Mike Hoffman admits it was money that prompted him to join the CH

Mike Hoffman’s time in Montreal won’t go down in history. The forward, who signed with the CH as a free agent in the summer of 2021, was expected to bring his maverick qualities to the city, but in the end, he only scored 29 goals in two seasons, in addition to providing horrible defensive play.

His contract was a real drag on the Habs… until Kent Hughes managed to pass him on to the Sharks last summer in the wake of the Erik Karlsson deal, without withholding a penny. It’s quite a coup to have managed to do that, quite honestly.

Speaking of his contract, let’s not forget that the forward signed a three-year, $13.5 million pact, for an annual salary of $4.5 million. It was a lucrative contract for his services, and Hoffman obviously knows it.

Presumably, this seems to confirm that the Tricolore was the team offering the most money to the maverick on the market in the summer of 2021. In any case, they certainly offered more than the Blues, and if another team had offered him more, he would probably have gone elsewhere for “more money”.

The idea of joining a team that had just reached the Stanley Cup Final was clearly not Montreal’s biggest attraction for Hoffman. He came to town because the club offered him more money, simple as that.

When it’s said that Canadian markets often have to outbid each other to get their hands on free agents, this is a fine example.

In 16 games this year, Hoffman has just four points, including three goals scored in the last week. He’s been on fire lately, but it’s still been a very difficult start to the season for him.

In bursts

– A learning moment for David Reinbacher.

– Impressive.

– Joel Edmundson will play his first game of the season today.

– Ballot of the day.

– Really?