In February, the Barracuda were dealing with a slew of injuries up front, losing AHL All-Star Cam Lund and Ethan Cardwell to season-ending injuries in a matter of days. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Shane Bowers would miss the entire regular season, if not more. Not to mention that Filip Bystedt and Colin White missed a combined 15 games during that time due to injury.
As a result, the Barracuda were forced to explore the ECHL for potential options. They recalled Kyle Crnkovic from the Wichita Thunder and signed ECHL leading scorer at the time, Brendan Hoffmann, to a paid tryout contract. In just 44 games, Hoffman, 24, had 32 goals and 19 assists in 51 contests with Idaho. Almost two months later, he still leads the Steelheads in both goals and points despite not having played for the team since early February.
For the fourth-year pro, it was the first time in his career that he had the opportunity to play in the AHL, just a step away from the top league in the world. Four days after joining the Barracuda, he made his AHL debut on February 14 against the Henderson Silver Knights, collecting an assist. Four games later, he scored his first AHL goal, a moment he won’t soon forget.
“I couldn’t stop smiling for like the first 10 to 15 seconds. It’s really nice to have that milestone,” Hoffmann said.
Throughout his hockey career, which began in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, of all places, he takes things one season at a time, never looking too far ahead. Growing up in a family not connected to sports, he was introduced to hockey in unexpected ways.
“I actually saw a women’s hockey player who I think was training for a US U-18 camp, or something, and she was doing a private lesson while I was on a school trip to an ice rink. That’s what made me want to play hockey. So, it was actually a girl playing hockey that made me want to play… that first impression was what sold me.”
That sad introduction began an extraordinary journey, from the Southern United States to Canada and the OHL, then the ECHL, and now to San Jose.
When the flame was lit, Hoffmann fell in love with the game. He watched the highlights every morning before school, and while there weren’t many local players to look up to, there were a few, including Bryan Moore, who grew up in Charlotte like Hoffman, played in the OHL, and later appeared in nine games with the Barracuda from 2016 to 2018.
As he developed and grew, his parents sat him down one day and asked him how serious he was about hockey. At that point, there was no going back. He was an addict, and from then on, so were his parents. He started commuting three hours to Atlanta, where the talent pool was much larger. Eventually, he was recruited to play in Toronto in the Greater Toronto Hockey League (GTHL) with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens, a league that has produced hundreds, if not thousands, of professional players. In 2017, he was selected by the Erie Otters in the seventh round (140th overall) of the OHL Priority Draft.
He went on to play four seasons in Erie, posting a career-best 34 points (20 goals, 14 assists) in his final year in 2021-22.
With his junior career over, he thought his hockey journey would be the same.
“I would have retired if I hadn’t scored my first try against Reading about four years ago on the Coast. So, I mean, I always said, ‘Hey, anything is possible.’
That mindset has defined his career, one season at a time, one game at a time.
“It’s not too bad to make a living playing hockey, and you never know what can happen. I was always grateful to get to the rink and say it’s my job every day.”
Although hockey is his full-time career, he has also looked beyond sports. He is currently taking an online course at Penn State and will graduate in the next two years with a degree in cybersecurity, with an emphasis in finance and computer engineering.
With Barracuda, his role is different than that of Idaho. He is expected to use his 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame, get to the net, play with commitment, and wear teams down, something he is more than happy to do.
“We have a lot of talented players on this team who can make high-quality plays. For me, I think it’s important to accept whatever role you’re given to win games. I don’t think there are many coaches and GMs who don’t like a guy who can play from the ground up, so whatever they need from me, I’m more than happy to do.”
Although he has played mostly in the bottom six with the Barracuda, his scoring ability has not been evident. As a result, he earned time in the second division on the power play.
From March 15 to March 21, he scored in three consecutive games despite averaging less than 11 minutes of ice time per game.
“He comes in and does everything we’ve asked of him,” Barracuda coach John McCarthy said. He understands who we are, and he gets on the ice and in the room.
Playing on PTO doesn’t guarantee anything long-term, but Hoffman welcomes the opportunity and is happy for the ride, no matter how long it takes.
“The boys played well, and it feels like I’m at home. Nothing is guaranteed, so I’m just here to help the team win as much as I can.”
With the playoffs just around the corner, Hoffman has solidified himself as a reliable every night option and asset to a team with spring playoff aspirations.
No matter where his career takes him, his love for the game has always been his biggest driving force, steadily improving, climbing the ranks, and becoming the best version of himself.
