Why? Simply because there are too many players for the number of available positions, both in offense and defense.
Let's focus here on the offense.
Suzuki, Gallagher, Anderson, Hoffman, Dvorak, Armia, Dach, Newhook, Evans, Pitlick, Harvey-Pinard, Pezzetta, Caufield, Monahan, Slafkovsky and possibly Owen Beck as well as Sean Farrell... They can't all play in Montreal.
That's a lot of forwards, and we're not even mentioning here the likes of Joshua Roy and company.
There are practically twenty candidates, for 12 positions.
For this reason, many experts point out that Mike Hoffman could be on his way to suffering the same fate as Jonathan Drouin.
Just like Drouin last year, Hoffman will be a free agent in a season and he doesn't seem to be in the team's plans anymore.
Just like Drouin last year, Hoffman could really be left out, in the stands, to start the season.
It could really be difficult for Martin St-Louis to find him a spot in his lineup.
As Charles-Alexis Brisebois mentions, Martin St-Louis sidelined Drouin at the beginning of last season to make room for the young players. Will he do the same thing with Hoffman?
That's what many think. It will be a major case to follow.
Credit:
POLL | ||
Where do you see Mike Hoffman next year? | ||
With the Candiens | 70 | 14.3 % |
With Laval | 37 | 7.6 % |
Traded elsewhere | 383 | 78.2 % |
List of polls |