Florida Panthers: Mike Hoffman is Sprouting With Confidence

Mike Hoffman’s point production has been one of the lone bright spots in the Florida Panthers’ shaky start to the 2018-19 season.

Hoffman, who the Florida Panthers acquired from the San Jose Sharks, following a trade from the Ottawa Senators, currently has seven goals and fourteen points in fourteen games this season for the Cats.

Those fourteen points include a twelve-game point streak, as he notched points in every game since the second game of the season.

The Panthers winger also added five points on the power play, including three power play goals, on a power play that has been struggling to produce throughout the year.

This season started at a low point for Hoffman as he was demoted to the third line earlier in the year, but that move eventually helped him develop confidence later down the stretch.

Since the move, Hoffman started his aforementioned point streak and was even placed back on the second line beside Vincent Trocheck and Jonathan Huberdeau. This move ended up paying off.

Settled in after ten games of play, Hoffman has now developed chemistry with his new linemates and has played with a higher level of confidence.

In fact, rewarded for his outstanding production over the last nine games, HC Boughner placed Hoffman on the first line with Barkov and Dadonov.

What I’ve noticed about Hoffman this season is that his wrist shot has been highly effective both inside and outside the high slot. He’s had a lot more confidence and swagger with it than he’s had in years past, and this has led to more goals in result.

For instance, in this goal against New Jersey, Hoffman gets the puck with roughly 15 seconds to go. In that high-pressure situation, Mike releases his shot swiftly and shoots it right into the toy department with 14 to go.

That goal put the Panthers in a situation where they could’ve possibly tied the game, granted they didn’t convert on the chance they were given, yet still a very timely goal.

Speaking of timely goals… let’s look at this overtime winner against the New York Islanders.

Hoffman gets right into his position off the draw, awaiting the eventual pass, and when it came, he let it rip, this time on a one-time slap shot.

With the Florida Panthers, Hoffman has developed more certainty with his shot and has provided very timely points for the Panthers as of late. He’s also been one of the lone bright spots on a Panthers power play that’s looked absolutely awful (specifically during the beginning of the season).

The Florida Panthers currently sit in 27th in the National Hockey League with the St. Louis Blues, holding a 6-5-3 record (15 pts) fourteen games into the season.

Due to Hoffman’s success, as well as the pieces surrounding him, the Cats are on the rise as they are on a four-game winning streak.

The Florida Panthers power play, however, has resurged after starting the season without a PP goal in the first few games, and are now close to being in the top half of the league at 13th with a 21% power play rating, which is partially due to Mike Hoffman’s play.

Despite all of this team failure, Hoffman has experienced significant individual success and is helping his team by putting them in a position where they can not only win games but can improve in certain areas that desperately need refining.

During an intermission report in Helsinki, Mike Hoffman said, “If I get the chance, it’s going in the back of the net,” and that statement is a perfect representation of the confidence Mike Hoffman is playing with.

If the rest of the Florida Panthers roster shines with the confidence Mike Hoffman is exuding, maybe the Panthers will be able to turn their woeful season around.