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Originally Posted by CliffFletcher
Hamilton isn't garbage. He isn't the top-pairing guy a lot of fans assumed they were getting, either. He's a big guy who can skate pretty well and has a good shot. That's about it. He's poor defensively, and doesn't appear to think the game very well. And he has no grit or intensity to speak of.
He's looking like he'll develop into a #4 d-man who's a pp specialist. You're either going to have to pair him with a very good defensive-minded partner, or find some other way to shelter him from dangerous opponents.
And for fans who assume he will get better defensively, they might want to consider that defense prospects are rated on their hockey IQ and defensive play for a reason - teams don't simply draft the most offensively talented d-men and assume the defensive part of their game will automatically improve to reliable NHL level. A lot of players who are bad on the defensive side of the puck at 17 are still bad at 27.
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Is Hamilton done developing at the age of 23?
How many defenders the age of 22-23 are number one guys?
No grit or intensity to speak off? Definitely had flashes of both this season.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper
- 5th in overall ice-time among defensemen on the team under Hartley and Gulutzen
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Does that matter so much? Is Hamilton lower on the depth chart then Wideman who has been sat while healthy seven times in two different stretches?