Boston’s Dougie Hamilton trade to Calgary might have been the most surprising moment from draft weekend. The Bruins instantly changed their identity and the Flames picked up a coveted defenseman many didn’t know was even on the market. So, why did the Bruins move Hamilton?
Initial reports suggested that the move was financial and that the Bruins and Hamilton couldn’t find common ground for a new contract. However, a report from an anonymous assistant general manager suggests that the reasons were much more personal.
The assistant GM’s comments, via the Boston Herald:
“It was surprising. It’s obvious there’s something going on that we don’t know about. From what I’ve heard behind the scenes, his teammates don’t like him. I heard he’s a loner and sort of an uppity kid, and that his teammates don’t like him and it was unanimous.”
Whenever a team trades a highly-skilled player for a questionable return, the initial comments from the media and anonymous sources usually attack/put down the skater. This isn’t new territory and it’s even expected as the organization attempts to justify their move.
These specific comments are almost impossible to validate and even come across as a bit petty. At 22, it’s easy to see where Hamilton may not have seen eye-to-eye with some of the veterans on the team, but the assistant GM’s statement paints with a pretty broad brush. To say the feeling was “unanimous” makes it sound like even more of a “hey, the trade wasn’t that bad everyone!” than had they left the situation more open ended.