ABOUT TRAVIS
7 years ago
Travis Hamonic is a stud. He is exactly what the Edmonton Oilers need if they’re serious about returning to contention. If GM Peter Chiarelli hasn’t already picked up the phone to resume talks with Garth Snow now that the New York Islanders have been eliminated from the playoffs, he should do it now – and offer anybody not named Connor McDavid to get the deal done.
OK, I’m going over the top, but not by much, with the “anybody” part at the end there. At 25, Hamonic is just entering his prime years with 395 games of NHL experience on his resume. He has a cap-friendly contract. He’s not only a terrific defenceman and the first-pairing blueliner the Oilers desperately need, but a terrific person. Hamonic competes his ass off. All this we already know. It’s not stop-the-presses stuff.
Today, after averaging 26:08 of ice time per game through 11 games for the Islanders this post-season, the St. Malo, Man. Native awaits the trade closer to home he requested from Snow last summer. Hamonic, of course, isn’t the only candidate to be the top-pairing guy Chiarelli needs, but for my money he’s 1, 1A and 1B. He’s not the only addition the Oilers need to be good enough on the back end, but he’s the first one.
In terms of the player’s attributes, his character, his age, his contract and the fact his trade request is approaching a year old, I don’t think there’s anybody who comes close to ticking every box for the Oilers the way Hamonic does. If you haven’t seen it yet, here’s a post-game interview he did after the Islanders were taken out by the Tampa Bay Lightning.
THE REACTION
What stands to be Hamonic’s last game as an Islander – unless Snow goes into full-blown Steve Tambellini mode and assumes the fetal position at being overwhelmed by what has to be done — a 4-0 loss to Bolts Sunday, drew plenty of reaction on Twitter:
For his part, Hamonic steered reporters away from questions about what the off-season might bring during his post-game comments. A snippet: “Sorry, it sucks, I didn’t think…I was really confident in our group, so this is pretty frustrating.” I expect we’ll hear when the Islanders clean out their lockers.
Islanders coach Jack Capuano waded in, throwing some cold water (what else would you expect?) on the idea trading Hamonic is inevitable: “I don’t necessarily think that right now we’re thinking that Travis is not going to be with us next year. I mean, I don’t know that so I can’t really comment on it.”
There are also indications that Snow, who’d initially indicated he’d be looking for a D-man to fill the void left by Hamonic in any trade scenario, might be willing to take a top-end forward instead, which, location aside, plays to Edmonton’s strength because of the depth up front.
GET IT DONE
I’m not going to try to make Hamonic sound like the second coming of Chris Pronger – Hamonic isn’t as dynamic offensively as some trade targets out there – because he’s certainly not, but when you factor in age, contract, availability and the fact the Oilers have forwards to spare, there’s absolutely no reason Chiarelli shouldn’t be right at the front of the line.
If it takes Ryan Nugent-Hopkins to get a deal done, so be it. Same for Jordan Eberle. Likewise, Taylor Hall, if we’re talking one-for-one. That fourth overall draft pick as part of a package? Sure. Chiarelli isn’t going to get what he needs without giving someone up he’d rather keep. You don’t get players the ilk of Travis Hamonic for spare parts.
Get on the phone, Peter. Make this deal.
OILERS SIGN RUSSELL
With the ink still damp on the signing of sought-after forward Drake Caggiula out of the University of North Dakota, the Oilers have signed St. Cloud State’s Patrick Russell, a six-foot-one, 205-pound forward who scored 20-21-41 with SCT in 41 games this season. Jason Gregor will have more later.
Listen to Robin Brownlee Wednesdays and Thursdays from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on the Jason Gregor Show on TSN 1260.
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