Montreal Canadiens Trade Rumors: Will Mike Hoffman be on the move?

The Montreal Canadiens have not played well this season and are in last place in the Atlantic Division. With a rebuild in mind, the team is reportedly looking to trade its forwards, including Mike Hoffman.

However, according to Canadian sportscaster Darren Dreger, no one seems interested in signing Hoffman.

He was quoted as saying on his show:

“The phones aren’t even lukewarm on him."

Mike Hoffman's performances for the Canadiens

The left winger signed a $4.5 million-per-year deal with the Montreal Canadiens after ending the 2020-21 season with 36 points at the St. Louis Blues.

Last season, Hoffman played 67 games with 17 minutes spent on ice per game at an average shooting percentage of 9.7, amassing 35 points with 15 goals. There has been a further drop in his performances this season, as he averaged 15 minutes on the ice, scoring only nine goals in 43 games.

It seems the team's manager, Kent Hughes, has lost faith in Hoffman's abilities and is looking for replacements in the market.

With hefty fees and poor returns, Hughes certainly doesn't want to take a chance and is looking for an opportunity to create salary cap flexibility in the trade season.

It will be interesting to see what happens next, as the situation has become difficult for the player and the team. With the pressure mounting, we can expect a few surprises in the coming days.

How was the 2022-23 season for Montreal Canadiens?

The Canadiens have had a below-par season They are last in the Eastern Conference Atlantic with 52 points and are probably out of playoff contention.

They haven't done well enough offensively, with just 152 goals in 57 outings. They have had to depend on Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufieldis for goals, with the duo scoring almost 33% of the team's goals this season. Their defense has not played well enough and has conceded around 3.6 goals per game on average.

With four wins in their last six games, however, they have shown signs of improvement.

It will be interesting to see how the Montreal Canadiens shape up in their next game away from home, as they face the struggling Philadelphia Flyers on Feb. 24.