As the season goes, Hoffman grasping Blues system, producing more and more

Forward nets goal, assist in 3-2 overtime win against San 

Jose; shot total is doubled, point per game in past eight games

By LOU KORAC
ST. LOUIS -- Like a fine wine, Mike Hoffman keeps getting better with age ... and time with the Blues.

The expectations from the hockey fans in St. Louis when the Blues signed the 31-year-old to a one-year, $4 million contract were that Hoffman would hit the ground running firing on all cylinders.

(St. Louis Blues/Scott Rovak)

Sharks goalie Martin Jones stretches but to no avail in trying to save a shot

by Blues forward Mike Hoffman (68) on Thursday.

But having come from the Eastern Conference spending the first nine games of his NHL career with the Ottawa Senators and Florida Panthers the past two seasons and the style of play is more run-and-gun, picking up more on the structure side of things, being more defensively responsible and in general, grasping the style of play with the Blues and Western Conference hockey has been a bit of an adjustment. But Hoffman has been coming alive, and not a moment too soon with the Blues losing forwards by the minute.

Hoffman started the season off with a goal and three assists in his first eight games with just 15 shots on goal, or just 1.875 per game, and for a sniper if his caliber, the bar needed to be raised higher, and all parties felt it would with time and experience.

After a goal and assist Thursday against the San Jose Sharks that produced a 3-2 overtime win, Hoffman is a point-per-game player the last eight games (five goals, three assists) and has rattled off 30 shots on goal, or 3.75 per game, which is more on par with what goal scorers look for.

He started the season with the Blues trying to pair the veteran with the young and talented Robert Thomas, and it was a slow start. But the team was committed to that duo hoping it would produce the magic it expected. But when Thomas broke his left thumb, it was time to elevate Hoffman to a more prominent role.

It's all about feeling more and more comfortable, honing in on the Blues style and systems and keeping that rhythm going.

"Yeah, for sure, I think there's probably a lot of factors that contribute into that," Hoffman said. "Obviously getting more comfortable and you know starting on a new team is not always the easiest thing, but you know coming in and then getting a little bit more opportunity, chances ... and getting comfortable and knowing that I can play my game and possess the puck and hold onto the puck and take shots when they're there."

Hoffman is getting more opportunity, and with this coaching staff, it comes with earning your ice. And now with so many forwards (Vladimir Tarasenko, Tyler Bozak, Jaden Schwartz, Thomas and perhaps now Ivan Barbashev after he left in the third period with a lower-body injury stemming from friendly fire off the stick of David Perron, Hoffman, who has been playing on a line with Brayden Schenn and Jordan Kyrou, will get his chances.

"I think he's done his job," Blues coach Craig Berube said. "He got one (goal) and one (assist) tonight, scored a power play goal and set up the tying goal. I think that he's starting to figure out how we play a little bit. Defensively he's been fine, he worked himself in good spots defensively and he's doing a good job there. He's really good, he gets opportunities and he capitalizes on them."

Hoffman, who played a season-high 19:33 on 24 shifts Thursday, scored his first power-play goal of the season that gave the Blues a 1-0 lead in the first; he's getting a great opportunity to try and help make the power play click, something that hasn't generated the kind of momentum the Blues have talked about with man-advantage situations.

And he set up Brayden Schenn's tying goal with 39.2 left on the game clock by firing that wrister of his from the right circle and created a rebound off Martin Jones to a waiting Schenn in the slot.

"I got a seam pass from Perron and I'm just looking to put it on net," Hoffman said. "I mean, the ice is pretty bad and we're trying to get a goal. I'm not trying to be too cute, just put it on net and get numbers there. Schenner was in there, and it was a great shot to put it in."
Having Hoffman in most situations, including the power play and sixth attacker situations, shows just how far the Blues have come and the dangerous threat they pose now, especially in 6-on-5 situations where they scored again Thursday on Schenn's goal. It was the Blues' fourth 6-on-5 goal of the season and leads the NHL.

They had three all of last season.

"It's interesting. We changed our setup from the other times today and we were able to find a seam play and big rebound goal by Schenner there," said Perron, who scored the game-winner in OT. "I don't know. I said to 'Panger' after the game, the little touch pass here by 'Kruger,' it's just a simple D to D touches it to me, no dust, just really quick and it gives me kind of that lane underneath their winger that he doesn't have time to recover and from there, we make another play and then we score. It's not always going to happen that way, but those are all little plays. I think guys are moving the puck quick. Tonight it is kind of like three power-play goals, so that's nice."

There's more direct plays to the net, keeping it simple and having Hoffman set up for that wrister or one-timer helps collapse the defense.

"Yeah, I think that we got numbers at the net for a lot on these shots, a couple of them, Hoffman, shooting the puck and we've got screens," Berube said. "Tonight, that got guys to the net and get the puck to the net with numbers around the net, that's the way you're going to score 6 on 5. It's not going to be a pretty play."

And Hoffman is OK with that. He could have chosen a number of NHL teams to sign with but saw what the Blues had even though this is a completely different atmosphere for him. It was going to take time and acclimation and both seem to be paying dividends.

(St. Louis Blues photo)

Mike Hoffman (68) has eight of his 12 points with the Blues over the past 

eight games and has doubled his shots from 15 to 30.

"I mean, you know, there's probably not too much too it honestly," Hoffman said. 'It's one of those things where sometimes it's clicking and sometimes it's not. Obviously it's nice when it is. I think the biggest thing is getting the puck and moving it around and then getting pucks toward the net and outmanning them at the net. You've got to get pucks to the net and outman the nets. That's what you've got the man-advantage for.

"You enter the zone with position and guys that can make plays, and then like I said, you move the puck around and look to get shots and opportunities and you've got to be working hard to retrieve the loose pucks. You know, usually things will go your way."