Dougie Hamilton

After a tough first season in New Jersey, Hamilton posted career numbers in a big 2022-23 campaign. He set new career marks in several offensive categories, including goals (22), points (74) and shots (275). Those 22 goals and 74 points ranked second and fourth among all NHL defensemen, respectively. The veteran blueliner buried eight goals and 28 points with the man advantage. Hamilton underwent offseason wrist surgery but isn't expected to miss any time to begin the 2023-24 season. He's locked into a top-pair role and will quarterback the top power-play unit. Hamilton has emerged as one of the top fantasy defensemen in the NHL and should remain that way with the Devils' high-powered offense.

Hamilton dealt with multiple injuries in his first season with the Devils, ultimately missing 20 of New Jersey's 82 regular season games. On top of that, his overall production - 9 goals, 30 points - was down when he was able to suit up. The Devils handed Hamilton a seven-year, $63 million contract in the summer of 2021, only to give him 2:30 worth of power-play time per game, a low total for a true No. 1 quarterback with the man advantage. To summarize, Hamilton wasn't used as often as he should have been and he didn't perform up to standards when out there. It seems likely to be a one-year fluke given what we have seen from him in the past, so target him as a buy-low target on draft day.

While he might not necessarily have the sheer upside of some of the other upper-echelon fantasy defensemen, Hamilton remains as consistent as they come. He's reached double digits in goals in each of the past seven years while hitting the 40-point plateau in six of them. This past offseason, the 28-year-old parlayed his 42-point campaign with Carolina (and fourth-place finish in Norris Trophy voting) into a seven-year, 63-million dollar free-agent contract with New Jersey, where he will anchor a talented blue line that includes the likes of fellow newcomer Ryan Graves, sophomore standout Ty Smith, and former All-Star P.K. Subban. Expect Hamilton's plus-minus numbers to regress in 2021-22 - he was a combined plus-50 over the past two years on a superior team - but pencil him in for around 15 goals and 50-plus points.

Hamilton missed 21 games during the shortened 2019-20 regular season with a lower-body injury, but he was spectacular when healthy, racking up 14 goals, 26 assists, 12 power-play points and 170 shots on goal while posting a career-best plus-30 rating in 47 games. The 27-year-old blueliner had missed just one game over four seasons prior to suffering his significant injury last year, so fantasy owners should have zero concerns about his health heading into 2020-21. It would be unwise to expect Hamilton to produce at the same ridiculous pace he displayed last season during the upcoming campaign, but 18-plus goals and 55-plus points with an average of more than three shots per contest is definitely in the cards over the course of a full 82-game schedule for the former Flame. He should be considered a top-eight option at his position on draft day.

Hamilton is among the league's best sources for goals and shots from the blue line. He ranked second in goals (18) and third in shots (259) among NHL defensemen last season, and Hamilton delivered similar results in the previous campaign with 17 goals on 270 shots. The 6-foot-6 blueliner can also be counted upon to stay in the lineup, having missed only one game in the past four seasons. Hamilton doesn't have the vision and passing ability boasted by the league's top point-producers from the back end, but his willingness to fire his booming shot as often as possible makes the 26-year-old a great source of offense, especially relative to his draft-day valuation.

After potting a career-high 17 goals in his fourth straight 40-point season, Hamilton was redirected to Carolina this offseason in a blockbuster trade. The 25-year-old blueliner happened to be one of the most consistent skaters on the Flames, missing just one regular-season contest and averaging 20:20 of ice time during his three-year stint north of the border. He logged a career-best 21:32 of ice time last season and should see that number increase with the Hurricanes, as he figures to be the club's premier defenseman. With a steady role on the man advantage, Hamilton will likely post another 15-goal season with 40-plus points to boot.

Hamilton is coming off new career highs in goals (13), assists (37) and shots (222), further entrenching him as one of the most reliably productive defensemen in the NHL. Incredibly, he hit the 50-point mark despite falling short of 20 minutes of average ice time for the second straight season, but this year should see his minutes rise noticeably, offering the promise of even more scoring. Diving deeper into his stats, the Toronto native proved himself to be an excellent possession player, as evidenced by his 55.5 Corsi For percentage, and he showed improvement in his own zone by posting a plus-12 rating -- a massive step up from the minus-14 he posted one season prior. Only 24 years old, Hamilton is already one of the more electric blueliners around, and he hasn't reached his ceiling yet. That makes him a player worth reaching for in fantasy drafts.

For the first two months of last season, the trade that sent Hamilton from Boston to Calgary for a first-round pick and two second-rounders was looking pretty ugly – through the season’s first 24 games, he managed just five points and a minus-6 rating. Then the calendar turned to December and the switch flipped on for Hamilton, who proceeded to rip off 10 goals and 38 points through 58 games the rest of the way. That rate represents the kind of upside the 23-year-old offers the Flames and fantasy owners entering his fifth season in the league. The big defenseman isn’t afraid to use his body, skates and passes smoothly, and shoots lightning bolts; watching his highlights, you’d think he’s a forward from his willingness to penetrate deep into the offensive zone. Unfortunately, doing that in front of goalies who aren’t Tuukka Rask in his prime has come with a price: consecutive seasons with negative ratings, including a minus-14 last year. Hamilton still needs to polish his game before he can take the next step, but the addition of Brian Elliott in the Calgary net should be a big help to the young blueliner.

Up, up, and away -- that’s where Dougie Hamilton’s career is headed. He’s an outstanding two-way defender who is big, smart, and skilled. Most of all, he’s a powerful possession defender -- he can go back, retrieve the puck and exit the zone, something the Flames really struggled to do in 2014-15. In leaving Boston, Hamilton joins the most productive blue line in the NHL and will play for a coach who encourages his boys to jump in -- or even drive -- the offense. Those 42 points last season could very well become 50 in this system. The Flames will need to figure out their pairings, but suffice to say, Hamilton could form a lethal duo with either Mark Giordano, T.J. Brodie, or Dennis Wideman.

The 21-year-old Hamilton is still growing into his 6-foot-5 frame, but with two years as an NHLer already under his belt, the smooth-skating blueliner is poised to see a boost in production in 2014-15. Last season, Hamilton, recorded seven goals and 18 assists in 64 games for the Bruins. While not eye-popping numbers, the youngster’s confidence seemed to grow as the 2013-14 campaign rolled along. After a playoff effort that saw Hamilton record seven points in 12 games, he’s set to remain a vital component of the team’s blue line and power play for years to come, with deep league fantasy relevance likely on tap this year.

The 19-year-old blueliner Hamilton more than held his own in his first NHL season, recording five goals and 11 assists in 42 games. In recognition of his effort, he was given the Bruins’ Seventh Player Award, presented to the player who went above and beyond the call of duty for the team and exceeded the expectations of fans during the 2012-13 season. During the postseason, he only suited up for seven games, notching three helpers, as the team decided to roll with more experienced options, as well as the streaking Torey Krug. In the long-term though, Hamilton is brimming with potential. He's a smooth skater, who displays poise and skill with the puck, and once he adds some more bulk to his 6-foot-5 frame and gains more pro experience, the defensive end of his game should round out further to complement his developing offensive game.

The 19-year-old Hamilton is not eligible to play in the AHL next season and he has nothing to prove at the junior level, having dominated OHL competition last season to the tune of 17 goals and 55 assists in 50 games for the Niagara IceDogs. Assuming he sticks with the big club, Hamilton's initial utility will hinge on how much, if any, power play time he sees out of the gate. Given that the unit was not particularly dynamic for the B's last season, it's not hard to imagine the talented Hamilton getting a chance to work on special teams straight away. Hamilton still needs to grow into his 6-foot-5 frame, but his nice size/skills combo evokes memories of a young Rob Blake. In any case, he’s a blue-chip prospect who is already gold in keeper formats.

The Bruins selected Hamilton with the ninth overall pick in June's NHL Entry Draft, passing up an opportunity to scoop up dynamic puck-moving defenseman Ryan Murphy. In time, Bruins' fans figure to be happy with the pick, given the Rob Blake comparisons Hamilton has drawn, as the result of his nice combination of size and skill at both ends of the ice. He still has some filling out to do, but he could be a good option in a year or two and is one to target in keeper leagues.