Player Discussion Travis Hamonic

[Johnny Hoxville]

Thank you, but has anything changed since early November? What is your updated view on how he is playing?

He’s struggled somewhat early on. I think people were expecting more flash, maybe? I think the last 12-15 games he’s been very good. Been solid is his own end, makes very subtle plays but has really helped shutdown other teams top 2 lines. He’s also not been overly physical, but has provided a presence down low using his body and positioning well on the backend.

I think it has taken him time to adjust playing with a rover like Brodie, who’s been quite careless with the puck at times this season. Their chemistry was pretty much non existent at times earlier on but they seem to be gelling now and both are playing much better.

I think we overpaid a little, but not much. I’d like to see him use his shot from the point a little more because Brodie doesn’t have much of one but I’m really starting to like what we’re seeing. Much like Dougie, it’s gonna take a good half of a season.

 

[Lunatik]

He’s struggled somewhat early on. I think people were expecting more flash, maybe? I think the last 12-15 games he’s been very good. Been solid is his own end, makes very subtle plays but has really helped shutdown other teams top 2 lines. He’s also not been overly physical, but has provided a presence down low using his body and positioning well on the backend.

I think it has taken him time to adjust playing with a rover like Brodie, who’s been quite careless with the puck at times this season. Their chemistry was pretty much non existent at times earlier on but they seem to be gelling now and both are playing much better.

I think we overpaid a little, but not much. I’d like to see him use his shot from the point a little more because Brodie doesn’t have much of one but I’m really starting to like what we’re seeing. Much like Dougie, it’s gonna take a good half of a season.

Harv speaks the truth, even when Hamonic was struggling, the bigger problem was Brodie who was putting Hamonic is bad situations.

 

[The Gnome]

Hey guys! I'm an Isles fan coming in peace. I'm just wondering what type of a season Hamonic is having for you guys? His numbers don't look like much, but he has never been a player who's value has really been represented by his numbers. He was pretty bad for us for the last year+, but he was our best defenceman for a long stretch before that. I see that your team has been playing lights out (congratulations btw) so I figured it would be a good time to check in and see if he has been a reliable top-4 dman. Thank you in advance!

He's been quit solid for the last 10-15 games, and he seems to get better every night recently. I'm happy we have a tough, defensively sound guy manning our second pair...My only issue at this point was the cost to acquire. Too much for a middle pairing dman. Happy to have him though, it is no coincidence that the rise of our team also correlates to his continued improvement. He clearly has an impact on our success, and the cap hit for that impact is money.

 

[Bounces R Way]

Well, he's turned me into a fan. The guy is all guts and I appreciate how he sticks up for his teammates. Wish he'd step up and hit somebody more often but I don't have all that many complaints about his game. Would still contend the Flames could of gotten a comparable player for much cheaper out of Vegas or elsewhere, but the contract is good and gives the blue line some continuity.

B grade from me so far.

 

[Skobel24]

He's no Regehr, but I like him.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

He’s not a punisher like Regehr, but he’s better for the modern NHL. He doesn’t put himself out of position but he’s very hard to play against down low (that’s how he uses body) and he almost always wins the puck battles which is his bread and butter. Then you pair that with a guy like Brodie who can get the puck up the ice, they have all the elements for an elite pairing. They aren’t there yet, but I’m getting more and more encouraged. Brodie also has been handling the puck a lot less like a grenade this last stretch. And it’s no coincidence at all that as they have improved, our GA has been among the best in the league.

 

[DFF]

Last game was the best I have seen him played

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Lastly I’m going to add I recently stated that Isles fans still come to our board on occasion to check on him, this is extremely rare. The only player I’ve really done that for on HF is Iggy. That statement clearly shows what Hamonic meant to the Islanders and how he was used for being such a young guy. He was not a bottom pairing dman, and he was extremely valuable to the team and fan base. He’s 100% a core piece for us.

 

[On Edge]

Lastly I’m going to add I recently stated that Isles fans still come to our board on occasion to check on him, this is extremely rare. The only player I’ve really done that for on HF is Iggy. That statement clearly shows what Hamonic meant to the Islanders and how he was used for being such a young guy. He was not a bottom pairing dman, and he was extremely valuable to the team and fan base. He’s 100% a core piece for us.

I am one of those NYI fans...most of us loved Hammer and want to see him do well for our 1972 cousins. Hard not to root for a guy like him.

 

[BTrotts19]

Lastly I’m going to add I recently stated that Isles fans still come to our board on occasion to check on him, this is extremely rare. The only player I’ve really done that for on HF is Iggy. That statement clearly shows what Hamonic meant to the Islanders and how he was used for being such a young guy. He was not a bottom pairing dman, and he was extremely valuable to the team and fan base. He’s 100% a core piece for us.

Hammer is my 2nd favorite Islander of all time..guy was a warrior for us, true heart and soul guy that I think all championship teams need. With our rash of injuries on the blue line this year, he was certainly missed. And the off ice stuff makes him even more of a champion. Still proudly where my Hamonic jersey to games and gonna be cheering for him personally tonight.

 

[ThreeLeftSkates]

Another Isles fan here. I did not peek in here earlier, afraid to see him get trashed(like some did on our board). If you can find a utube of him battling Malkin in the playoffs, you will see the warrior that he is. Hopefully you guys get to see that side of him(next year?).
Peace.

 

[The Gnome]

it's really hard to put into words the positive impact Hammer had on our team given the abysmal no playoff results based on team performance. Guy was our defensive rock for most of the year the once we he got acclimated to his new team. Still don't like the price, but he is a huge plus to our lineup regardless.

 

[Rangediddy]

He met expectations in his first year the same way Hamilton did in his (poorly). I fully expect him to improve as he settles into his role and (another) new system.

He did surprise me in how tough he is. Seems like a kid, but was one of the only guys ready to step up and drop the mitts or rough someone up when needed.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

We overpaid, but he wasn’t a rental so I really don’t care. Hamonic adds a lot to our team and he’s such a quality person, he should be an “A”. I love the guy. He’s steady, decent skater, and he just shuts down his opponents down low and we needed that in a big way.

 

[Flames Fanatic]

We overpaid, but he wasn’t a rental so I really don’t care. Hamonic adds a lot to our team and he’s such a quality person, he should be an “A”. I love the guy. He’s steady, decent skater, and he just shuts down his opponents down low and we needed that in a big way.

Given the prices paid for rentals, I'm not really sure we overpaid to be honest. Maybe a little, but to get a player of his caliber for 3 years at that term? Hard to find.

I don't think anyone is complaining as much if we had protected the 1st.

 

[The Gnome]

Given the prices paid for rentals, I'm not really sure we overpaid to be honest. Maybe a little, but to get a player of his caliber for 3 years at that term? Hard to find.

I don't think anyone is complaining as much if we had protected the 1st.

I wouldn't complain at all if that was the case, but here we are. I've liked Tre for the most part, but that one stings for sure.

 

[Tkachuk Norris]

It was only an overpay because we were awful. That pick should have been in the 20s.

Hamonic trade >>>> trade deadline trades

 

[Fig]

I think the Hamonic trade is fine. The optics are totally different if it was a TDL trade where it looked like the Flames picks would be low as we were sitting at 2nd in the div.

That late season collapse tho... This is just salt in the woulds sort of stuff, but IMO this trade was not a badly thought out trade. This is a straight flush killing your full house bad luck sort of situation. Hamonic has been good, hence the full house in hand. But that collapse is essentially like being beaten by by the perfect storm of unlikely factors against you... so... I dunno. I don't think Treliving or Hamonic should be blamed.

I seem to recall the reverse occurring for the Martin Jones trade for SJS. They weren't looking too good at the TDL with an unprotected pick, but a late season surge caused it to be nothing to worry about. For Tre, everything looked like the ship was righting at the TDL. Then someone started smoking by the TNT stockpile.

 

[Lunatik]

I wouldn't complain at all if that was the case, but here we are. I've liked Tre for the most part, but that one stings for sure.

The difference you have the benefit of hindsight, Treliving did not

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

The Flames sure paid a better price than the B’s did for Rick Nash. Now that was an awful deal.

 

[DFF]

The difference you have the benefit of hindsight, Treliving did not

There is no need for hindsight to know the Flames is a bubble team. He overestimated the team and took a bad gamble.

He ended up overpaid quite a bit for Hamonic but it is what it is. No need to make excuse or spin it.

 

[The Gnome]

The difference you have the benefit of hindsight, Treliving did not

I wasn't a fan of the deal day 1, and I'm still not. That said, I do really like Hamonic. He's a solid middle pairing dman and a rock defensively.

 

[Mr Snrub]

I wasn't a fan of the deal day 1, and I'm still not. That said, I do really like Hamonic. He's a solid middle pairing dman and a rock defensively.

This is my take on it as well, I think it's possible to like Hamonic but not like the deal

 

[Lunatik]

I think the deal is looked upon negatively because people see the same return as Hamilton, but people forget that we stole Hamilton at that price.

 

[JPeeper]

It's only an "overpayment" because the Flames f***ed it this year and missed the playoffs and now the pick could end up a top 3 pick (it will, we all know it).

Looking at the lottery is meaningless though. If we don't trade for Hamonic, the Flames are almost definitely not finishing in the exact same position, either for the better or worse. Say our current pick wins 2nd overall, but if we don't make the trade and coming out of this year we instead finish 8th overall and the 12th overall pick still gets 2nd, but we're in 8th which doesn't win.

But that would mean looking at it rationally, which I see a lot of Flames fans aren't (on other sites, FB, twitter, etc.).

Only real problem with Hamonic is it puts Brodie on his worse side and for some reason he just couldn't get into the groove on the left side and if we put Brodie on the right we got to move Hamonic to the 3rd pairing and we still got to slot Anderrson in there as well who is a RD, AND we still have Stone.