HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Best player on the Carolina Hurricanes?

HockeyBuzz Hotstove: Best player on the Carolina Hurricanes?
- ToddCordellVAN

Glad to see you both got this correct.

It's definitely Hamilton. Guy is ELITE elite.

He is elite and I agree with this pick but don't know that his numbers would be as high as they are without his defense partner being Slavin. Any defenseman paired with Slavin will get a boost from how well he can cover defensively while the other pinches. That being said, Hamilton has great offensive instincts and a commitment to both ends of the ice. I love the way he plays.

I would pump the brakes just a bit on calling Hamilton a HOF player. Just a little bit...

I would pump the brakes just a bit on calling Hamilton a HOF player. Just a little bit...
- BOSS_TWEED

That's for sure.
He was having an amazing season, to be sure. But, last playoffs he was one of their most disappointing players most games I watched. Not having seen too much of him while he was in Calgary, I was shocked at how many mental errors he made both in positioning and puck management.
Glad to see he bounced back, but I'd like to see it stick for a number of years before we start talking about "elite, superstar, hall of famer" stuff.

"That has translated into success on the scoreboard, as Hamilton is plus-22 at 5v5 in a Hurricanes uniform. His 56.25 GF% puts him in elite company, sandwiched between John Carlson and Kris Letang."

That's pretty much just a new fancy scientific-looking way of using the good ol' +/- stat, which is supposed to be pure shayte.

Kinda funny. Put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig.

That's for sure.
He was having an amazing season, to be sure. But, last playoffs he was one of their most disappointing players most games I watched. Not having seen too much of him while he was in Calgary, I was shocked at how many mental errors he made both in positioning and puck management.
Glad to see he bounced back, but I'd like to see it stick for a number of years before we start talking about "elite, superstar, hall of famer" stuff.
- Tonybere

no he wasn't.

I dunno how many games you watched, but he was mostly fine. I think the biggest thing is that he's playing way more now than he was back then.

Aho, Slavin, Svech(sic),and then Hamilton. Ask gms who they would pick and Hamilton is 3 or4. You guys are a little off on favoring ex Flame.

Aho, Slavin, Svech(sic),and then Hamilton. Ask gms who they would pick and Hamilton is 3 or4. You guys are a little off on favoring ex Flame.
- Leaping Liz

Hamilton ahead of Slavin for sure.

Aho and Svechnikov will likely be better in the future, but there's a reason things went a bit off the rails as soon as Hamilton was injured.

"He's kind of our number one guy on everything." - Rod Brind'amour

Personally when he was in Calgary i would say he was great offensively but I never thought I was watching what I expect out of a superstar D man. Part of that was because probably because giordano can make anyone he plays with look good and that who Hamilton spent most of his time with. Although I will admit I haven’t seen him play outside of a game or two this year but all reports say he’s rounded out his game more and was starting to move into superstar/Norris tier before the injury so I’ll give him credit where it’s due.

Even then I still say that was a good trade for both sides. lindholm has become a 1st line stud, while I don’t see hanifin being anymore than what he is now he is still a Solid top 4 D. As well most times removing a part from a toxic relationship in the dressing room can be a positive impact on both the team and the player traded so it’s probably for the best for both sides.

Personally when he was in Calgary i would say he was great offensively but I never thought I was watching what I expect out of a superstar D man. Part of that was because probably because giordano can make anyone he plays with look good and that who Hamilton spent most of his time with. Although I will admit I haven’t seen him play outside of a game or two this year but all reports say he’s rounded out his game more and was starting to move into superstar/Norris tier before the injury so I’ll give him credit where it’s due.

Even then I still say that was a good trade for both sides. lindholm has become a 1st line stud, while I don’t see hanifin being anymore than what he is now he is still a Solid top 4 D. As well most times removing a part from a toxic relationship in the dressing room can be a positive impact on both the team and the player traded so it’s probably for the best for both sides.
- RedC21

Hamilton didn't play for very long apart from Giordano, but he pretty much sucked when it happened. He's a great d-man, but I think he still has to prove he can be THE manwithout another stud as his partner.

As for the trade, Flames still have Lindholm and Hanifin signed another 4 years for below market value (WAY below market value in Lindholm's case), while Dougie will be either gone or overpaid after next year. Hamilton might be the best player at this very moment, but in a cap world, having Lindholm + Hanifin for what Dougie will be making alone on his next contract is gold.

Hamilton didn't play for very long apart from Giordano, but he pretty much sucked when it happened. He's a great d-man, but I think he still has to prove he can be THE manwithout another stud as his partner.

As for the trade, Flames still have Lindholm and Hanifin signed another 4 years for below market value (WAY below market value in Lindholm's case), while Dougie will be either gone or overpaid after next year. Hamilton might be the best player at this very moment, but in a cap world, having Lindholm + Hanifin for what Dougie will be making alone on his next contract is gold.
- redseerpf

Once again I’ll give Hamilton credit and say that his other partner would likely have been Brodie (who I’m a fan of but like Dougie during his time in Calgary also has defensive flaws which made him and Hamilton not a great combo) or some anchor playing up from the 3rd pairing during injury. It also isn’t debatable that Hamilton is better than hanifin. Point is at the time of trade we desperately needed secondary scoring so we had to downgrade our D in order to do so.

Inking lindholm to that contract has just been a bonus to what he has brought us. He held his own last year rather than just riding gaudreau’s coattails and was our second best forward behind tkachuck this year. I also think he might even get better and will take over 1C duties in the future. As for hanifin I hope he can become better (because he does show flashes that made home 5th overall) but I think he has plateaued at what he is, which I think is about par with the contract we gave him

no he wasn't.

I dunno how many games you watched, but he was mostly fine. I think the biggest thing is that he's playing way more now than he was back then.
- BINGO!

Well, considering neither of us are citing empirical evidence you are certainly welcome to your opinion.
But, I watched the majority of their games last post-season. And while I'm not saying Hamilton is trash by any measure, my point was more that I was surprised at such a coveted and cherished player making the obvious poor choices I saw each game.
What I saw was a Dman beat by being out of position and giving the puck away by putting it right at the defender directly in front of him, more often than the mere coincidence of my viewing habits would account for.
Again, he does lots of good things. But, at the time it seemed to me that maybe the things I was seeing were why he's already wearing his 3rd NHL jersey.

Well, considering neither of us are citing empirical evidence you are certainly welcome to your opinion.
But, I watched the majority of their games last post-season. And while I'm not saying Hamilton is trash by any measure, my point was more that I was surprised at such a coveted and cherished player making the obvious poor choices I saw each game.
What I saw was a Dman beat by being out of position and giving the puck away by putting it right at the defender directly in front of him, more often than the mere coincidence of my viewing habits would account for.
Again, he does lots of good things. But, at the time it seemed to me that maybe the things I was seeing were why he's already wearing his 3rd NHL jersey.
- Tonybere

I saw some of what you saw in the playoffs last year and so did BrindAmour. It was enough that situationally he was trying to hide Hamilton from dangerous situations during the playoffs. This year Hamilton was a much better player. He came out to start the season strong and never looked back until his injury happened.

Well, considering neither of us are citing empirical evidence you are certainly welcome to your opinion.
But, I watched the majority of their games last post-season. And while I'm not saying Hamilton is trash by any measure, my point was more that I was surprised at such a coveted and cherished player making the obvious poor choices I saw each game.
What I saw was a Dman beat by being out of position and giving the puck away by putting it right at the defender directly in front of him, more often than the mere coincidence of my viewing habits would account for.
Again, he does lots of good things. But, at the time it seemed to me that maybe the things I was seeing were why he's already wearing his 3rd NHL jersey.
- Tonybere

that's fair. He certainly was making mistakes.

this past offseason he went to Brind'amour and told him he wanted to be able to be counted on in all situations, and by all accounts Brindy basically told him he'd help him, but either put up or shut up. Well, he certainly stepped up.

that's fair. He certainly was making mistakes.

this past offseason he went to Brind'amour and told him he wanted to be able to be counted on in all situations, and by all accounts Brindy basically told him he'd help him, but either put up or shut up. Well, he certainly stepped up.
- BINGO!

Yes, he certainly did. Good on him!!
The time when he and his brother played for the Ice Dogs was one of the few eras I used to go watch Jr. A since my buddies played MANY years ago. It was kinda tough to enjoy, because the old arena in St. Catharines had such a small ice surface they couldn't really stand out the way they might otherwise. It was the same for Pietrangelo.

Claude Giroux

Claude Giroux
- Streit2ThePoint

FRAUDe giroux