Dougie Hamilton's agents are looking to make the defenseman a very rich young man.
One of the more prominent restricted free agents seeking a new contract this summer, Hamilton's representatives from CAA sports have their sights set on a deal that would see the 21-year-old become one of the higher paid players at his position.
Darren Dreger of TSN reported on TSN 1050 Radio on Thursday that this kind of salary demand could result in an offer sheet, forcing the hand of the cash-strapped Boston Bruins:
When you're looking at Dougie Hamilton, his agents are looking at something that's probably going to mirror (Alex) Pietrangelo or (Drew) Doughty. So upwards of $6-6.5-7 million per year ... I think Boston would love to keep him. But there's a salary cap issue, as we know, in Boston. And if you're a rival team, why wouldn't you try?
I know the Bruins brought him in and they have high hopes of him kind of one day taking over from Zdeno Chara. But Dougie Hamilton could be the poster boy for that sort of scenario. Not saying it's going to happen, of course, but offer sheets in offseason are always tempting.
While there's no doubt Hamilton - drafted ninth overall by the Bruins in 2011 - possesses boat loads of talent, and backed that up with a breakout season in 2013-14, he's clearly not at the level of defenseman cited above.
Not yet, at least.
Still, he is seen as a franchise-type defenseman, an all-too valuable commodity in today's NHL. Offer sheets do, however, remain incredibly rare, with eight signed since the 2005 lockout, and only one actually accepted since that time (Dustin Penner to the Edmonton Oilers in 2007).
The issue of compensation could be a factor, as teams that sign an offer sheet in this par range that is accepted and not matched must cough up first, second, and third-round draft picks, as per Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
The Bruins fell prey to cap issues last season and remain close to the ceiling, with the likes of Ryan Spooner and Brett Connolly also sitting as restricted free agents.
So until they put pen to paper on a new deal, there exists the possibility Hamilton could be approached by any number of the other 29 teams, putting rookie general manager Don Sweeney in a tight spot.
- With h/t to Today's Slapshot
