Rumor: Dougie Hamilton to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Over the weekend, I began hearing people talk about the Pittsburgh Penguins going after Calgary Flames' defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet Canada first started the rumor, and it has since been picked up by the Calgary Herald, NBC and other news outlets. Since it's gaining traction, I figured it could be worth looking into.
Hamilton is a 23 year old, right-handed defenseman that is currently under contract at $5.5 million a year until 2020-21. He began his career in Boston and when he was traded to Calgary, many people felt that the Flames were getting a steal in one of the top defensive prospects in the League. However, Hamilton has since seen a drop in production, and with a contract of that size, the Flames might be looking to get rid of him.
For the Penguins, it's hard to say what they would need to offer for this deal to make sense. On one hand, Hamilton has incredible potential and could blossom into a top pairing defenseman for the Penguins for years to come. But right now, he's at his lowest value, with a bad contract and minimal performance. At this point, I find it hard to believe that the Penguins will be able to trade for an impact player without Olli Maatta going the other way. However, Calgary might be the team that the Penguins can make it work with.
You may recall that this summer Calgary was on the short list of teams that needed goaltending help, and thus they were often connected to the Penguins when the Marc-Andre Fleury rumors were spreading. The Flames instead decided to trade for Brian Elliot. In 11 games this year, Elliot has won only 3, posting a .882 SV% and 3.36 GAA. Those aren't good numbers. The Flames may yet again be looking for a goalie to come in and take over, and Marc-Andre Fleury could be the guy.
The Penguins may also be able to get the Flames to retain some salary on Hamilton. There isn't much wiggle room on either teams salary cap, but a straight up Hamilton for Fleury trade would balance out for both teams.
The Penguins need some help on defense. It's not a major issue, but there is work to be done on the blue line. Jim Rutherford loves reclamation projects, so Dougie Hamilton is the kind of guy that it would make sense for Rutherford to target. On top of that, I'm still not convinced that it's in the Penguins best interest to keep Marc-Andre Fleury. I love the idea of having depth, but I also love the idea of selling high and getting some value out of losing a player.
If I was calling the shots, I probably would not trade Fleury for Hamilton straight up. However, the Penguins aren't desperate for defensive help. Not as desperate as the Flames are for goaltending help. With that being said, I feel as though the Penguins could request Hamilton + a 1st through 3rd round pick in exchange for Fleury and the Flames would listen. If there was a mid to high level pick coming to Pittsburgh, I would probably consider pulling the trigger. It's hard to say what will happen, but I Jim Rutherford has my unfaltering trust, and I believe that whatever he decides will be what's best for the Penguins.
