Felger & Mazz: Bruins In Tough Spot With Dougie Hamilton
BOSTON (CBS) - The cap-strapped Boston Bruins find themselves in a serious predicament.
With little-to-no salary cap flexibility, the B's must somehow find a way to keep defenseman Dougie Hamilton, who is seeking big money as a restricted free agent.
Hamilton turns 22 on June 17, and according to reports, his agents are leveraging to receive a deal in the range of $6-7 million per year. That desire, combined with the Bruins' cap restrictions, could result in a rival team making an offer sheet for the RFA.
If Hamilton gets signed to an offer sheet worth $6 million per year, and the Bruins decline to match, then Boston receives a first, second and third round draft pick in return as compensation.
If Hamilton gets signed to an offer sheet over $7.3 million per year, and the Bruins decline to match, then Boston receives two firsts, a second and a third round draft pick in return as compensation.
What do you do if you're the Bruins? Should Boston pay up or take the draft pick compensation?
"I think this is a tough choice for the Bruins," 98.5 The Sports Hub's Michael Felger said on Tuesday.
The Bruins drafted Hamilton with the ninth overall pick in the 2011 draft. He's played three NHL seasons, and he's coming off a 2014-15 campaign in which he scored 10 goals and registered 32 assists in 72 games played.
He led Bruins defensemen in points, and he was third in time on ice per game (21:20), behind Zdeno Chara (23:20) and Dennis Seidenberg (22:06).
Hamilton also has 10 points in 19 career playoff games.
