, it wasn’t enough to earn the 34-year-old a longer look with last year’s Western Conference champions. The veteran was admittedly a long shot to make the opening night roster, especially after a very difficult campaign with the San Jose Sharks.

Hoffman managed just 10 goals and 23 points over 66 games with the last-place Sharks in 2023-24, and he wasn’t much better in two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens before that.

He also has the mold of a top-six forward and powerplay specialist, and he really had no chance of earning a spot with the man advantage. That is already set in stone with Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. He probably would have been a longshot for PP2 as well.

Although it didn’t work out for the Kitchener, Ontario native in Alberta, it wouldn’t be surprising if he still earned a cheap contract with a rebuilding team in 2024-25. He’s a solid veteran leader who can still contribute at the NHL level, like he did in California last season.

He also has 228 career goals to his name.

Mike Hoffman’s release makes room for young players battling for spots

Another reason Hoffman was likely never going to make the team is due to the fact that Edmonton has already given out 22 of 23 contracts ahead of the 2024-25 season. The front office can’t really afford to waste a contract on Hoffman, who brings a game that is already solidified with the Oilers.

There is still stiff competition in the squad’s bottom-six, and both Sam O’Reilly and Matt Savoie not making the team emphasizes how deep the forward core is. Besides, there have been a couple of young players looking to snag a spot in the bottom-six after the departures of Dylan Holloway, Warren Foegele, and Ryan McLeod.

That includes Noah Philp, James Hamblin and Raphael Lavoie, who have all showed well in preseason. One of them has a legitimate shot of suiting up when the Jets come to Rogers Place on October 9.

If the Oilers do deal out another contract, it will probably be to a defenseman, especially after the losses of Cody Ceci and Philip Broberg this summer.

But although the dream ends for Hoffman with the reigning Stanley Cup finalists, he probably did do enough to earn at least a two-way contract with a different club. It’ll be interesting to see where the former 36-goal scorer lands ahead of the new campaign getting underway next week.

In the meantime, the Oilers continue their preseason against the Vancouver Canucks on Monday night.

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