Tonight the Boston Bruins will be in Calgary taking on the Flames in the Scotiabank Saddledome. The B’s will have their first game against former defenseman Dougie Hamilton, whose departure was one of the biggest question marks in the Bruins offseason. Hamilton appeared to be unhappy playing in Boston, and that led to members of Boston’s media lighting him up like he was a Christmas tree.
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Things haven’t gone smoothly for the Bruins this season. But compared to the Flames the Bruins look like a team ready for the Stanley Cup Finals. Calgary sits at the bottom of the league with twenty points after playing twenty-five games. The Flames are currently riding a -30 goal differential and out of their nine wins this season, only three of them have come in regulation.
The Flames were certainly hoping that the signing of the 22-year old Hamilton would lead to great things. That just hasn’t been the case though. Hamilton has only been able to put up six points (three goals) for the Flames. It seems almost an aberration that three of Canada’s six teams are riding the very bottom of the leagues’ standings.
“It’s a little bit frustrating,” said Hamilton in an interview that came out today. “It’s not the start I wanted and maybe it’s more of an adjustment than I thought it would be. With how we’re doing as a team, it’s frustrating as well.”
“You always put pressure on yourself to do your best and every year you want to get better. I thought I had a good summer of training. Coming in I wanted to have a good start. I’m playing how I want to now, but definitely a tougher start.”
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Now Hamilton has to prepare himself to take on a team that seemed to have mixed messages about him. While Hamilton is happy where he is, many of his formative hockey memories are Boston-based. While it will likely never be fully known was caused the trade to happen, Hamilton would have been a solid on-ice fixture for the Bruins.
“I think ever since I got drafted, it was my vision and dream to be a Bruin for life,” said Hamilton, who was a first round draft pick for the Black and Gold in 2011. “I loved being in Boston and playing in the Garden and wearing that jersey. It was weird when it happens and it changes so quick. I still have a lot of pictures of myself in a Bruins jersey. I enjoy those memories and moments.
“Things change quick. There’s not really much more to say. It didn’t work out. I think it is what it is. That’s what happened, so you can’t think differently. You can’t think about what happened in the past and you’ve got to move on. I’m enjoying being a Calgary Flame.”
Once upon a time, Bruins rookie Frank Vatrano was invited to participate in the Flames development camp. I doubt Vatrano will have far less mixed emotions about tonight’s game than Hamilton though.
Now the Bruins will do all they can to make Hamilton regret that decision as the B’s attempt to start a new winning streak and keep Calgary in the NHL’s basement.