Flames President Brian Burke made a fervent denial on Wednesday that his organization was considering trading young defenseman Dougie Hamilton to the Leafs or any other team. Rumours around Hamilton started cropping up a few weeks ago, and had begun to really snowball in recent days.
So that's the end of that I guess. Right?
Well, if you remember the weeks leading up when the Leafs traded Luke Schenn to the Flyers in 2012, Burke also vehemently rejected the idea that he was on the trade block.
So, does this mean Burke is bluffing again? Not necessarily, as Schenn was seen as a diminishing asset, whereas Hamilton is still regarded as a young offensive blueliner with plenty of upside. It's hard to see why Calgary would want to move him.
Regardless of Burke's statements, most would assume the Flames wouldn't trade Hamilton for anything short of an overpayment, given the price (Taylor Hall) the Oilers had to pay for defenseman Adam Larsson this summer. Then again, wasn't it the Flames who acquired Dougie Hamilton from the Bruins in 2015 without giving up core roster pieces? Wasn't it the Flames who traded Dion Phaneuf in 2010 for spare parts?
Dougie Hamilton sits at 40% trade odds on the rumour board for now, and although the Burke statement pours some cold water over trade buzz, this is a situation that warrants extra attention.