Oxford native Alex Hoffman is hoping to continue his winning ways on the ice playing hockey for the Nichols College Bison in Dudley, Massachusetts
After two years of playing for the Hampton Roads Junior Whalers, an independent team based in Chesapeake, Virginia, Hoffman has honed his skills and is now committed to play NCAA Division III hockey next season as part of the ECAC Northeast Division.
‘Alex is a very skilled, gifted hockey player,? said former Junior Whalers Coach Brent Agrusa. ‘He will bring a lot to the table for the Bison next season. The Bison are a very offensive attacking type team as we were, and I feel that a player like Alex will flourish under the leadership of Bison Coach Lou Izzi.?
Hoffman spent most of his hockey life playing at various levels of travel and junior hockey.
In his junior year playing for Oxford High School, Hoffman racked up over 60 points and made First Team All Flint Metro League center with honorable mention at the state level.
Going into his senior year at OHS, he got a call from Agrusa inviting him to play for the Whalers, who were then a Junior B start-up team.
Serving in a variety of different roles for the Whalers, including assistant captain for the inaugural 2006-07 season, Hoffman helped lead the expansion team to an undefeated season and both CHA Premier Division regular season and playoff championships.
Predominantly utilized as a playmaking center iceman, Hoffman accumulated 119 points over his first season with the Whalers. He also quarterbacked the second team power-play unit from the defensive position and showed great versatility in handling multiple positions.
After returning to Oxford to graduate with the Class of 2007, Hoffman returned to Virginia to prepare for Whalers? move from Junior B to A hockey.
In his second season, ‘Hoffman was asked to play a majority of the time on a depleted defensive core due to his innate ability to lead the breakout with strong puck handling skills,? according to the Whalers? website.
The Whalers put together an awesome 41-19-4 record against some of the top Junior A, B and College teams across the country and Canada.
At Nichols College, Coach Izzi intends to keep Hoffman as a defenseman because of his skating and playmaking abilities.
‘He is generally regarded as an offensive defenseman which fits into the European-style of play taught by Coach Izzi,? explained Hoffman’s father, Thomas.
Hoffman will be heading to Nichols College this fall with two other players from Oxford and the Junior Whalers ? Graham James and Adam Lewis.