[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (B's and C's Edition, Vol. 6)

LD Reese Hamilton (6'1",170lbs)
Regina (WHL): 39gp/ 3g/ 8a/ 11pts, -20, 23 PIM
Calgary (WHL): 20gp/ 1g/ 2a/ 3pts, -5, 10 PIM

After a D-minus-1 season in 2023-24 that saw D Reese Hamilton (ranked # 113 NA Skaters, # 62 by McKenzie) compile 31 points in 42 points for the Hitmen, much more was expected of him going into the current campaign, with most outlets anointing him a sure-fire first-rounder in 2025. Unfortunately, he hasn't shown the same dynamism as he did in his rookie season, nor is he applying the same high-event offensive style. A mid-November trade to the Regina Pats gave fans and scouts alike the hope that he could turn things around with a change of scenery, but it did very little in the way of improving his production; part of the problem may be the fact that his new team was the second-worst team in the WHL this season, and dead-last in scoring. Hamilton has the pedigree of being drafted 4th-overall by the Hitmen in the 2022 WHL Bantam Draft, and he didn't just forget how to play the style that brought him so much positive attention from scouts- there's still potential here. Even minus the offensive game, Hamilton (who played last summer's Hlinka-Gretzky Cup, putting up no points) is still a quality puck-moving D with skill and elite mobility. If he's not one of the fastest players in this summer's draft, than he's easily in the 90th-percentile, with top-flight quickness in all directions- making him a tough defender to beat. He can recover seamlessly to his post at the point after pinching down low, and wins the vast majority of his races; he has an impressive start-up, explosive acceleration, amazing lateral agility, and slingshots out of turns.

Hamilton displays excellent puck-skills, maintaining control in tight spaces, and handling smoothly while in-flight- he's quite dangerous when he puts his skating and quick hands together, and combines the two to solve problems on the fly. He carries with confidence and poise, exhibiting solid passing skill, with saucer passes over sticks, and perfectly-weighted feeds through traffic. Though he hasn't shown it consistently throughout the year, Hamilton is excellent defending the rush- mostly because he can skate faster backwards than most can move forwards, making it easy for him to match footwork with oncoming rushers, applying tight gap-control and an active stick to angle attackers to the outside. He then surfs across laterally with overwhelming quickness to seal off the boards, strip them of possession, and close them out. Exerting strong vision, he skates with his head up to read the play and process quickly, and makes mostly sound decisions- and while elite playmaking only comes in flashes these days in the offensive zone, he executes breakout passes with proficiency. After easily shaking off attackers in retrievals, he can stretch the ice with crisp, accurate outlets, delivering precise feeds to teammates on the fly; Scott Wheeler of the Athletic calls him a "zone-exit machine". He can see through traffic, and make difficult cross-ice passes to clear the zone. Even if he's not producing as he should, he's still a high-value puck-mover and transitional contributor through carry, or by pass. At his best, he can skate dynamic routes through the neutral zone, rushing the puck through exit and entry while spearheading the attack, or quarterback the rush from the back with connective passing, but he will often use rims, dump-ins, and chip-and-chase sequences to get the job done. He will not hesitate to join the rush as an extra attacker if he sees an opportunity.

Once installed in the offensive-third, he has the agility and handling to walk the line and run the offense from the top of the zone, and is known as a frequent activator who can locate slivers of open space in the slot; in games I've seen however, he seems more content to stay back at the line with an eye on defending as well as holding the zone, only pinching in when the coast is clear. In either scenario, he's always in-motion, and distributes well from the point. Hamilton owns a powerful shot from a distance, and can fire a sharp, deceptive wrister while in-flight, using feints and look-offs to deceive and manipulate- but he's not much of a space-creator. He battles hard in the greasy areas, and can throw some big hits, but one of the main knocks against him is that he is often outmuscled, and it pervades many areas of his game- most notably in the defensive zone, and in defending his net. He desperately needs to bulk up, and get stronger, but he also has to improve his details and positioning in his own-zone, and work on making better reads. I think Hamilton also needs to get his dynamism back and start taking more calculated risks, but as it stands, I think he'll still be chosen in the 2nd, or 3rd round, with scouts looking at his elite speed and puck-moving ability.