This week's Eastern Edge is the third part of a series looking at how players performed in new surroundings this season. We'll discuss players that joined new teams ahead of the 2021-2022 regular season, as well as those that were traded during the campaign. Previous editions of this series are available here.

Claude Giroux

The 34-year-old forward started the season on an underpowered Flyers team and tallied 42 points in 57 games – a 60-point pace. After he was traded to Florida at the deadline, Giroux posted 23 points in 18 games (a 104-point pace) with the powerhouse Panthers.

When Giroux was traded on March 19^th, the Flyers sat dead last in league scoring (tied with Montreal), averaging 2.52 goals per game. In contrast, Florida led the league with 4.06 goals per game at the time. Giroux went from a Philly team that had a 14% success rate on the power play, to a Florida team that scored on 24% of their opportunities. The power play upgrade was evident as he posted 11 power-play points in 18 games (0.61PPP/game) while enjoying a prominent role on Florida's star-studded top unit. He managed just 12 points with the man advantage in his 57 appearances with Philly (0.21 PPP/game).

Currently an unrestricted free agent, Giroux needs a new deal for next season. At this stage of his career, I expect a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup is more valuable to him than a lucrative contract. He's made a fair bit of money over his 15 seasons in the NHL, but hockey's greatest prize had eluded him so far. The thing is, Claude Giroux at a discounted rate is still worth more than most top contenders can afford to spend. As it stands, the Panthers don't have enough cap space to re-sign Giroux. However, there are options if they're willing to give up assets while unloading a sizeable contract – like Patric Hornqvist's. If the league's top contenders can't make room for Giroux, he may end up going to a middle-of-the-pack team in an attempt to put them over the edge. Ottawa has been mentioned as a potential landing spot for Giroux, seeing as the Senators have plenty of cap space, as well as a promising young roster that's looking to take the next step forward. It's certainly a possibility, but I imagine a long list of teams will be vying for Giroux's services, and he'll have his pick of the litter. I'm optimistic about Giroux's fantasy outlook next season, but I think his production and fantasy value will depend on the team he signs with. 

Sam Reinhart

In his final years with the Sabres, Reinhart was a reliable 60-point player and top line fixture, trusted with nearly 20 minutes per game. This past season was his first in Florida and boy did he fly to new heights in new surroundings. Reinhart racked up 82 points in 78 games this year, the highest output of his career. He was a key member of the team's third line, thriving beside breakout star Mason Marchment and rookie sensation Anton Lundell. The trio outshot and out-chanced opponents by a wide margin this year, ultimately outscoring the opposition 25 to 7 (via NaturalStatTrick). They benefitted from playing against weaker opponents as Florida's top two lines drew the more difficult matchups. That's a key reason why Reinhart's production improved so much this year. He went from the top line in Buffalo, drawing difficult matchups, to the third line in Florida, facing favourable matchups. Reinhart also benefitted from playing a prominent role on the Panthers' potent power play, tallying 31 points with the man advantage. Across the league, only 12 players managed more power-play points than Reinhart this season.

I think Reinhart will continue being a strong fantasy asset next season, but it's worth mentioning that Mason Marchment – who spent a lot of time beside Reinhart at even strength this year – is currently an unrestricted free agent. Marchment scored at a 71-point pace this season and may have priced himself out of Florida. If Marchment and/or Giroux don't return next season, the Panthers could shake up some of their line combinations. No matter what happens during the offseason, Reinhart is likely to skate beside talented players next year and shouldn't have much trouble breaking the 70-point mark again.

Mike Hoffman

In his first season with the Canadiens, Hoffman tallied 35 points in 67 games, which works out to 43 points over 82 games. It was a disappointing showing for a player who frequently flirted with 60- to 70-point paces previously in his career. His overall output was hindered in large part by a lack of power-play production. In previous years, he's comfortably managed around 0.3 power-play points per game, but this year, he averaged 0.19 PPPs per game. Only the Flyers had a worse power play than the Canadiens this season as Montreal converted on just 13.7% of their opportunities with the man advantage. I've said it before, but I personally believe the Canadiens have enough talent to ice a successful power-play. They have a strong net front presence in Brendan Gallagher, shooting threats in Cole Caufield and Hoffman, and good puck movers in Nick Suzuki and Jonathan Drouin/Chris Wideman. I think it's only a matter of time before things start clicking, but there's no telling how much time it'll take.

Hoffman was slightly more productive under coach Martin St. Louis (0.57 points/game) than he was under former Habs coach Dominique Ducharme (0.47 points/game). St. Louis has spoken highly of Hoffman, so I expect the 32-year-old winger will be placed in a position to succeed next season. He's a solid bounce back candidate next year, but I think the magnitude of his resurgence depends on Montreal's power play.