The Edmonton Oilers made a surprise move by signing 34-year-old forward Mike Hoffman to a professional tryout (PTO) ahead of training camp. While some speculated the timing of this announcement might be related to news of Evander Kane undergoing surgery, trusted sources confirm that this is not the case.
In fact, his PTO in Edmonton might have very little to do with him making the Oilers roster at all. Instead, it might be a unique “trade” with Hoffman’s agent, one that is more based on the notion, ‘You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.’
According to Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff, the Oilers brought Hoffman into camp after forward Carl Berglund suffered an injury during the Young Stars Classic in Penticton, B.C. The move allows Edmonton to maintain camp numbers as planned, while allowing Hoffman to showcase his skills in hopes of securing a roster spot. At the very least, an impressive couple of preseason games could get him noticed by another team.
For the Oilers, they don’t have to adjust anything in terms of their numbers. For Hoffman and his agent, there is no better team in which to place a scorer who needs to produce in a short amount of time to get noticed.
Hoffman Has A Solid Resume, But He Needs Favor From Oilers
Hoffman, a fifth-round pick in the 2009 NHL Draft by the Ottawa Senators, has played 745 games in his NHL career, accumulating 228 goals and 259 assists. However, after recording just 23 points in 66 games with the San Jose Sharks last season, there are concerns about whether Hoffman can still contribute at a high level.
Meanwhile, the Oilers roster is full of elite-level offensive talent. It’s the kind of environment where Hoffman can excel. At worst, he’ll be able to demonstrate what he still has give with good players. The Oilers don’t necessarily want to add another older player to their roster. As one of the oldest teams in the league, Edmonton needs speed. But, to have someone to fill in for an injured prospect, Hoffman works.
Whether that’s Berglund or Roby Jarventie isn’t really important. This is about the Oilers helping out Hoffman and his agent. In exchange, that same agent will help the Oilers down the line. If Hoffman happens to wow and actually earns a job out of camp, all the better.
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