Hamilton

[PietB]

Don't wanna worry anyone, but that kid hasn't scored a single goal for the B's yet... Waive him already

Nah, in all seriousness, I'm excited to watch him play. I don't even expect him to be a monster out there right from the start, his potential once he gets used to the league and matures a bit gets me excited already.

 

[ThomasJ13]

ODAAT, no doubt there will be a few outliers (I can't control all my charges ) but in terms of the bulk of the fandom we have been patient. Joe's rookie year I went to my usual quota of games (about half a dozen) and pretty much everyone i talked to and interacted with were resigned to the fact that this would be more of a developmental year for him. You can't tell me he, and coach Burns, weren't given a pass.

This is the way I feel, too. Maybe it's because I don't live in the Boston area so I might not be as exposed to this 'casual fan' I keep being warned about regarding Hamilton, but in just reading these boards, and comment sections from on-line media sites, the large majority of posts regarding Hamilton add some disclaimer about how there are going to be growing pains, and how he's a work in progress, and sagely advising patience, etc. In just re-reading this thread it seems to me that, if anything, people are fighting eachother to see who can lower their expectations more.

 

[Fire Sweeney]

I am sure you are correct about Lucic looking bad.However,it's quite common early on for some players,I know I was always terrible for the first couple of weeks when I played,then almost overnight,everything comes together.

Let's just hope he didn't go on a Kessel bulk

 

[doubleminor138]

I just want to see Dougie learn the system and make some good breakout passes.

 

[KnightofBoston]

Jesus...imagine if he actually trained hard and fought for pucks?

 

[Boston]

I have seen Dougie play a lot (40+ times live). What I am most interested to see is how he adapts to Julien's system this year.

Dougie is a great prospect and has all of the tools to have a great career, however, the two things he needs to improve is his decision making and positioning.

In Niagara, Dougie plays for an offensive minded team where he is encouraged to jump into the play and pinch (which he has been doing less year, as the Bruins have asked him to focus on his own end and making effective breakout passes).

Ultimately, I am interested to see how his decision making and positioning are in the NHL this year. I expect Dougie to struggle with this at the beginning of the season, but I really believe that being in Julien's system is going to do wonders in the long term.

 

[ODAAT]

ODAAT, no doubt there will be a few outliers (I can't control all my charges ) but in terms of the bulk of the fandom we have been patient. Joe's rookie year I went to my usual quota of games (about half a dozen) and pretty much everyone i talked to and interacted with were resigned to the fact that this would be more of a developmental year for him. You can't tell me he, and coach Burns, weren't given a pass.

Ah, that's where you weren't 100% clear, at the TD with 14,000 season ticket holders and almost 4000 other mostly diehard and knowledgeable hockey fans in comparison to the heat the prospects and others face on this board are 2 different worlds.

Those fans around u in the rink, I will assume are not of the "pink hat" variety

 

[doakacola*]

Whatever team gets the #1 pick, Ill offer them Hamilton & Knight for Seth Jones.

Jones is going to be the next Larry Robinson..book em Dano.

 

[jasonbaz77*]

Whatever team gets the #1 pick, Ill offer them Hamilton & Knight for Seth Jones.

Jones is going to be the next Larry Robinson..book em Dano.

No thanks.

 

[DOGSTARMAN]

Jeez, it's been quite awhile since the Bruins had a real blue-chip defenseman prospect to break into the team. Maybe I'm forgetting someone but the last guys who were high picks (via Boston or others) and highly touted like Hamilton were probably Boynton and Jillson, right? Lashoff and Mark Stuart were first rounders, but later in the 1st and did not have that type of buzz around them.

As others are saying, it will be interesting to see how he fits in and adapts. I guess it will be like Seguin. Keep him under control, learn to play in the system, minimize exposing mistakes (harder with a d-man playing a regular shift). The #1 thing I'll want to see from him is an ability to learn to keep it simple and to be composed handling the puck. At NHL speeds, that won't happen day 1. The wish list item is to see him have some positive impact on the PP, a little 2nd unit time or whatever.

The wild card is how he handles the physical side. Will he hold up against the bigger, stronger opponents? Will he feel comfortable initiating contact? Not sure what to expect from him this year.

 

[Artemis]

Ah, that's where you weren't 100% clear, at the TD with 14,000 season ticket holders and almost 4000 other mostly diehard and knowledgeable hockey fans in comparison to the heat the prospects and others face on this board are 2 different worlds.

Those fans around u in the rink, I will assume are not of the "pink hat" variety

There are plenty of pink-hatters in the stands. I don't mind the folks who know nothing and aren't ashamed to admit it (I once spent a good amount of time answering questions about the rules and giving a quick rundown on the B's to a nice older gentleman seated near me), but there are plenty of "experts" who know absolutely nothing and will proclaim it at the tops of their lungs.

I think the funniest thing I ever heard at the Garden was someone who turned to me during a game and said in amazement, "Wow, you know all their names!" And he was dead serious.

 

[bosoxmrkn]

Here are Zdeno's stats: 1997 Rookie year 25 games 0 goals and 1 assist!!!!!!!!!`


Zdeno Chara
Defense
Born Mar 18 1977 -- Trencin, Slovakia
[35 yrs. ago]
Height 6.09 -- Weight 260 -- Shoots L
Selected by New York Islanders round 3 #56 overall 1996 NHL Entry Draft



Regular Season Playoffs
Season Team Lge GP G A Pts PIM +/- GP G A Pts PIM
1996-97 Prince George Cougars WHL 49 3 19 22 120 15 1 7 8 45
1997-98 New York Islanders NHL 25 0 1 1 50 1 -- -- -- -- --
1997-98 Kentucky Thoroughblades AHL 48 4 9 13 125 0 1 0 0 0 4
1998-99 New York Islanders NHL 59 2 6 8 83 -8 -- -- -- -- --
1998-99 Lowell Lock Monsters AHL 23 2 2 4 47 5 -- -- -- -- --
1999-00 New York Islanders NHL 65 2 9 11 57 -27 -- -- -- -- --
2000-01 New York Islanders NHL 82 2 7 9 157 -27 -- -- -- -- --
2001-02 Ottawa Senators NHL 75 10 13 23 156 30 10 0 1 1 12
2001-02 Trencin Dukla Slovak 8 2 2 4 32
2002-03 Ottawa Senators NHL 74 9 30 39 116 29 18 1 6 7 14
2003-04 Ottawa Senators NHL 79 16 25 41 147 33 7 1 1 2 8
2004-05 Farjestads BK Karlstad SEL 33 10 15 25 132 24 13 3 5 8 82
2005-06 Ottawa Senators NHL 71 16 27 43 135 17 10 1 3 4 23
2006-07 Boston Bruins NHL 80 11 32 43 100 -21 -- -- -- -- --
2007-08 Boston Bruins NHL 77 17 34 51 114 14 7 1 1 2 12
2008-09 Boston Bruins NHL 80 19 31 50 95 23 11 1 3 4 12
2009-10 Boston Bruins NHL 80 7 37 44 87 19 13 2 5 7 29
2010-11 Boston Bruins NHL 81 14 30 44 88 33 24 2 7 9 34
2011-12 Boston Bruins NHL 79 12 40 52 86 33 7 1 2 3 8
2012-13 Prague Lev KHL 25 4 6 10 24 5
2012-13 Boston Bruins NHL Statistics Unavailable
NHL Totals 1007 137 322 459 1471

Zdeno is not a good comparable for Hamilton. Chara was an awkward skater and didn't quite know how to use his full frame to hid advantage early in his career. He's developed quite slowly. Hamilton will hit the ground running a bit quicker on the offensive side, and he will never be the shutdown man Chara is now.

 

[deliciouspie]

if i recall, jillson wasn't really a blue chip defensive prospect so much as he was one of those "NEW NHL!!!!" types in the model of the dual-eyed berard who would score more than they let up

he didn't do himself any favors by scoring two goals on his first game as a bruin

 

[BNHL]

Whatever team gets the #1 pick, Ill offer them Hamilton & Knight for Seth Jones.

Jones is going to be the next Larry Robinson..book em Dano.

Kluzak was going to be the next Larry Robinson also.

 

[TCL40]

Dougie is a great prospect and has all of the tools to have a great career, however, the two things he needs to improve is his decision making and positioning.

But isn't this pretty much what every young defenseman new to the league needs to work on? Shoot I think this tag could easily be hung on Boychuk even after a couple of full seasons in the NHL.

Hamilton is going to have to learn to play Julien's way, and he will have growing pains, but I also think working under the wings of Chara (one of the best current defenseman in the league) and Seids will also be a boon.

A lot of young first round pick defensemen coming into the league don't have the luxury of having some growing room and playing alongside experienced d-men.

I think if things pan out as hoped, Hamilton will be reaching his full potential as Chara likely starts to fade (Chara isn't getting any younger).

 

[DKH]

Whatever team gets the #1 pick, Ill offer them Hamilton & Knight for Seth Jones.

Jones is going to be the next Larry Robinson..book em Dano.

Love Jones but Knight is hurt- put Khokhlachev in there

Koko and Dougie for first pick

 

[DKH]

Kluzak was going to be the next Larry Robinson also.

he would have been and the three game sweep by the Habs with Steve Penny between the pipes, you could see that Kluzak was getting in the Bourque territory.

That was the best he ever was- he hurt his knee ironically just bending over to pick up a golf ball after a putt and that was it- 60% of what he was that series.

that was a ballsy pick that I hated but had Kluzak been healthy the Bruins would have won it

 

[Artemis]

Love Jones but Knight is hurt- put Khokhlachev in there

Koko and Dougie for first pick

Bruins fans...

 

[ODAAT]

There are plenty of pink-hatters in the stands. I don't mind the folks who know nothing and aren't ashamed to admit it (I once spent a good amount of time answering questions about the rules and giving a quick rundown on the B's to a nice older gentleman seated near me), but there are plenty of "experts" who know absolutely nothing and will proclaim it at the tops of their lungs.

I think the funniest thing I ever heard at the Garden was someone who turned to me during a game and said in amazement, "Wow, you know all their names!" And he was dead serious.

Ouch, the kind of "fan" who screams "shoot" when "their" team doesn't even have the puck

 

[Nightslyr]

As others are saying, it will be interesting to see how he fits in and adapts. I guess it will be like Seguin. Keep him under control, learn to play in the system, minimize exposing mistakes (harder with a d-man playing a regular shift). The #1 thing I'll want to see from him is an ability to learn to keep it simple and to be composed handling the puck. At NHL speeds, that won't happen day 1. The wish list item is to see him have some positive impact on the PP, a little 2nd unit time or whatever.

The wild card is how he handles the physical side. Will he hold up against the bigger, stronger opponents? Will he feel comfortable initiating contact? Not sure what to expect from him this year.

This. All I'm looking for this season is:

1. Positioning
2. Puck awareness (e.g., not coughing it up)
3. How he handles playing against grown men

There will inevitably be growing pains, especially with only a week's worth of camp and a shortened schedule, so there's going to be a lot of on-the-job training with him. I wouldn't be surprised if they had a rotation with him and whoever wins the #7 job (something like 1 game in the skybox for every 2 played) just to allow him to have a chance to really see the system from afar in an attempt to expedite his education.

I'm excited to see his growth in the 'Julien areas' (can we use that as a term?) of his game. Anything beyond that would be gravy.

 

[patty59]

There are plenty of pink-hatters in the stands. I don't mind the folks who know nothing and aren't ashamed to admit it (I once spent a good amount of time answering questions about the rules and giving a quick rundown on the B's to a nice older gentleman seated near me), but there are plenty of "experts" who know absolutely nothing and will proclaim it at the tops of their lungs.

I think the funniest thing I ever heard at the Garden was someone who turned to me during a game and said in amazement, "Wow, you know all their names!" And he was dead serious.

Wow, such lucky people that get to share the rink with you. Too bad about those other losers though, eh?

 

[DOGSTARMAN]

>>if i recall, jillson wasn't really a blue chip defensive prospect so much as he was one of those "NEW NHL!!!!" types in the model of the dual-eyed berard who would score more than they let up

He was pretty highly touted when drafted and at number #14 was expected to be something. He was also a big body who was expected to be a force, but he did not really translate that from college to pro hockey. There was a tendency during that era to overstate how dominant college players might be at the pro level. The Warren Luhning, Joe Hulbig effect. A lot of those guys were solid but not quite as hard rock as advertised. By the time he got to the Bruins, he was still a good prospect but the bloom was off the rose a little. The Bruins really had the market cornered on give-em-another-chance former prospects during those year.

>>he didn't do himself any favors by scoring two goals on his first game as a bruin

I know, I hate when that happens!

 

[mashmont]

Every fan...

Really, who doesn't want Jones?

 

[Afam*]

Well, not quite

Remember, the upcoming season is only 48 games, so if dougie scored that much in 48 games I think we'd have the next Paul Coffey on our hands

In an 82 game season however, that's a different story

I keep on forgetting we are only playing 48 games. Lol

 

[DOGSTARMAN]

I'm excited to see his growth in the 'Julien areas' (can we use that as a term?) of his game. Anything beyond that would be gravy.

Yep. He's pretty lucky when you think about it. He was the #2 defensemen taken in that draft which means, you know, pretty damn good and high expectations. Most guys taken in that spot have much higher demands and pressures heaped on them given the circumstances of their team. Hamilton has the luxury of playing for a team that is solid even without him and as part of a very established roster and coaching team. Much less chaotic than what a lot of guys face, where they come into a mess or a fresh start and are expected to immediately start paying dividends to turn around a terrible team.

You see so many of these defensive top picks come in, show some flashes, have a nice rookie streak, struggle in years 2 and 3, deal with inconsistency and disappointment, etc. So many of those guys have had this history now that it seems pointless to expect a D kid to just be good from the outset and keep going strong. Rarely happens anymore. Hamilton is set up to have it a lot better than most. I hope he just embraces that and keeps it simple, does not try to do too much. I'd rather see him blend in and come on slow over a couple years.

I wonder if the "average fan" thinks of Hamilton as a potential future star. Based on his pedigree and draft spot, he is probably that. Down the road, should hope this kid will be a top pair defenseman with all-star potential, that's the ceiling. But I wonder if most fans think that way or whether he's just another pretty good rookie to them ala Mark Stuart or, you know, a 1st rounder in general.