In February, the Barracuda were dealing with a rash of injuries at forward, losing AHL All-Star Cam Lund and Ethan Cardwell to season-ending injuries within a couple of days. Shortly after, it was announced that Shane Bowers would miss the rest of the regular season, if not more. Not to mention, centers Filip Bystedt and Colin White missed a combined 15 games over that same stretch due to injuries.

Because of that, the Barracuda were forced to scour the ECHL for potential options. They recalled Kyle Crnkovic from the Wichita Thunder and signed the ECHL’s leading goal scorer at the time, Brendan Hoffmann, to a professional tryout contract. In just 44 games, the 24-year-old Hoffmann had 32 goals and 19 assists in 51 contests with Idaho. Nearly two months later, he still leads the Steelheads in both goals and points despite not playing for the team since early February.

For the fourth-year pro, it was the first time in his career he’d have a chance to play in the AHL, just a step away from the world’s top league. Four days after joining the Barracuda, he made his AHL debut on Feb. 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, obviously. It's really cool to have that milestone,” said Hoffmann.

Throughout his hockey career, which began in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, of all places, he’s taken things one season at a time, never looking too far ahead. Growing up in a family with no connection to the sport, he was introduced to hockey in the most unlikely of  ways.

“I actually saw a women’s hockey player who I think was making traing for U-18 U.S. camp, or something, and she was doing a private lesson when I was on a school trip to the local ice rink. That was what made me want to play hockey. So, it was actually a girl playing hockey that made me want to play… that first impression is what sold me.”

That serendipitous introduction began an unorthodox journey, from the Southern United States to Canada and the OHL, then to the ECHL, and now to San Jose.

Once the flame was sparked, Hoffmann fell in love with the sport. He watched highlights every morning before school, and although there weren’t many local players to look up to, there were a few, including Bryan Moore, who, like Hoffmann, grew up in Charlotte, played in the OHL, and later appeared in nine games with the Barracuda from 2016 to 2018.

As he improved and grew, his parents sat him down one day and asked how serious he was about hockey. By then, there was no turning back. He was hooked, and from that point on, his parents were too. He began commuting three hours to Atlanta, where the pool of talent 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 might be, too.

“I was going to retire if I didn't get my first tryout with Reading about four years ago in the Coast. So, I mean, I've always kind of just been like, ‘Hey, anything can happen.’”

That mindset has defined his career, one season at a time, one game at a time.

“It’s not too bad getting to play hockey for a living, and you never know what can happen. I've always been grateful to come to the rink and say it’s my job every day.”

While hockey is his full-time job, he’s also looked beyond the sport. He is currently taking online courses at Penn State and is set to graduate within the next two years with a degree in cybersecurity, with an emphasis on finance and computer engineering.

With the Barracuda, his role is different than it was in Idaho. He’s expected to use his six-foot-four, 220-pound frame, get to the net, play responsibly, and wear teams down, something he’s more than happy to do.

“We’ve got a lot of really skilled players on this team that can make high-end plays. For me, I think it’s important to embrace any role you're given to win games. I don't think there are many coaches and GMs who don’t like a guy that can play up and down the lineup, so whatever they need from me, I’m more than happy to do.”

While he’s played mostly in the bottom six with the Barracuda, his ability to score hasn’t gone unnoticed. Because of that, he’s earned time on the second power-play unit.

From March 15 to March 21, he scored in three consecutive games despite averaging just under 11 minutes of ice time per game.

“He comes in and has done everything that we have asked of him,” said Barracuda head coach John McCarthy. “He understands our identity, and he’s fit right in on the ice and in the room.”

Playing on a PTO doesn’t guarantee anything long term, but Hoffmann is embracing the opportunity and enjoying the ride, no matter how long it lasts.

“The guys have been great, and it feels like home. Nothing is guaranteed, so I’m just here to help the team win however I can.”

With the playoffs just around the corner, Hoffmann has solidified himself as a reliable option on a nightly basis and an asset to a team with ambitions of playing deep into the spring.

No matter where his career takes him, his love for the game has always been his biggest driving force, steadily improving, moving up levels, and becoming the best version of himself.