Montreal Canadiens: Mike Hoffman gets hot and finds some offense

The Montreal Canadiens have done much better using Mike Hoffman in 2022-23. There has been an improvement for Hoffman, who has not performed up to par with the Habs. But things have improved as Hoffman gets used to playing under Martin St. Louis.

While the Montreal Canadiens head coach has tested out plenty of line combinations, he has continued to try and figure out what players excel in which spots. For Hoffman, getting him out of defensive zone assignments and letting him use his offensive tools has been a plus.

His last two games have seen him find the back of the net and get things going. It’s great to see Hoffman being used more efficiently, and now the numbers start to support the higher level he performed at last season when the scoring declined.

Montreal Canadiens forward Mike Hoffman taps into scoring.

Hoffman has scored three goals in the last two games, with two tallies in the Habs’ recent game against the Detroit Red Wings. He may have been in a position to bury on nearly open nets, but Hoffman got it done.

He has played in 12 games on the season so far. He’s picked up four goals and added an assist for five total points. He’s a plus-two on the season and looked much better than Hoffman. His performance this season has vastly improved.

The level he’s played at is far better than it was, and the results are showing. Even with scoring being in bunches for Hoffman, the results show that he has benefited from using his offensive tools as his play style is designed for.

In 2021-22, Hoffman spent a lot of time in the defensive zone, getting buried in the bottom six, deployed in the defensive zone, and having a hard time getting much going. Ultimately, the opposition was able to control the puck and control the game while Hoffman was on defense, losing time in the offensive zone where he shines.

But this season, it’s been the opposite. His offense is his strong suit. He’s been able to spend more time in the offensive zone, and the benefits showed. For the Habs, this is good for the long run as well.

If Hoffman continues to improve and find offense like this, it will allow him to improve his trade stock. For the Canadiens, that’s only going to help them even more. They will likely be selling off assets when the trade deadline comes into focus.

For the Habs, moving Hoffman could be on the table if the right opportunity presents itself. This stretch of offense and continued improvement of performance only helps him.