Decade of ‘Dogs – Dougie Hamilton
Today we’re continuing our Decade of ‘Dogs summer series and after profiling former superstar Freddie Hamilton last week, we now turn our attention to his younger brother Dougie.
Despite being from Toronto, Hamilton spent his minor midget season with the St. Catharines Falcons Minor Midget AAA team of the SCTA. After a strong season of showcasing his defensive ability, as well as his offensive production with 20 goals and 53 points, he was selected 27th overall in the 2nd round of the 2009 OHL Priority Selection Draft by the Niagara IceDogs
In his rookie season in Niagara, Hamilton quickly became a cornerstone of the team’s defense core, routinely shutting down the opposition on a nightly basis. He also showed a glimpse of his offensive potential, producing 16 points over the campaign. At the end of the season, he was named to the OHL Second All-Rookie Team. As well, Hamilton impressed enough members of Hockey Canada to be selected to their Canada Ontario U17 team for the U17 World Hockey Championship, where he led them to a silver medal finish.
In his sophomore season, Hamilton continued to make impressive strides in his development. His point total increased to 58, and over 14 playoff games he amassed 16 points. Throughout the season, Hamilton collected a multitude of accolades. He was invited to play in the CHL Top Prospects Game and he represented Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup, winning a gold medal in the process. This strong progression in his game resulted in him being selected 9th overall in the 1st round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Boston Bruins.
After a summer of NHL development camp, Hamilton returned to Niagara for what would be his best season in the OHL. He smashed his career highs in goals (17), assists (55), and points (72) en route to being voted the CHL Defenseman of the Year. He would once again represent Canada, this time at the World Junior Hockey Championships, where his 6 points led all defenseman in scoring. His defensive reliability was an integral factor in their bronze medal finish. To cap off the season, Hamilton dominated the postseason with 23 points throughout 20 playoff games to help the IceDogs capture their first Eastern Conference Championship in franchise history.
Entering the 2012-2013 season, Hamilton was considered a lock to make the Boston Bruins, but his NHL debut would be put on hold due to the league’s lockout. He then returned to Niagara for a fourth season, and once again represented Canada at the World Junior Hockey Championship. Shortly after the World Junior’s, the NHL began their season and Boston called up Hamilton for the remainder of the year. In his shortened rookie season, Hamilton excelled. He scored 16 points and was voted the winner of the 44th Annual NESN 7th Player award, which is given to the Bruin who exceeded all expectations as voted by the team’s fans.
Over the following two seasons, Hamilton continued to make impressive strides in all areas of his game. His point total rose to 25 points and then to 42, and his ability to shutdown the opposition was unmatched. However, at the end of his third season in Boston, the Bruins were forced to trade the pending restricted free agent due to cap constraints. Just days prior to the 2015 NHL Entry Draft, he was acquired by the Calgary Flames for a trio of draft picks, including the Flames’ 2015 first round selection. Four days after the deal, Hamilton signed a 6 year contract worth 34.5 million. In his first season in Calgary, Hamilton instantly became a pivotal piece of their blue line, and will provide the defensive stability the team needs moving forward.
Considered by many to be one of the greatest players in IceDogs’ franchise history, Dougie Hamilton still continues to represent them in the only way that he has even known – through excellence.
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