Could The Oilers Pry Out Dougie Hamilton?
By Zach Laing
I was doing some digging this afternoon into Dougie Hamilton and I found an interesting clause when it comes to signing players who are Restricted Free Agents:
"Clubs must use their own draft picks (being those awarded directly to the Club by the League for use by it in the Entry Draft, including such draft picks described in the first clause of this parenthetical that a Club has traded or encumbered, and subsequently reacquired or unencumbered). Clubs cannot acquire picks to use as compensation (with the exception being a Club’s own draft selections that are traded and then re-acquired). – NHL CBA, pg 38"
The NHL CBA’s compensation chart shows that any deal signed under the $3,364,391 per year mark means that a team wouldn’t have to give up a first round pick as a part of the compensation package, and given the fact that the Bruins would easily match any offer below the said mark, the Oilers would not be interested in doing so. Connor McDavid isn’t worth Dougie Hamilton.
However, if the Oilers waited until after June 26th’s NHL Entry Draft, then there is a possibility the Oilers could make an offer sheet for Hamilton and give up draft picks in 2016’s Entry Draft.
A Dougie Hamilton offer sheet isn’t entirely out of the question, but could the Oilers and B’s put together a blockbuster deal that sends the young defenceman to Edmonton?
Who is Dougie Hamilton?
There is no denying the talent and potential that is 21-year old Douglas Jonathan Hamilton from Toronto, Ontario. He just completed his third full year in the NHL, as well as his Entry Level Contract and is now a Restricted Free Agent.
Hamilton is due for a significant raise.
5vs5 play in 2014-2015. c/o
Play in all situations in 2014-2015 c/o
Hamilton’s stats are great for a 21-year old, and using War-On-Ice’s similarity scores, we are able to see that when taking into account Hamilton’s stats, they compare closest to Kris Letang’s 2009-2010 season with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Similarity Score c/o War-On-Ice
The Bruins themselves are strapped to the cap this year. According to nhlnumbers, the B’s have roughly $10 million in cap space to sign UFAs: Gregory Campbell, Daniel Paille, Carl Soderberg, Adam McQuaid and Matt Bartkowski, and RFAs Ryan Spooner and Dougie Hamilton. Can the Bruins really afford his services?
I would imagine the Bruins would look to sign Hamilton a deal similar to what the Dallas Stars paid John Klingberg, which was a 7-year, $4.25 million contract. I think it it fair to say that Hamilton has a higher overall ceiling than Klingberg, and given that fact that this is his 3rd year in the NHL he is due for a big pay day.
Hamilton has the exact tools needed for what a NHL team looks for a in a number one defenseman. He stands at 6’5, 212 lbs, plays a mean, hard-hitting, fast paced game and would be a formidable partner for the young Darnell Nurse. Could you imagine watching those guys play together for the next bajillion years?
I drool just thinking about it.
The Price To Pay
In December, Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet noted that at the time then Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli was “contacting teams with space, seeing what it will cost for them to take players off his roster, so he can free up room to do what he wants.”
So now that he is the *dum dum dum* Oilers Czar of Hockey, there is no denying that he knows the value of these guys left in Boston inside and out.
Given the fact that Justin Schultz has had his struggles and could use a change of scenery, I wonder if the Boston Bruins would take him back in a Hamilton deal. Of course the Oilers would have to add more in, maybe Pittsburgh’s first, or Martin Marincin, but I wonder if it would be possible to vulture over the Bruins in order steal Hamilton.
At the end of the day, I doubt that the Bruins would have to receive an offer that would really wow them to be able to part with Hamilton. Maybe the Bruins would be interested in Leon Draisaitl.
If we were to acquire him, I could see a contract being signed in the 5-year, $5 million – $6 million range.
If an offer sheet was given instead of a trade offer, the Oilers would be forced to give up a 1st, a 2nd, and a 3rd round draft choice.
Let me know what you think. Drop a comment below or send me a tweet.