It's confirmed for Mike Hoffman, who gets the same fate as Jonathan Drouin

We're talking about veterans who are supposed to have key roles with their new teams, three of whom will be unrestricted free agents at the end of the season. It's a sad situation.

As for Mike Hoffman, being benched by the worst team in the league is a harsh blow. It speaks volumes about his level of commitment. However, just as the Avalanche did with Drouin, he returned to the top line after his night in the press box.

So, the forced break lasted only one game. Let's see now if he can start producing or at least be engaged on the ice, even though motivation might be hard to come by in San Jose.