HAMILTON BLOSSOMS
When the New York Islanders signed centerman Jeff Hamilton last summer, they weren’t expecting mind-blowing offensive numbers, even at the AHL level. The Englewood, Ohio native had dominated the ECAC ranks during a four-year tenure at Yale, posting 173 points in 125 games as a Bulldog. However, at 5’10” 180 pounds soaking wet, it wasn’t considered realistic for Hamilton to duplicate his collegiate output.Despite the lack of expectations for the local boy, Hamilton quickly became a fan favorite during his rookie year, and his 22 goal total was third on the team behind current Islanders Trent Hunter and Justin Papineau. Most of his damage was done on the power play, as his nifty playmaking ability and opportune positioning earned him plenty of time on the man advantage. Unfortunately, HamiltonR17;s ice time took a nose dive as the game wore on. Then-head coach Steve Stirling was extremely hesitant to play Hamilton in the third period of tight games at even strength, mainly because he didn’t consider the youngster to be defensively responsible in his own end.
As last season progressed, so did Hamilton’s two-way play. By the time the playoffs arrived, Stirling was utilizing the diminutive centerman in all situations, including on the penalty kill, albeit sparingly. Despite his promising rookie campaign, Hamilton headed into this season with plenty of incentive, and a lot to prove.
The evidence has been shocking.
As of today, Hamilton has already surpassed his goal and point total of last season, notching an astounding 24 goals and 15 assists in just 30 games. The Yale graduate has tallied over 28 percent of his team’s goals, which is a feat in itself. More impressive, however, is that Hamilton has achieved league-leading offensive totals while playing in coach Greg Cronin’s defensive-minded system.
Hamilton has credited his early-season success to the fact that Cronin never hesitates to put him on the ice in any situation. It took a year, but the 26-year-old appears to have finally adjusted to the pro game, after spending his first year out of college in Finland, where fancy stick handling and risk-taking are encouraged. Hamilton had to undergo a sometimes frustrating rookie season under Stirling in order to commit himself to positional hockey, but that bumpy first season laid the foundation for his dynamic sophomore campaign.
After impressing the Islander brass at training camp, Hamilton was able to earn a cup of coffee with the big club on December 2nd when the Isles hosted Washington. Not initially considered a serious prospect coming into the season, the youngster has propelled himself onto Mike Milbury’s radar screen. Indeed, Hamilton’s brief stint of Long Island was nothing more than a small reward for his spectacular performance early on this season. Nevertheless, should Hamilton maintain his ungodly scoring pace, the possibility of another recall cannot be completely ruled out, especially considering the surprisingly anemic offense on the Island.
THIS ISN’T SO HARD
Life in the AHL has been good for Wade Dubielewicz thus far. The 23-year-old University of Denver graduate has been nothing short of dominant in his first pro season with Bridgeport. In 13 starts, the Invermere, British Columbia native has posted a stellar 1.22 goals against average, and a league-leading .949 save percentage. His 10-2-1 record speaks for itself, and his three shutouts is good for second in the league behind Hartford’s Jason LaBarbera.Like Jeff Hamilton, the Islanders weren’t anticipating this kind of production from Dubielewicz, despite a solid college career. The lanky netminder brought impressive credentials with him when he signed a contract over the summer, having earned several WCHA accolades. Dubielewicz led the nation in winning percentage in 2001-2002, finishing with an eye-opening 20-4 record (.833).
The Sound Tigers were hoping to ease Dubielewicz into the pro game. A devastating hamstring injury suffered early in his senior year at Denver limited him to just nine games, so coach Greg Cronin was prepared to rely on former Houston goalkeeper Dieter Kochan for most of the year. Fortunately, the play of Dubielewicz has presented the first-year headmaster with an intriguing dilemma between the pipes.
Dubielewicz dispels rumors of him replacing Kochan atop the Islanders’ minor-league goaltending depth chart. “I think the bottom line is that Dieter is the No. 1 guy,” Dubielewicz said during a recent interview. “He’s a great person and he’s a good friend. I’m just really trying to learn from him.”
Don’t be surprised if the student eventually becomes the teacher.
TRADING PLACES
Hulking defenseman Jeff Woywitka is considered one of the prime cuts of beef in all of minor hockey. Drafted 27th overall in 2001 by Philadelphia, the Vermilion, Alberta native’s four-year career in the WHL culminated in his capturing the league’s outstanding defenseman award. A Memorial Cup winner in 2001 with Red Deer, Woywitka was coveted by several clubs going into the 2001 draft.One of those clubs was the Edmonton Oilers. General Manager Kevin Lowe publicly displayed his adoration for Woywitka early last week, when he acquired the 20-year-old in exchange for holdout centerman Mike Comrie and two draft picks.
“Jeff is a player that we have liked since we first saw him play with the Red Deer Rebels and he has improved each year,” said Lowe after the trade. “We feel that Jeff will solidify our defense for the future. There seems to be a huge premium on defensemen in the NHL and when you can get a solid defenseman that has the upside that Woywitka does, you go after him.”
That’s considerable praise from Lowe, especially taking into account the fact he passed up a potential deal with Anaheim that would have landed him OHL scoring leader Corey Perry. Unfortunately, Woywitka has struggled somewhat in his first professional season, notching a mere six assists in 29 games with the Philadelphia Phantoms. Still, Woywitka provided the Oiler organization with a glimpse of his offensive potential this past Friday, as the youngster tallied his first pro goal in a 5-3 loss to St. John’s.
‘BACK’ IN THE SADDLE
Speaking of the baby Leafs, highly-touted prospect Carlo Colaiacovo returned to the lineup this weekend after missing three games with back spasms. Dogged by back problems in the past, some therapy sessions contributed to a speedy recovery for the former Erie Otter. He played some of his best hockey of the season over the weekend, picking up four assists, while posting a +2 rating.As one of the last Toronto cuts during training camp, pundits are anticipating Colaiacovo’s trip to the NHL to be relatively short. Some Leaf fans, including outspoken CBC commentator Don Cherry, have been proponents of inserting the 20-year-old into the big club’s lineup this year. However, the general consensus indicates Colaiacovo could use more seasoning in the AHL, as his -2 overall plus-minus rating is the second worst among baby Leaf blueliners.
And while the Toronto native years to don the big-league Leaf jersey someday, he realizes that day may not come this season. “I came down here with a positive attitude to work hard and get better,” says Colaiacovo. “It’s been fun.”
