When the Calgary Flames traded Dougie Hamilton to the Carolina Hurricanes this offseason it was a shocker of a deal, but it didn’t exactly surprise Flames fans. There had been talk for months that Hamilton didn’t see eye to eye with the Flames coaching and management staff and there were even rumors that the big defenseman had some issues with his Flames teammates.
The day he was shipped out to Carolina along with Micheal Ferland in exchange for Elias Lindholm and Noah Hanifin, the book officially closed on all the rumors surrounding Hamilton. But tonight, Dougie is back in Calgary to take on the Flames at the Scotiabank Saddledome and he was asked by Sportsnet reporter Ryan Leslie what exactly happened in Calgary?
When asked point blank, “Did you want out of Calgary?” Hamilton replied:
“I think, the was no successful and there’s always going to be changes. For me, I’ve always been part of trade rumours… I don’t know really what it is, but it is what it is kind of thing. I had no idea what was going to happen, if I was going to get traded or where I was going.”
Interesting choice of words from Hamilton in that statement above… he certainly doesn’t come out and deny the question, leading Flames fans to maybe believe that he did in fact want out.
When asked if there was a problem between himself and the team, particularly stemming from the fact that Hamilton missed the Flames’ year end meetings, the big man’s answer was even more cryptic:
“There’s a lot of stuff… with what was said about me and what I know and all that stuff. I think it’s nothing really to get into. It’s over now. It is what it is. There’s a few things, but I think the biggest thing for me is that what was said about me, I know what’s true behind that and I think there’ll be guys that agree with me on that and know me as a person and who I am.”
Again… no denial. Hamilton would go on to sum up his situation saying, “I’m happy with my new chapter and what life is like for me now.”
It’ll be interesting to see the reception that Hamilton gets in Calgary this evening. There’s no denying his talent and skill, but he broke things off with the organization in an ugly way this past offseason.
