Senators Trade Mike Hoffman To Sharks, Then Panthers Amid Cyber-bullying Probe Into Player’s Fiancee

The Ottawa Senators on Tuesday traded winger Mike Hoffman to the San Jose Sharks, who then sent him to the Florida Panthers.

Senators’ Mike Hoffman Traded To Panthers

The move comes almost a week after allegations of cyber-bullying were made against Hoffman’s fianceé Monika Caryk. On May 4, Melinda Karlsson — the wife of Senators captain Erik Karlsson — reportedly filed a protection order against Caryk, claiming Hoffman’s fianceé had harassed her online.

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Melinda Karlsson accused Caryk of making “numerous statements wishing my unborn child dead” in a series of tweets and other social media posts, according to The Ottawa Citizen. 

Karlsson and her husband had a son named Axel in March but he was stillborn, and Melinda reportedly received several offensive messages online after that.

Melinda Karlsson also claimed Caryk used a pseudonym to post the hurtful comments and that she “uttered that she wished I was dead and that someone should ‘take out’ my husband’s legs to end his career.”

According to the Citizen, Hoffman denied the allegations against his fianceé. The Senators, meanwhile, issued a statement saying they would investigate the matter in coordination with the NHL.

Ottawa traded Hoffman to the Sharks for Mikkel Boedker as part of a deal that also saw defenseman Cody Donaghey and a fifth-round 2020 draft pick leave for San Jose. The Senators also got defenseman Julius Bergman and a 2020 sixth-round pick.

The Sharks then dealt Hoffman and a seventh-round pick to the Panthers for second, fourth and fifth-round picks.

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Karlson has a chance to sign a new contract with the Senators starting July 1. He could become an unrestricted free agent during the summer of 2019.

Left winger Evander Kane recently signed a seven-year, $49 million deal with the Sharks.