Speculation: Dougie Hamilton

[Finnish your Czech]

Why are other fans, after laughing at the Leafs for not rebuilding for years, now insisting they need to make moves to patch holes in year 2 of the rebuild?

We have literally two draft picks from this rebuild in Marner and Matthews. Why can't we sign a FA or draft our franchise D like other teams have done?

We need to move a young high potential F right away to get a top 4 RD back? Especially another guy who is an offensive first type D? He's not better than Zaitsev so we move Nylander to fill the RD spot where Carrick has been playing amazing?

It's WAY to early to make moves like this. We have literal a handful of prospects and tons of good D developing right now and we could have our answer in a few years.

I say we don't make any significant moves until at least the end of the year. If Lou traded any of our big 4 I think fans would burn down the ACC.

Nylander can be a PPG C in the NHL, not sure Hamilton ever becomes more than a good #3 or a top pairing guy in his prime.

I think you're underrating Hamilton a lot if you say Zaitsev is better, and if you say that Hamilton won't be better than a #3. He's arguably top pairing right now and surely better than Zaitsev.

_________


I'm not sure if Hamilton is the guy I'd target for the Leafs top pairing, but the value of Nylander + Carrick for Hamilton seems right to me. (I wouldn't do that trade)

 

[Territory]

Nylander is a winger. He is being developed as such and until further notice is a winger.

He played the last 2 years as a C.

He's been developed as a C.

He is playing W right now because of Bozak. Matthews and Kadri are other C's. That's the only reason he's on the wing. When Bozak is gone after next season (or earlier) Nylander will be a C.

 

[LV*]

Difference between Franson and Hamilton?

 

[Finnish your Czech]

Difference between Franson and Hamilton?

Hamilton knows how to skate, and is better all around offensively and in transition

 

[BlueBaron]

Nylander is a winger. He is being developed as such and until further notice is a winger.

No actually, Babs said he would like to ease him in at wing before shifting him to C. Until further notice, you have no clue what you are talking about.

 

[Antropovsky]

Nylander is a winger. He is being developed as such and until further notice is a winger.

Beyond those issues, the Leafs coach also wants to see a more consistent competition level from Nylander. He showed him video of top two-way centres Jonathan Toews and David Krejci to hammer that lesson home.

“Those are star players,” Babcock said. “That’s how hard they compete. And so in the end if you want your game to match your skill-set you’ve got to compete pretty hard in this league.”

I wonder if he always shows his wingers videos of centers? If you ask me, it sounds like there has been some development as a center. Sounds like Babcock hasn't fully made that decision yet.

Babcock: Willy, I’m going to put him and Matthews together and they can work that out. He’ll end up on the right side quite a bit, but I’d imagine he’ll take right-side faceoffs too. As far as Marner goes, we’re going to play him on the wing for sure.

 

[Antropovsky]

Difference between Franson and Hamilton?

Pretty much the same player, except Hamilton can skate very well. Poor skating actually is what probably prevented Franson from being a top pairing defenseman (on certain teams).

 

[HockeyGuruPitka]

We do not need to make any trades. This is one of the flaws with these endless proposals for RHD we are seeing. We are rebuilding. We are drafting and developing. We can sign free agents in the summer. Why does it make more sense to trade Nylander or JVR or whoever else to get a RHD than it does to wait until summer and try and sign someone? Makes more sense to keep our assets if you ask me.

Just because we got a solid goalie does not mean we will be making more major trades for players in the immediate future. Lou wanted a goalie who would give us a chance to win but I highly doubt he thinks winning now is more important than developing what we have.

Not only that, why pass up the chance to get a D on the cheap when people prepare for expansion?

Lack of patience, that is why.

The Oilers did exactly what you are saying. Drafted and developed and signed players in free agency.

Andrew Ference - 13m 4 years (waivers)
Mark Fayne 14.5m 4 years (waivers)
Andrej Sekera - 33m 6 years good #4 (signed until he is 35)
Nikita Nikitin - 9m 2 years (waivers)

After 5 years of development disaster, traded Hall for Larsson.

The answer is not just in free agency, and isnt always in drafting. You have to do a combination of everything. Draft and Develop, trade, sign FA.

Not to mention free agent demand is now going to be at a premium since we are adding a brand new franchise into the mix.

 

[LaymanX]

Going to say Nylander is not involved, nor should he be.

My prediction, Kappy and two 2017 2nds, essentially a first and two seconds. Toss in whatever makes caps work out

 

[Kamiccolo]

Hamilton is younger, better offensively and better defensively than Zaitsev... but you need another Zaitsev before a top pairing defender? Just stop. Lock theae threads up. People are delusional.

I'm sure you see tons of Leafs games to know this

Zaitsev has been the Leafs best D this year.

I guarentee you do not watch him, he's been our shutdown guy. He is doing a great job of it, and has 4 less points in 4 less games. It's also his rookie season in the NHL and he has been transitioning from bigger ice.

I think it is ignorant to claim these things. Zaitsev has easily been a top pairing D this year.

 

[Antropovsky]

Babs has made alot of comments regarding trying to get Nylander to show more effort, to play hard every game. With that in mind, I wouldn't be shocked to see Nylander moved.

find it strange though... that the game Calgary watched, Nylander wasn't even playing. That is unless there is more to the package.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Going to say Nylander is not involved, nor should he be.

My prediction, Kappy and two 2017 2nds, essentially a first and two seconds. Toss in whatever makes caps work out

I'm pretty sure Calgary is going to want a player who can play on their roster now coming back if they're giving up a top 4 dman with top 2 potential. They're far too hard to come by to gamble them away from "potential." In my opinion, if Toronto wants Hamilton, they're probably going to have to give up Nylander or something like Kadri and a 2018 1st.

 

[Kamiccolo]

The Oilers did exactly what you are saying. Drafted and developed and signed players in free agency.

Andrew Ference - 13m 4 years (waivers)
Mark Fayne 14.5m 4 years (waivers)
Andrej Sekera - 33m 6 years good #4 (signed until he is 35)
Nikita Nikitin - 9m 2 years (waivers)

After 5 years of development disaster, traded Hall for Larsson.

The answer is not just in free agency, and isnt always in drafting. You have to do a combination of everything. Draft and Develop, trade, sign FA.

Not to mention free agent demand is now going to be at a premium since we are adding a brand new franchise into the mix.

While I get your point, the other option is to lose a trade in year two before we know what we have, 21 games into their rookie season for a D?

We have tons of other pieces we can move, we have more draft picks to make, and lots of time. Leafs are not in a position to need an immediate upgrade at D. This is a development year.

Plus our defense as is is already better than the Oilers was for their entire rebuild until they finally made the Larrson trade.

 

[LaymanX]

I'm pretty sure Calgary is going to want a player who can play on their roster now coming back if they're giving up a top 4 dman with top 2 potential. They're far too hard to come by to gamble them away from "potential." In my opinion, if Toronto wants Hamilton, they're probably going to have to give up Nylander or something like Kadri and a 2018 1st.

Why? I don't think they are making a playoff run this year?

Anyhow that's just my guess.

 

[WTFMAN99]

Babs has made alot of comments regarding trying to get Nylander to show more effort, to play hard every game. With that in mind, I wouldn't be shocked to see Nylander moved.

find it strange though... that the game Calgary watched, Nylander wasn't even playing. That is unless there is more to the package.

He lit them up last time we faced them.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Why? I don't think they are making a playoff run this year?

Anyhow that's just my guess.

I just said why, top 2 dmen are too hard to come by, so they're going to want a player they know can at least play at the NHL level. It's not about making the playoffs.

 

[Aceboogie]

Plus our defense as is is already better than the Oilers was for their entire rebuild until they finally made the Larrson trade.

I dont see much of a difference. Klefbom and Rielly are a wash. Gardiner and Sekera are a wash but Gardiner makes less money. Zaitev I guess is the difference. But hes still really unproven and the Oilers had Marincin perform at #3 levels for a year and even had Davidson the same last year. After that Leafs D is horrendous

 

[Kamiccolo]

Babs has made alot of comments regarding trying to get Nylander to show more effort, to play hard every game. With that in mind, I wouldn't be shocked to see Nylander moved.

find it strange though... that the game Calgary watched, Nylander wasn't even playing. That is unless there is more to the package.

Wait, you think it's Nylander + for him??

Ok I am out of here. Most likely nothing happens, but if it does I'll be back to laugh at you guys for the insane over valuation you have shown. A near PPG 20 year old future #1 C + for a #3 offensive D.

You are out of your mind. If Lou traded Nylander for him even straight up, I would lose ALL hope in management and assume the owners have given orders to abandon the rebuild.

In that case, I don't know what I will do, but I will probably lose hope as a fan and follow another team.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

While I get your point, the other option is to lose a trade in year two before we know what we have, 21 games into their rookie season for a D?

We have tons of other pieces we can move, we have more draft picks to make, and lots of time. Leafs are not in a position to need an immediate upgrade at D. This is a development year.

Plus our defense as is is already better than the Oilers was for their entire rebuild until they finally made the Larrson trade.

But the Leafs are allowing more GA/G then the Oilers did last year...

 

[Kamiccolo]

I dont see much of a difference. Klefbom and Rielly are a wash. Gardiner and Sekera are a wash but Gardiner makes less money. Zaitev I guess is the difference. But hes still really unproven and the Oilers had Marincin perform at #3 levels for a year and even had Davidson the same last year. After that Leafs D is horrendous

Umm, Klefbom wasn't there for most of their rebuild, so you can't use him. Same with Sekera. They had Petry as their #1 D. These guys came when they were last for McDavid.

Rielly is easlily better than Klef but whatever. I am done here, we were told all our prospects were Gagner and now were the Oilers 2.0. I'll never change your mind, so I guess I'll have to do with the Saltyness when they are a better team than Calgary in a few years.

 

[Kamiccolo]

But the Leafs are allowing more GA/G then the Oilers did last year...

Says it with me now..

Inexperience...

Our D cores oldest guy is Polak, who is our #7, and then Zaitsev. Everyone else is 24 or under, with two of our top 4 being 22.

Our F are also inexperienced and this leads to a lot of shots against. The team is one of, if not the youngest in the NHL.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Wait, you think it's Nylander + for him??

Ok I am out of here. Most likely nothing happens, but if it does I'll be back to laugh at you guys for the insane over valuation you have shown. A near PPG 20 year old future #1 C + for a #3 offensive D.

You are out of your mind. If Lou traded Nylander for him even straight up, I would lose ALL hope in management and assume the owners have given orders to abandon the rebuild.

In that case, I don't know what I will do, but I will probably lose hope as a fan and follow another team.

If you're going to call Nylander a future #1C then you need to call Hamilton a future #1D because that's his potential. Now I don't know if it would take Nylander+, but you have to give to get.

 

[Erik Alfredsson]

Says it with me now..

Inexperience...

Our D cores oldest guy is Polak, who is our #7, and then Zaitsev. Everyone else is 24 or under, with two of our top 4 being 22.

Our F are also inexperienced and this leads to a lot of shots against. The team is one of, if not the youngest in the NHL.

Ah so they're not better then, gotcha.

 

[Damisoph]

I see a lot of people making definitive statements on guys they barely watch. It's kinda embarrassing.

 

[Chandrashekhar Limit]

As a Leaf fan, please not ****ing Marner/Nylander. Would ****ing hate it if it was either of those guys. JVR fine, but not Nylander.