Quote:
Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle
Hamilton, still looking lost, but people need to remember he's 22 and need to look at him as an investment in long term success and a building piece, versus expectations of immediate top defender expectations. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't expecting more out the gate, but we need to be patient with him. I don't care what the system was in Boston or who his partner was, you don't put up numbers like that in the NHL as 21 year old d-man unless you are the real deal, let's not strap the goat horns on to this kid due to our desires to jump from re-build to contender in 2 short years.
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I'm quibbling because i agree with the spirit of your post and I wouldn't throw him overboard or anything, but I dont buy the 'he's still developing' part.
He's 200 games in. If Hamilton truly hasn't figured out defense 101 by now he's not going to, and the flames have committed to 5m+ to a bigger yet somehow softer Justin Schultz.
I do buy the idea that maybe a new team/new expectations/new everything has a young man discombobulated though. You can only learn to deal with change through change, so that part is new. I'm still hopeful he will shake it off.