Isn't Dougie Hamilton, a giant defenseman of 6'6" who throws from the right side, the perfect candidate to graft to the Montreal brigade? He has the assets that the Montreal Canadiens are looking for, and a duo with Ben Chiarot should be a perfect fit. That being said, according to the rumors that are circulating right now, Marc Bergevin reportedly courted the Hamilton clan in order to know their demands.
In his last seven campaigns, Hamilton has scored ten goals or more in each of them. During the shortened schedule, he collected a total of 42 points, including ten goals, in 55 games. He also blocked 64 pucks and gave away 52 checks. His average playing time of 22:43 made him the third most used defenseman in Carolina. Add to that his 3:03 on the power play, and he finished at the top of that category.
No, he's no Shea Weber as no one else is. However, he is still a big, right-handed defenseman with great mobility, range and the ability to take multiple minutes. He also has a lightning shot, which allows him to reach the ten-goal mark year after year. On the other hand, he's not the most physical or aggressive player, even though he was cut from a giant mold.
At 28 years old, at the top of his game, and following a deal that paid him an average of $5.75 million, the big defenseman should most likely land a contract between $6 and $7 million annually. Could Bergevin afford him? Absolutely! But if Shea Weber comes back in 2022-2023, he may be in trouble. But we have to live life in the moment, don't we?
