Familial ties are strong all across the NHL landscape, perhaps to a greater extent than any other professional sports league. It's not at all out of the ordinary to see a couple of Sedins in one spot, a few Staals in others, a couple of Benns here, a Schenn or two there, even some of those pesky and elusive Koivus. It's not surprising then that defenseman Dougie Hamilton, while still a member of the Boston Bruins, reportedly plead with management to acquire the rights to his brother, Freddie Hamilton. What is surprising, is the suggestion that the Bruins' failure to pick up Freddie may have played a part in Dougie's eventual trade to Calgary.
"The speculation is that among the issues Hamilton had with the Bruins was the fact he wanted them to acquire the rights to his brother, Freddie, and Boston either couldn't or wouldn't," Sportsnet's Damien Cox reported on Monday.
"Dougie landed in Calgary at the draft, and this month the Flames acquired Freddie in a trade. GM Brad Treliving, when asked about the rumor, said the Flames actually tried to make a deal for Freddie at the March trade deadline, and said he'd never heard the rumor before."
Cox also spoke with current Edmonton Oilers GM and former Boston Bruins personnel boss Peter Chiarelli, who declined to comment on the situation.
Freddie, a former fifth round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft by the San Jose Sharks, has spent most of his professional life to date as an AHLer. He did manage to appear in 17 games for the Colorado Avalanche last season, managing one goal and a minus-one. Thus far this season for the Flames' AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat, Freddie has three goals in four games.
The Flames acquired Dougie's 23-year-old brother earlier this month for just a conditional seventh-round draft pick, so there would seem to be little harm in adding a player destined for the AHL at such a low cost. Then again, the value of draft picks in an NHL that covets young skill players is at an all-time high, even seventh-rounders. The question then becomes - is Freddie an asset on the ice or, as Cox's report may suggest, as a kind of stress ball to keep Dougie happy?
If the Bruins really refused to do as Dougie asked and acquire Freddie, then they seem to have done the right thing, morally speaking, both in not acquiring Freddie and dumping Dougie at the draft. No single player should ever try to or be able to dictate the machinations of management. And considering the other reports regarding Dougie's personality, maturity and willingness to put the organization before himself, there does seem to be at least some question of his overall approach to the team and the game. But if Freddie's presence eventually becomes the spark that keeps Dougie happy and productive in Calgary for seasons to come, there's likely to be more than a few smashed sticks in the upper hallways at TD Garden.
