Emily Kaplan explains how Sharks GM Doug Wilson capitalized on Mike Hoffman's diminished value and then moved Hoffman in a separate deal to the Panthers hours later. (1:16)
The Ottawa Senators traded left winger Mike Hoffman to the San Jose Sharks on Tuesday, nearly a week after allegations surfaced that his fianceé harassed captain Erik Karlsson's wife online.
Hoffman, 28, was traded, along with ECHL defenseman Cody Donaghey and Ottawa's fifth-round choice in the 2020 draft, to the Sharks for veteran forward Mikkel Boedker, defenseman Julius Bergman and a sixth-round draft choice in 2020.
Editor's Picks Sens probe alleged cyberbullying by LW's fiancee The Ottawa Senators are investigating the fiancee of left winger Mike Hoffman for allegedly harassing team captain Erik Karlsson's wife
"Today's trade showcases our determination to strengthen the future of the team by improving chemistry, leadership and character in the locker room and on the ice. We are confident it is a step in the right direction for the long-term success of this organization," Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said in a statement.
Melinda Karlsson filed an order of protection against Monika Caryk, Hoffman's fianceé, on May 4, alleging that she harassed the Karlssons online. That harassment included remarks about the death of their child, who was stillborn in March, via comments on Melinda Karlsson's Instagram account under a pseudonym.
"Monika Caryk has uttered numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead ... uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should 'take out' my husband's legs to end his career," the document said, according to media reports.
Hoffman and Caryk have denied the accusation.
"It's 150 percent that it's not us," Hoffman told the Ottawa Citizen. "We have nothing to hide. We're willing to cooperate in any way to solve this and figure it out and prove that it wasn't us."
But the court of public opinion ruled against them swiftly. That included the spouses of former Senators players who spoke out against Caryk and in support of the Karlssons on social media.
"This crossed the line from cyber bullying to something entirely different in April," Julie Turris, the wife of former Senators center Kyle Turris, wrote on Twitter. "Unfortunate that this private matter has become public. Incredibly proud of my girl for standing up for herself and her family, it took courage."
This crossed the line from cyber bullying to something entirely different in April. Unfortunate that this private matter has become public. Incredibly proud of my girl for standing up for herself and her family, it took courage. https://t.co/wAOwGTlKy2 — Julie (@julieturris) June 12, 2018
Hoffman has 107 goals and 123 assists in 342 games for the Senators since 2011-12. He was viewed as a valuable commodity at the trade deadline for teams seeking a productive left winger with a reasonable cap hit of $5,187,500 through 2020.
But the return on this deal from San Jose is an indication that Hoffman's stock had plummeted since the allegations were made public. Boedker, 28, is coming off a 37-point season and makes $4 million through 2020.
"Mikkel Boedker is a competitive, versatile, two-way forward who can play both wings. He has a track record of playing his best hockey in the most important games, including the playoffs and internationally. His skill set -- in particular his speed -- along with his veteran leadership fits with our vision for the team," Dorion said.
It's a bold move for the Sharks, who signed left winger Evander Kane to a seven-year, $49 million contract before he hit free agency and have new contracts for stars Joe Pavelski and Logan Couture due before next summer.
For Ottawa, the attention now turns to Karlsson, the team's superstar, who can sign a new deal with the Senators beginning July 1. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2019.
Winger Mike Hoffman is actually going to South Florida, not San Jose, after the San Jose Sharks traded the winger to the Panthers on Tuesday morning just hours after acquiring him from the Senators. The first trade from the Senators comes just two years after Hoffman signed a contract extension with Ottawa..
The rebuilding Sens agreed Tuesday, first according to TSN, to trade the 28-year-old forward to the Sharks, along with defenseman Cody Donaghey and a 2020 fifth-round draft pick, in exchange for forward Mikkel Boedker, defenseman Julius Bergman and a 2020 sixth-round pick.
But just hours later, as first reported by TSN's Pierre LeBrun, Hoffman was already on his way to the Florida Panthers, with the Sharks trading him for a 2019 second-round pick, a 2018 fourth-round pick and a 2018 fifth-round pick.
Hoffman's teammate, Erik Karlsson, is the bigger name who could be dealt this offseason as Ottawa overhauls its roster from a cellar-dwelling season. But his own departure, first as part of the package deal with San Jose and then in the Sharks' draft-pick swap with Florida, is both unsurprising and curiously timed -- unsurprising because he and his $20.75-million contract were considered trade chips at the in-season deadline, and curiously timed because Hoffman's fiancee is just days removed from accusations of harassing the Karlsson family over their recently stillborn child.
Hoffman may very well have warranted the Sens a bigger return than what Ottawa received from the Sharks had he been dealt at the deadline, especially considering he's had more than 20 goals in five of his last six seasons. The biggest piece to land with the Senators was probably Boedker, who offers Ottawa two-way forward depth and has been a regular double-digit goal-scorer since he started with the then-Phoenix Coyotes in 2008-09.
The Sharks might have reaped the most benefits of the Hoffman movement, though, ditching Boedker's contract and then collecting a haul of decent picks from the Panthers in exchange for their new forward -- perhaps all before a run at impending New York Islanders free agent John Tavares in free agency.
Joshua Clipperton, The Canadian Press
Following last week's explosive revelations concerning his partner's alleged harassment of Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson's wife, it was hard to envision a scenario where Senators forward Mike Hoffman could remain in the nation's capital.
The expected script played out with one trade Tuesday before a further twist added to the saga.
Hours after the Senators dealt Hoffman to San Jose in a swap that included four players and two draft picks, the Sharks flipped the 28-year-old to the Florida Panthers.
Ottawa's Atlantic Division rival sent a 2019 second-round pick and fourth- and fifth-round selections in this year's draft to the Sharks for Hoffman and a seventh-round pick in this week's draft.
Earlier, the Senators traded Hoffman, prospect defenceman Cody Donaghey and a 2020 fifth-round selection to San Jose for winger Mikkel Boedker, defenceman Julius Bergman and a 2020 sixth-round pick.
The moves come after Melinda Karlsson, Erik Karlsson's wife, filed a peace bond last month alleging that Monika Caryk, Hoffman's fiancee, posted hundreds of derogatory online messages aimed at her and her husband.
In the sworn statement, Melinda Karlsson alleged Caryk "uttered numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead." The Karlssons' first child, a son named Axel, was stillborn in March.
Panthers general manager and president of hockey operations Dale Tallon said on a conference call with reporters after acquiring Hoffman, who carries a salary cap hit of nearly US$5.2 million over the next two seasons, that he had looked into the allegations.
"We did our homework and we discussed it with a lot of different people," Tallon said. "We feel that's in the past ... we're very confident he'll be embraced by our team and by their wives and girlfriends. We have a strong culture down there now.
"Talking with Mike and all the parties, it will work out to our benefit."
In a news release announcing the trade with San Jose, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion said the move will "strengthen the future of the team by improving chemistry, leadership and character in the locker room and on the ice."
The release made no mention of the allegations against Caryk, which Hoffman has denied.
Hoffman had 22 goals and 34 assists for 56 points in a miserable 2017-18 for Ottawa that saw the Senators go from double overtime in Game 7 of Eastern Conference final last spring to 30th overall.
"He's 28, he can score, he can skate, he's got a got a cannon for a shot," Tallon said. "We missed the playoffs by a point.
"We needed to add some speed and skill to our lineup, and this turns out to be the fit for us."
Tallon said he had discussions with Dorion about Hoffman last week, but felt Ottawa's price, which included a player or players instead of picks, was too high.
"I was contacted (Monday) night by San Jose and asked if I had any interest," Tallon added. "We looked at the deal and we felt this would be a perfect fit for our team."
Boedker, also 28, had 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points for San Jose in the second season of the four-year, $16-million contract he signed with San Jose in 2016.
"Mikkel Boedker is a competitive, versatile, two-way forward who can play both wings," Dorion said in a statement. "He has a track record of playing his best hockey in the most important games, including the playoffs and internationally.
"His skill set -- in particular his speed -- along with his veteran leadership with our vision of the team."
The Senators told The Canadian Press in an email they would have no further comment on the move.
While it was clear Hoffman had to go, what Tuesday's developments mean for Karlsson's future in Ottawa remains to be seen.
Dorion has said he will offer his captain, who can become an unrestricted free agent and walk for nothing next summer, a new contract on July 1.
But with the Senators now lurching toward a full rebuild, will Karlsson want to spend his prime years with a team that doesn't look likely to be back in Stanley Cup contention any time soon?
The alleged harassment story involving Caryk, Hoffman and the Karlssons was just the latest development in a turbulent stretch for Ottawa.
Last week, the Senators suspended assistant general manager Randy Lee, who has a court date in Buffalo next month for a harassment charge. Lee will miss this weekend's draft in Dallas.
Meanwhile, former captain and fan favourite Daniel Alfredsson was quoted saying at an event he hopes the Senators are sold to an owner other than Eugene Melnyk to ensure their future in the nation's capital.
Billboards were erected earlier in the year in Ottawa with the hashtag .MelnykOut. Before an outdoor game in December in Ottawa, Melnyk threatened to move the franchise if attendance didn't pick up.
