Hofer Putting in the Work, Seeing the Results

February 27, 2024

Just because the American Hockey League is a developmental league, that does not mean ice time is necessarily a given for a young prospect on the Hershey Bears.

All the more reason to make the most of your opportunity when your number is called.

Ryan Hofer did that this past weekend.

With Hershey ravaged by injuries, call-ups, and suspensions, and on the heels of a 500-mile trek back from Quebec after a 3-2 shootout loss at Laval on Wednesday night, the Bears faced a seemingly uphill battle heading into Friday's home game against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Even more so after Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's Jonathan Gruden put the visitors up 1-0 less than six minutes into the game (seven of Hershey's nine regulation losses this season have come when the opposing team scored first).

Enter Hofer.

Just over eight minutes after Gruden had scored, Hofer took a pass from Jake Massie in neutral ice, cut to the left of Penguins defender Jack St. Ivany as he entered the neutral zone, and fired a low shot from the circle underneath the leg pad of Joel Blomqvist to tie the game. It was Hofer's third goal of the season, and his first since Dec. 8 at Syracuse.

The game remained tied until the final four minutes of regulation with a go-ahead score from Chase Priskie, and a pair of empty-net tallies from Matt Strome and Bogdan Trineyev to give Hershey a 4-1 win.

"We [could have gone] into the second period down 1-0; all of a sudden, pressure starts mounting when you don't get that equalizer right away," Bears head coach Todd Nelson said of Hofer's tying score. "He made a nice move at the blue line and he shot the puck hard - that's what he does."

While Bears fans haven't seen Hofer score in bunches yet, the pedigree is there. It's what led the Washington Capitals to select him in the 2022 NHL Draft. As his junior career wound down last season, the now 21-year-old Hofer appeared to take a step forward in terms of his offensive skills, topping out his final season in the Western Hockey League with 40 goals split between the Everett Silvertips and Kamloops Blazers.

"He's relentless in his puck pursuit and he's a physical player," Capitals assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said of Hofer to NHL.com's Adam Kimmelman this time last year. "And I would say that he's got a good shot."

On a Bears squad laden with experienced veteran players and filled out with other prized young offensive talent, Hofer started his first professional season without a guaranteed slot in the lineup on the AHL roster; he did not dress for Hershey's opening night contest against Belleville. And when Hofer was inserted into the lineup earlier in the season, he was regularly deployed as a left wing on the team's third or fourth lines. But with Riley Sutter out with an injury and Mike Sgarbossa and Hendrix Lapierre called up to Washington, the Bears needed players at center. In his WHL days, Hofer primarily played at center, so it was a natural fit to slide over, playing between Matt Strome and Tyson Empey.

"It was nice to get back in at center, Strome and Empey made it real easy for me tonight. I was just trying to play simple. Being on the fourth line - in and out of the lineup - I just want to provide as much energy as I can, playing simple, playing heavy," Hofer said. "It feels really good after going a little without one, I'm not really trying to focus on it too much, but when they come they definitely feel really good."

Hofer pointed to the extra work he's put in after practices this season with assistant coach Nick Bootland.

"We've been doing lots of video, how to build my game, and he's been helping me a lot in practice, getting puck touches too," Hofer said. "When I'm out of the lineup, he gives me good drills to stay in shape and keep the puck touches, so when I'm getting called, I'm ready to go, and it's been a huge help."

As Hofer continues in his rookie season, he can see the path the brass in Washington have charted for him.

"Mostly it's the stuff I can control, like the energy, the physicality, and then obviously bringing in the puck touches too. It's a fast game. You've got to think, you've got to think fast, and you've got to know what you're doing before you get the puck," Hofer said. "So getting the games and getting the reps, that's helped a lot. I think the biggest part for me now is just getting the touches and being comfortable with the puck."

It's something his coaches have taken notice of.

"He's been working hard all the time," Nelson said after Friday's win. "You can't question his work ethic. He works his tail off, no matter if it's practice or in a game, and for him to get rewarded, it's great for him. [Hofer's goal will] give him confidence and center is his natural position, so I want him to feel comfortable."

Written by Jesse Liebman, Bears media specialist