Hamilton/By S. Bradley
Hockey Canada is holding its national junior team evaluation camp through Sunday in Edmonton with intentions of getting a read on what players it wants to take to the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship in December.
Among the 17 defensemen in camp is Bruins 2011 first-round draft pick Dougie Hamilton.
Considering Hamilton is one of 10 blueliners who were first-round picks, he’s going to have a dogfight on his hands for a spot on this winter’s roster. As Donna Spencer of the Globe & Mail wrote tonight:
Eric Gudbranson of the Kingston Frontenacs, the lone returning defenceman from the 2011 junior team, was the third overall pick in last year’s NHL draft by Florida.
Nathan Beaulieu (Montreal), Brandon Gormley (Phoenix), Mark Pysyk (Buffalo), Doug Hamilton (Boston), Joe Morrow (Pittsburgh), Ryan Murphy (Carolina), Stuart Percy (Toronto), Duncan Siemens (Colorado) and Jamie Oleksiak (Dallas) are the other first-rounders.
Canada’s recent acquisition of six-foot-seven Oleksiak further bolstered its assets on defence. He was a late addition to Canada’s summer-camp roster when he decided to play under this country’s flag.
Obviously some of the above-mentioned players will make their NHL teams in the fall and won’t be available to Hockey Canada. It’ll still be a pretty deep pool of talent for the powers that be to choose from.
Hamilton will be a long shot to stick around in the NHL, so that could give him a little better chance at making the team and gaining valuable international experience against some of the best talent in the world. The opportunity for Hamilton to play in the WJC might even affect the Bruins’ decision of how long to keep him around during main camp. A fast start with Niagara of the OHL would help Hamilton’s chances, and the sooner he gets there with his teammates, the better.
But it sounds like Hamilton’s all-around solid play could fit comfortably in Team Canada’s roster and system. Head coach Don Hay was quoted by Spencer as saying:
“There’s offensive players, puck movers and there’s more the big-body type of guys. You want a well-rounded group back there. You want to be able to fit your needs and have those players jump in and contribute in the best way they possibly can.”
Although Hay was describing multiple players that would make up a defense corps, Hamilton would seem to fit in several categories at his size and skill level. It’ll be interesting to see what esteem Hamilton is held in by Hockey Canada after this weekend and over the first couple months of the 2011-12 campaign.
the other nifty and all
A friend of mine, who works with junior team in Alberta, watched all of the junior camp held in Edmonton. He thought that Hamilton should make the team and he thought that Spooner has a chance to make the fourth line. This has to be taken with a grain of salt, since he is a Leaf fan.
[...] this week, I blogged out the stiff competition Bruins 2011 first-round draft pick Dougie Hamilton faced this week in the defense corps at Team Canada’s World Junior Championship team [...]
B16
Maybe the 23 bites of his banana will help. I hope he has a good first half in Kingston and pushes for a spot. Getting a goal in the red and white can’t hurt.
the other nifty
Spooner got a goal tonight in Edmonton, so maybe he becomes a second-rounder that cracks the lineup. I didn’t hear/read anything about Hamilton.
gudbranson is a lock to be on the panthers roster in the fall. i think dougie makes the team and shines.
Rob,
Matt needs to make money somehow, and good luck finding a place on the web that doesn’t have tons of adds! Plus the Tiq IQ thing is actually really useful when in the market for any tickets.
P.S. it really helps if you can focus on the center of the screen.
I forgot to mention I’m glad Don Hay is involved. He’s secure where he is and has no agenda regarding players.
Yeah B16. I can think of a few. You have coaches and staff that may one day want to go to the next level. Are you afraid of offending a Brian Burke or any future employer? Are you secure in your own analysis to go against Central Scouting or The Hockey News? I’m not saying it happens every year but I’ve seen it happen especially with the younger undrafted guys.
I was hoping the B’s would take goaltender Michael Houser in the later rounds. Just got done reading an article where Jared Knight says he’s the best goalie in the OHL. I agree and yet USA hockey and many others don’t seem to think so. Houser and Seth Griffith could have been had for a song. I’m willing to bet there were thirty players drafted that aren’t as good as these two will be.
Frank
You may be right. I think it will probably come down to him or Beaulieu as the quaterback of the power play. I also think that the Canadian Junior Team’s defence wasn’t as tough “on the puck”, during the last World Junior Championship, as it needed to be. I hope this problem will be addressed.
the other nifty
I think your right when you same some players have been cut in the past, that shouldn’t have been. I think they need to build a team, similar to what Steve Yzerman did for the Olympics. I also think Yzerman stuck to his own instincts in regards to some of his picks. eg. Patrice Bergeron
One problem with Hockey Canada is the fact team management rely too much on what scouts have said about certain players and their draft position. It’s easier to cut a worthy second rounder over say , Nazim Kadri. Brayden Schenn puts up points in meaningless games but couldn’t perform well enough in two gold medal games to get the job done. His pedigree gave him first line wingers and all the ice time his heavy legs could want. If they don’t win this year it won’t be panic time but another summit is lurking
They think the changes they made after a summit some years ago fixed things. If you only have to beat two or three teams every year you’ve got a pretty good chance anyways. The back patting was more a result of a richness of under 20 players than anything else. Hockey Canada is so full of themselves it’s not funny.
I’m sorry, did you write something here? I didn’t notice the story with all the coupon-like ads flooding the page. Is your site now called Toyota Nationwide but with the same URL? Are you covering the team or trying to sell me some tickets?
Ryan Murphy is the best offensive U20 defenseman in Canada. The only way he wouldn’t make this team is if he makes the Hurricanes roster! Hay never said he wants each player to be well-rounded but that he wants his GROUP to be so. He even added: ”you want to be able to FIT YOUR NEEDS and have those players contribute in the BEST WAY THEY POSSIBLY CAN.” In other words, he also want ‘specialists’ to form his well-rounded ‘group’. & believe me: there’s no way he’ll cut his #1 PP specialist in Ryan Murphy, even if that would mean dressing him as his 7th D.
Frank
Gudranson and Gormley are locks, but I wouldn’t be sure of of Murphy and Murray. I think Hamilton and Beulieu have an excellent chance at making that team. Murphy is not the best when competing in the corners for the puck. The key quote from Hay is”well-rounded”, regarding the defensive corps.
He’s far from a lock. This will be one of the best defense corps Canada has ever had. The only locks are Gudbranson, Gormley, Murphy & Murray (2012 draftee). The last 3 spots will depend on Don Hay’s personal feeling & as it’s the case every year, there will be big disappointments. If a player is cut, that doesn’t mean he’s not good enough to play there so Bruins fans shouldn’t judge Hamilton on his selection on this team. Keep in mind that Seguin was cut 2 years ago… which didn’t prevent him from playing his 1st NHL game only 10 months later!
He’s a lock.
This should be a good test for Bruins fans to judge Hamilton by. I look forward to seeing where this goes.
I know I don’t have to say this, but keep us updated Matt