Hurricanes’ Dougie Hamilton misses training camp practice
The Carolina Hurricanes had gotten used to playing without injured defenseman Dougie Hamilton when the NHL season was paused in March.
After four months away, the Canes were happy to have Hamilton back and ready for training camp in the NHL’s Return to Play postseason plan.
Now, they could be without him again.
Hamilton was not on the ice Thursday at PNC Arena for practice. He left the ice in some discomfort Wednesday and his absence Thursday was quickly noticed, if not explained.
Under Phase 3 protocols for training camp, teams are not allowed to disclose injuries or discuss absences. Hamilton is listed as “unfit to play” — that’s all.
“He’s a talented player and very unique on the offensive side of things,” Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said Thursday in his Zoom media call. “He was certainly missed when he was out for a large portion of the year and he’s a huge part of the offense of our team, so obviously we’re hoping that this isn’t something that’s long term.”
That Brind’Amour used “long term” could mean the severity of Hamilton’s injury still wasn’t known Thursday. He did suffer a broken left fibula in January that required surgery, an injury that kept him out of the final 21 games of the regular season before the NHL pause on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Canes said there would be no on-ice session Friday and no media availability. They are scheduled to hold one final practice Saturday at PNC Arena before leaving Sunday for Toronto, where they’ll face the New York Rangers in a qualifying round that begins Aug. 1.
Hamilton, one of the NHL’s most productive defensemen this season, underwent surgery on Jan. 17 and his recovery time was said to be eight to 12 weeks. With the Return to Play format approved by the NHL and NHL Players Association, Hamilton was medically cleared, had been skating and was ready when Phase 3 training camp began July 13.
Hamilton had settled back with Jaccob Slavin on the top defensive pairing and was quarterbacking the first power play unit.
With Hamilton out Thursday, Sami Vatanen was paired with Slavin and took over Hamilton’s power-play spot. The Canes acquired Vatanen in a Feb. 24 trade with New Jersey but the Finnish veteran was on injured reserve and did not play before the pause,
“I think he’s getting a little more accustomed to how we want to play,” Brind’Amour said.
The Canes traded for Vatanen and defenseman Brady Skjei of the Rangers because of Hamilton’s injury, then having defenseman Brett Pesce hurt his shoulder in the Feb. 22 game in Toronto — Pesce later needing surgery.
Skjei got in seven games with Carolina before the NHL pause. Vatanen’s last game was Feb. 1 with the Devils.
“Once the games get going I think they’ll be fine,” Brind’Amour said. “Right now there’s still some teaching going on. I think they’re such good competitors that once the game gets going, the game of hockey is the game of hockey and you’ve got to go play.”
Brind’Amour said Wednesday that a decision needed to be made on Pesce, who continues to rehab his injury and has not skated. Pesce was listed on the training camp roster as “unable to participate” and the Canes must decide if he will be included on the Phase 4 roster — each team is allowed 31 players and are not allowed to make roster additions once in the bubble.
Hamilton, 27, was having a season worthy of Norris Trophy consideration before the Jan. 16 injury in the road game against Columbus. Among NHL defensemen he was tied for second in goals (14), fourth in points (40) and tied for seventh in assists (26).
Hamilton was averaging 23:17 in ice time, a career-high pace, and was second among all NHL skaters with his plus-30 plus/minus rating. Before the injury, he also had been selected to represent the Canes at the 2020 NHL All-Star Weekend.
The Canes returned for training camp with eight defensemen who had NHL experience — a deep, versatile corps. Added to the mix was Jake Bean, a former first-round draft pick who was named the AHL’s most outstanding defenseman for 2019-20 with the Charlotte Checkers.
“We have a good group here and everybody is pushing each other,” Vatanen said. “It’s a good battle for everybody.”
Hamilton, asked July 13 about his recovery, said, “There’s still some stuff that’s not perfect. It’s getting better and better as I go.”
With Hamilton out Thursday, the D pairings had Slavin and Vatanen, Skjei with Joel Edmundson, Jake Gardiner with Trevor van Riemsdyk and Haydn Fleury with Bean.
This story was originally published July 23, 2020 at 11:41 AM.
