To ensure he is able to compete at an elite level when the regular season starts, Hoang's usually die-hard borderline-suicidal pursuit of the puck in the corners tends to take a backseat to a safer, playmaker-central role. For Hoang, it's not his game to go out hard every night if the focus isn't on someone like him, who knows he's going to have a spot on a roster. It's about the kids who need a spot to eat, where their careers are going. Their place is in the corners, fighting and checking and hitting and beating and banging to every puck they can. Let them earn their spot and keep it. Hoang will be sure to help them score some goals and look good in the offensive zone, it's the least he can do. It helps the team to preserve himself.