Murphy vs Hamilton

[Isles Drive 4 5]

Islanders fans are debateing between these 2 guys. Both great propects that bring 2 different styles to the table. I guess it comes down to what type of player your D-corps needs but personally I go with Murphy...whats the pros and cons of both...and if your the Islanders who do you take?

Click to read more...

 

[PWJunior]

Islanders fans are debateing between these 2 guys. Both great propects that bring 2 different styles to the table. I guess it comes down to what type of player your D-corps needs but personally I go with Murphy...whats the pros and cons of both...and if your the Islanders who do you take?

I see you've brought this debate to the Prospect board. You should know my answer, Doug Hamilton. He's big, he's mobile, he's got offensive ability, he's the Scholastic Player of the Year, and he has some snarl to his game. Not to mention his bust factor is on the other side of the spectrum from Murphy.

Murphy is a swing for the fences, Hamilton is a line drive to the gap in an expansive outfield.

 

[HockeySauce]

Better offensively? Murphy.

Better defensively? Hamilton.

Better all-around? Hamilton.

Murphy isn't really that small, but Hamilton holds an advantage over him on that. If Hamilton's offensive game doesn't quite pan out, he has the size to be a very solid two-way Dman. Murphy is almost purely relying on his offense, although he can always improve defensively, but doesn't have the physical attributes to fall onto like Hamilton.

Personally, I'd go with Hamilton.

But Murphy's skating, and dynamic offensive ability is outstanding. He's basically a slightly bigger, better skating version of Ryan Ellis.

 

[Ogopogo*]

Better offensively? Murphy.

Better defensively? Hamilton.

Better all-around? Hamilton.

Murphy isn't really that small, but Hamilton holds an advantage over him on that. If Hamilton's offensive game doesn't quite pan out, he has the size to be a very solid two-way Dman. Murphy is almost purely relying on his offense, although he can always improve defensively, but doesn't have the physical attributes to fall onto like Hamilton.

Personally, I'd go with Hamilton.

But Murphy's skating, and dynamic offensive ability is outstanding. He's basically a slightly bigger, better skating version of Ryan Ellis.

If his offense doesn't pan out, he will only be a defensive defenseman that is not two-way.

 

[Isles Drive 4 5]

I see you've brought this debate to the Prospect board. You should know my answer, Doug Hamilton. He's big, he's mobile, he's got offensive ability, he's the Scholastic Player of the Year, and he has some snarl to his game. Not to mention his bust factor is on the other side of the spectrum from Murphy.

Murphy is a swing for the fences, Hamilton is a line drive to the gap in an expansive outfield.

Is that a swing for the fence at Fenway or Citifield..lol since opening day is right around the corner

After my 6th Dos Equis I'm coming to the conclusion..as I did before..that if we get either Murphy or Strome or Hamilton..or God forbid RNH ...we really can't go wrong

 

[HockeySauce]

If his offense doesn't pan out, he will only be a defensive defenseman that is not two-way.

He had 58 points in 67 games for Niagra this season.

I'm not saying he's going to be a PP QB, or a Mike Green like Murphy has been compared too, but he has offensive upside. Obviously not anywhere near Murphy, but it's still there.

The point was, he could turn into a Seabrook type Dman of 30-40 points while playing very good defense. Seabs has been considered Defensive Dman since joining the league, and even then he had solid, but unspectacular offensive numbers in the 25-35 range before "breaking out" this season.

 

[R S]

Too hard to tell for any given team, but if we are talking about the Isles specifically I say Hamilton.

If they needed a future PP QB badly, then Murphy. But DeHaan could very well be that guy for them pretty soon.

Take the big, rangy two way guy.

 

[SuperSaiyanBeastmode]

personally I'd trade down and pick siemens, but that's just me. If I had to choose it's murphy, I feel if he has way higher upside and could possibly be a rafalski/visnovsky and just run a #1 ranked pp.

 

[PWJunior]

Is that a swing for the fence at Fenway or Citifield..lol since opening day is right around the corner

After my 6th Dos Equis I'm coming to the conclusion..as I did before..that if we get either Murphy or Strome or Hamilton..or God forbid RNH ...we really can't go wrong

Haha, let's say Yankee Stadium since I'm a Yanks fan!

As a fellow Islanders fan, you're right that we're going to get a solid prospect no matter what. It's an exciting time to be an Isles fan!

 

[forthewild]

Pick a forward since you'll get a chance at an awesome dman in the top 5 next year

 

[PWJunior]

Pick a forward since you'll get a chance at an awesome dman in the top 5 next year

We're planning on making the playoffs next year.

 

[Mayor Bee]

[deleted]

 

[mm11]

personally I think the NYI are in the position to swing for the fence at this time just like when the great Mike Bossy was drafted. The current Isles are loaded behind the barn since their complete rebuild started a few years ago. Thanks to the 2008 draft especially, plus their young budding roster it, to me feels like its time to take the big swing for Murphy. If he pans out, wow what a PP with Tavares and co....

 

[Devils1029]

We're planning on making the playoffs next year.

They'd be a lot closer if they could win a few one-goal games. They are like 1-13 in one goal games this year!

Maybe if Nabakov decides to play for them in 2012...lol.

 

[Menwithouthat tricks]

personally I think the NYI are in the position to swing for the fence at this time just like when the great Mike Bossy was drafted. The current Isles are loaded behind the barn since their complete rebuild started a few years ago. Thanks to the 2008 draft especially, plus their young budding roster it, to me feels like its time to take the big swing for Murphy. If he pans out, wow what a PP with Tavares and co....

Disagree. When you have nobody on base, then you swing for the fences. The Isles have a full complement of young forwards, using high draft picks on Okposo, Bailey, Tavares and Niederreiter, and they got a bonus with two non-draft pickups (Moulson, Grabner). They're fine with their forwards.

On the other hand, they have a small defense organizationally with many puckmovers but no size. Their top two young physical defensemen (McDonald/Hamonic) are 6'1" and 6'2". The rest are smallish puckmovers or veteran stopgaps. The Isles have tried numerous times to get top-level defenseman in free agency and have been unable to. Hamilton is a no-brainer. In fact, Siemens fits the Isles needs better than Murphy does.

 

[YNWA14]

Hamilton could be the steal of this draft at this point. He's big, he's extremely mobile, he's smart, and he's physical. You can't go wrong with this guy. I think he's underrated and could be a calder candidate when he hits the NHL.

I would take Hamilton over Murphy if I was going for a defenceman. I would take Hamilton over Larsson.

 

[msv957]

Hamilton could be the steal of this draft at this point. He's big, he's extremely mobile, he's smart, and he's physical. You can't go wrong with this guy. I think he's underrated and could be a calder candidate when he hits the NHL.

I would take Hamilton over Murphy if I was going for a defenceman. I would take Hamilton over Larsson.

I read the knock on Hamilton is he is not overly physical for a 6'4 defenseman. I think you can't teach toughness and physicallity. Either you have it or you don't.

Just looking at stats, Hamilton's stats do not scream offensive defenseman in the NHL either.

So, it is hard to gauge what Hamilton can become. A 6'4 defenseman, who is a good skater, adequate toughness and adequate offense. Does this sound like a top 5-10 pick of an NHL draft? Perhaps... However, He does sound close to being a sure bet NHL player.

Murphy seems to have offensive skills that are very rare but his size will always be a question in the NHL

This is a real tough choice. I would think the interviews and etc at the NHL combine will help clarify things more.

 

[Bjorn Le]

I do not agree with the percieved offensive potential of Hamilton. Stats don't tell it all.

He's not that far ahead of Murphy defensively, but Murphy is way ahead on offense.

Only thing that might put him above is 5 inches taller.

 

[Confound]

I hope the Bruins have a chance at either one of these guys.

 

[YNWA14]

I do not agree with the percu ieved offensive potential of Hamilton. Stats don't tell it all.

He's not that far ahead of Murphy defensively, but Murphy is way ahead on offense.

Only thing that might put him above is 5 inches taller.

Hamilton is way ahead defensively.

 

[Bjorn Le]

Hamilton is way ahead defensively.

He is not. Hamilton is far from perfect and Murphy is definitely above average. Hamilton is better yes but he's not even close to way better.

 

[Ogopogo*]

He had 58 points in 67 games for Niagra this season.

I'm not saying he's going to be a PP QB, or a Mike Green like Murphy has been compared too, but he has offensive upside. Obviously not anywhere near Murphy, but it's still there.

The point was, he could turn into a Seabrook type Dman of 30-40 points while playing very good defense. Seabs has been considered Defensive Dman since joining the league, and even then he had solid, but unspectacular offensive numbers in the 25-35 range before "breaking out" this season.

If an NHL defenseman puts up 40 points, I would consider him good offensively. A guy that is a good one-way defensive dman would get no more than 25 points. If a guy scores 40 points plus and is good defensively then you have a good two-way dman.

 

[boredmale]

As an Islanders fan I really hope if we draft 5th we pick Hamilton. If we pick 3rd or 4th I think arguments could be made for picking Hamilton over somebody not named Larsson in the top 4(the Islander really need another top end defenseman)

 

[petrocelli]

I read the knock on Hamilton is he is not overly physical for a 6'4 defenseman. I think you can't teach toughness and physicallity. Either you have it or you don't.

Just looking at stats, Hamilton's stats do not scream offensive defenseman in the NHL either.

So, it is hard to gauge what Hamilton can become. A 6'4 defenseman, who is a good skater, adequate toughness and adequate offense. Does this sound like a top 5-10 pick of an NHL draft? Perhaps... However, He does sound close to being a sure bet NHL player.

Murphy seems to have offensive skills that are very rare but his size will always be a question in the NHL

This is a real tough choice. I would think the interviews and etc at the NHL combine will help clarify things more.

The first point you make about a player either having it or not, in terms of being tough and playing physical....... I somewhat agree...... I think there are aggressive personality types and personality types that prefer to shy away from contact... But, when you are talking about kids of this age bracket, they start growing into their frames, they get stronger and larger, and thus more comfortable with the physical side of the game....

A kid like Hamilton is just starting to fill out... I believe he is 2 or 3 inches taller than he was 18 months ago..... So as he gets more comfortable in his body, and adds weight to that 6'4 frame, I think the physicality will come with the increased comfortability and confidence in his size... As he realizes the size advantage he has (especially when he adds weight), and with proper coaching, he with use his size to his advantage more.


As far as Hamilton's stats not screaming of an offensive player...... The kid has over 50 points... Was only 9 points shy of a PPG average, all the while being one of the better defensive defensemen in the league.... I think his stats show he could be a very good offensive contributor...... The days of Paul Coffey, Bourque, Potvin and defensemen in general scoring 90, 100 points are long gone... Not many forwards get that many points anymore..... If you have a defenseman that scores between 40-50 points now, that is a damn good offensive D-man.

 

[petrocelli]

As an Islanders fan I really hope if we draft 5th we pick Hamilton. If we pick 3rd or 4th I think arguments could be made for picking Hamilton over somebody not named Larsson in the top 4(the Islander really need another top end defenseman)

I am starting to feel the same way... I love the big 3 forwards along with Strome and Hubedeau, but this team is so much more loaded at forward and badly needs help on defense... I just posted something along those lines in the Isles Draft discussion..