Player Profile: Dougie Hamilton

Dougie Hamilton was born on June 17, 1993, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Hamilton played youth hockey for Mississauga MHA. Lynn and Doug Hamilton, Dougie’s parents, were both Olympic athletes. Dougie and his older brother Freddie played on the same Canadian junior team that won the bronze medal at the 2012 World Junior Championships. Lynn said that this is her favorite memory of the two boys growing up playing hockey.

Hamilton began his professional hockey journey with the St. Catharines Falcons U16 AAA team, then of the South Central AAA U16 hockey league during the 2008-09 season. In 67 games this season, Hamilton scored 20 goals and added 33 assists. Hamilton was named an International Silverstick Minor Midget AAA Champion after this season. After only one season at the U16 level, where would Hamilton continue his hockey career?

Dougie Hamilton Drafted by the Niagara IceDogs with the 27^th pick in the 2009 OHL Draft

Dougie Hamilton was drafted 27^th overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection Draft by the Niagara IceDogs. The IceDogs are perennially in the OHL playoff chase but have not won a J. Ross Robertson Cup. One problem has been the number of goals given up by the team. Beefing up the IceDogs’ defense could be the fix for this problem. The IceDogs gave up 197 goals during Hamilton’s first season with the team. In addition, Hamilton scored three goals and added 13 assists in 64 games played this season.

During his second season with the IceDogs, Hamilton scored 17 goals and added 55 assists in 50 games played. The IceDogs also made the OHL playoffs after this season. Hamilton scored five goals and added 18 assists in 20 playoff games for the IceDogs. In 32 games for the IceDogs during the 2010-11 season, Hamilton scored eight goals and added 33 assists. Being a more than one-point-per-game player in one of the best hockey leagues in the world and having a 6’6” frame made the case for drafting Hamilton easy. Where would Hamilton begin his NHL career?

Boston Bruins Draft Dougie Hamilton with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft

Defenseman Dougie Hamilton was drafted by the Boston Bruins with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft out of the Niagara IceDogs of the Ontario Hockey League. Hamilton is a tall right-shot defenseman at 6’6” and 229 lbs. Despite his size, Hamilton was not known for physical play before being drafted by the Bruins. Hamilton makes up for this lack of physicality by being mobile and playing with reach. During his first season with the Bruins, Hamilton scored five goals and added 11 assists in 42 games played.

Hamilton followed that season up with a statistical improvement. In 64 games played during his sophomore season, Hamilton scored seven goals and added 18 assists. The Bruins made the Stanley Cup playoffs in two of the three seasons that Hamilton played for them. However, the team was eliminated in seven and 12 games, respectively. Where would Hamilton look to move to play for the Stanley Cup?