Feature: Hamilton Makes an Early Impact

The following feature article on former Yale standout Jeff Hamilton appeared October 16 on the Carolina Hurricanes Web site. The article can be accessed by the Hurricanes Web site by clicking here.

By Paul Branecky
Carolina Hurricanes

At 30 years of age and only his second full year in the league, it took Jeff Hamilton a little while to find his role at the NHL level.

Now with the Hurricanes, it would appear that he's finally found it, however unique it may be.  He's just your average checking-line center, power-play quarterback, scoring-line winger and shootout specialist.

There aren't many players in the league, if any, who have that kind of job description.  It's that kind of versatility that led the Hurricanes to sign him on the first day of last summer's free agent period, and it's that kind of versatility that's making his team look good for doing so.

"It's great right now," said Hamilton, who is currently tied for third on the team in scoring with six points through six games.  "I actually got a call from a buddy yesterday who said ‘At this rate, you can play until you're 50 years old.'  It's nice just to have a role on a team that wants to win."

However confusing that role may be, Hamilton is happy to fill it.  While he hasn't gotten a crack at the shootout thus far in the regular season, he leads the team with four power play points and had two even-strength assists while filling in for Cory Stillman on a line with Eric Staal and Erik Cole against Pittsburgh on October 5.

So far, so good for the career minor-leaguer turned big-league jack-of-all-trades.

"All players have certain roles and a certain identity that we're looking for," said Hurricanes Head Coach Peter Laviolette.  "For him to come in as a center, a winger, point on the power play, shootouts, able to fill in and jump in on other lines, he provides an excellent depth player that can really put up some points.  So far he's had a good start.  It's early, but we'd certainly like him to continue the way he is."

Hamilton's biggest contribution so far has been on the power play.  He has surprised everyone, especially his opponents, with his lightning-quick slap shot from the point that often results in a juicy rebound in the event that it doesn't hit the back of the net.

"I think that's the biggest thing that we've noticed about him," said Laviolette.  "Especially coming onto a new team, a lot of times guys are hesitant to shoot the puck or pull the trigger, but he certainly is a guy that will jump on it as much as possible, which is exactly what we're looking for."

That shot, and more importantly the fact that he's not afraid to use it, has been a big part of why the Hurricanes' man-advantage unit was ranked second in the league at 26.5 percent as of Tuesday morning.  This comes after a difficult 2006-07 campaign in which the ‘Canes, sans Hamilton, were ranked 25th with only a 15 percent conversion rate.

"When the puck gets back to the point we want to establish a shot, and once you do that it opens up a lot of things down low," said Hamilton.  "When you have those two angles of attack down low and at the point, it's tough to defend against.  The penalty killers have to pick whether they're going to cover up top or down low, and either way they go it leaves them vulnerable, so it's a good attack."

You wouldn't know it to watch him play, but playing the point on the power play is relatively new to Hamilton.  After playing closer to the net throughout college and in the minors, he manned the blue line for the first time in his career with the New York Islanders in 2005-06, and scored 8 points in only 13 games.

"I don't know what it was," said Hamilton of why teams started to use him on the point.  "In Chicago they just wanted someone back there who would hammer the puck whenever he got it, and that's kind of what they want me to do here.  It's a role that I'm comfortable with, and it's been working so far so hopefully it keeps going."

The other big addition to the ‘Canes power play, or re-addition, depending on how you look at it, is Matt Cullen, who plays the point with Hamilton on the first unit.  That leaves the Hurricanes with five forwards and no defensemen on the ice - a somewhat risky plan of attack that is so far paying dividends.

"Hamilton and Cullen usually get out there first from the back-end point of view, and I think that it provides a lot of mobility and a lot of skill," said Laviolette.  "To compliment the forwards we can really jump in and out, move the puck quickly and move for each other quickly.  We have guys that at that point think primarily about offense, and they're skilled players that think the game that way.  I think that's why it's been effective."

"No offense to the D, but I think it's nice to have five forwards out there," said Hamilton.  "It's a constant attack from every position, and I think that's tough to defend against.  You've got three guys down low that can bury anything, and you've got two guys up top that are just pounding pucks.  It seems to be a formula that's working so far."

The trio of Cullen, Hamilton and Laviolette worked together briefly on Team USA during the 2004 World Championships in Prague, earning a bronze medal in the process.  From that experience to their partnership on the point so far this season, Cullen has liked what he's seen from Hamilton.

"He's a very skilled player," said Cullen.  "He's got a big shot and it's nice to have that on the point back there.  Any time you get the big shot you're going to create a lot."

For now, at this early stage in the season, Hamilton is proving that last year's breakout season in Chicago was no fluke.  After signing with the Blackhawks as a free-agent tryout just before opening night, he went on to score 18 goals, including two hat tricks, and went 5-for-10 in the shootout.

So far, he's proved to be a perfect fit for the Hurricanes by continuing that type of play.

"They want to win here, and they're hungry to get back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs," he said.  "It's a nice atmosphere."