Mike Hoffman is excited to be a San Jose Shark again but for real this time.
The veteran sniper is a member of the Bay Area club for the second time in his career after being included in the three-team deal that sent Erik Karlsson to the Pittsburgh Penguins last week. The Sharks acquired Hoffman for the first time in 2018 but flipped him to the Florida Panthers on the same day.
"It's funny how we're circling back to, maybe, four years ago," Hoffman said, according to San Jose Hockey Now's Josh Frojelin.
"Maybe longer. I was only there for maybe an hour the last time, and it looks like it might be a little longer than that this time. Like I said, it's a great opportunity, it's gonna be a cool experience, and looking forward to it."
Although Hoffman never officially suited up for the Sharks after the first trade, he made an impact among loyal San Jose fans.
Mike Hoffman wants that banner: "I saw that. I appreciate the respect for the fans there. I’ll try to reach out and contact the fan to get that from him." https://t.co/5Z0vzaXCNp
— Josh Dubow (@JoshDubowAP) March 15, 2019
Hoffman spent the past two seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. He has one year remaining on his current contract at a cap hit of $4.5 million before hitting unrestricted free agency.
The 33-year-old winger has eclipsed the 20-goal mark on six occasions since becoming a full-time NHLer in 2014-15. However, Hoffman produced his lowest total over that span in 2022-23 with 14 goals.
