Zachary Robert Hamill (born September 23, 1988) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Hamill was drafted in the first round, eighth overall by the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Boston Bruins in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft. Prior to turning professional, Hamill spent his entire Western Hockey League (WHL) career with the Everett Silvertips.

Hamill with the Providence Bruins in 2011
Born (1988-09-23) September 23, 1988 (age 36)
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 181 lb (82 kg; 12 st 13 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Right
Played for Boston Bruins
Barys Astana
HPK
HC Fribourg-Gottéron
HC Ambrì-Piotta
Iserlohn Roosters
IF Björklöven
Lørenskog IK
HC Dukla Jihlava
EC Bad Nauheim
Ducs d'Angers
NHL draft 8th overall, 2007
Boston Bruins
Playing career 2008–2021

Playing career

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Junior

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Hamill was drafted in the first round, third overall, by the Everett Silvertips in the 2003 WHL Bantam Draft.[1] Shortly after on October 8, 2003, he made his Western Hockey League (WHL) debut against the Seattle Thunderbirds.[2] Although playing in only four regular season games in the early part of the 2003–04 season, Hamill finished with two assists before being reassigned to the Port Coquitlam Buckaroos of the Pacific International Junior Hockey League (PIJHL). He returned to the Silvertips for their 2004 WHL playoff run, playing in 20 games. The 2004–05 season was Hamill's first full WHL season, playing in 57 games. He finished his rookie season with a respectable 33 points. This season also saw Hamill represent Canada Pacific at the 2005 World U-17 Hockey Challenge in Lethbridge, Alberta.[3] During the off-season, Hamill represented Canada at the 2005 U-18 Junior World Cup in Břeclav, Czech Republic, and Piešťany, Slovakia.[4]

In his sophomore season, Hamill continued to better his play. In December, he represented Team WHL in the 2005 ADT Canada–Russia Challenge.[5] Hamill finished the year with 59 points in 53 games, an average of over a point per game. Hamill's play was rewarded when on June 22, 2006, he was invited to Canada's National Junior Team Development Camp.[6][7]

Hamill's 2006–07 season was arguably his best. In November, Hamill once again represented Team WHL in the 2006 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge and in January, he played in the 2007 CHL Top Prospects Game.[8][9] Hamill was named the WHL's player of the week for the week of January 22–28, scoring 13 points in 4 games.[10] Hamill was also named the player of the month for January after collecting 24 points in 12 games.[11] With 93 points at the end of the season, Hamill won the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL's leading scorer and was named to the WHL West First All-Star Team.[12][13] With his 61 assists and 93 points, Hamill claimed both the Silvertips' single season assists and points records.[14] Hamill also finished the season with seven Silvertips franchise career records.

Professional

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On August 8, 2007, shortly over a month after being drafted by the Boston Bruins, Hamill signed his first professional contract with the organization.[15] After attending the Bruins' training camp in 2007 and playing in one pre-season game, Hamill was returned to the Silvertips for the 2007–08 WHL season.[16]

At the completion of the Silvertips season, Hamill joined the Providence Bruins, the Boston Bruins' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate.[17] During a recall stint with the Bruins in the 2009–10 season, Hamill was credited with his first NHL point on April 11, 2010, with an assist against the Washington Capitals.

During the 2010–11 season, Hamill played in three games for the Boston Bruins, earning an assist against the Montreal Canadiens on February 9, 2011.[18] He was recalled to Boston during the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs,[19] where the Bruins won the Stanley Cup. Although he did not qualify to have his name engraved on the Stanley Cup, he received a Stanley Cup ring.[20]

On February 6, 2012, the Boston Bruins placed Hamill on waivers; after he cleared waivers on February 7, he was sent down to the Providence Bruins. On May 26, 2012, he was traded to the Washington Capitals in exchange for forward Chris Bourque.[21] With the 2012–13 NHL lockout in effect, Hamill was directly assigned to the Capitals' AHL affiliate, the Hershey Bears. In the 2012–13 season, he tallied 22 points in 40 games with the Bears before he was traded to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Casey Wellman on January 31, 2013.[22] He remained in the AHL with the San Antonio Rampage and contributed with 18 points in 26 games. On April 11, 2013, he was reassigned on loan by the Panthers to the Milwaukee Admirals.[23]

In July 2013, Hamill signed a two-way contract with the Vancouver Canucks. He failed to make the team out of training camp and was assigned to the team's AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. Hamill had difficulty being productive in Utica, contributing 9 points in 21 games. In December 2013, Hamill was put on unconditional waivers by the Canucks after they and Hamill mutually agreed to terminate his contract.[24] On December 24, 2013, Hamill signed a one-year contract with Barys Astana of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).[25] In 13 games, Hamill recorded one goal and two assists. He was not re-signed at the end of the season.

On August 29, 2014, Finnish Liiga club HPK announced they had signed Hamill to a one-year contract.

On September 4, 2015, Hamill signed an initial two-week contract with HC Fribourg-Gottéron of the Swiss National League A. In the 2015–16 season, Hamill immediately impressed in Fribourg, earning another two-week extension, collecting five goals in his nine-game stint. On October 9, 2015, he was released by Fribourg as he was signed as a temporary injury cover for one-month to play with rivals HC Ambrì-Piotta. He was subsequently signed for the remainder of the season in Ambrì on November 3.[26] He featured in eight games with Ambrì before he was mutually released from his contract to play out the remainder of the season in Germany with the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL).

As a free agent over the following summer and mid-way into the 2016–17 season, Hamill belatedly signed a one-year contract in the Swedish Allsvenskan, agreeing to terms with IF Björklöven on November 21, 2016.[27]

Personal life

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Hamill was born on September 23, 1988, in Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, to Scott and Lonnie Hamill. He has two siblings, Carson and Paisley. His brother, Carson, played junior hockey for the Langley Hornets of the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) and currently plays at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri.[2] He attended Riverside Secondary School in Port Coquitlam.[2]

Records

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  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for points in a season (93)
  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for assists in a season (61)
  • Everett Silvertips' had held franchise record for career games played (250); Shane Harper is the current record holder
  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for career points (262)
  • Everett Silvertips' had held franchise record for career goals (87); Shane Harper is the current record holder
  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for career assists (175)
  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for career playoff games played (62)
  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for career playoff points (37)
  • Everett Silvertips' franchise record for career playoff assists (27)

Career statistics

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Regular season and playoffs

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Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2003–04 Port Coquitlam Buckaroos PJHL 39 30 31 61 50
2003–04 Everett Silvertips WHL 4 0 2 2 0 20 3 2 5 2
2004–05 Everett Silvertips WHL 57 8 25 33 29 11 2 3 5 8
2005–06 Everett Silvertips WHL 53 21 38 59 28 15 3 11 14 4
2006–07 Everett Silvertips WHL 69 32 61 93 90 12 2 8 10 16
2007–08 Everett Silvertips WHL 67 26 49 75 88 4 0 3 3 2
2007–08 Providence Bruins AHL 7 0 5 5 6 9 1 3 4 0
2008–09 Providence Bruins AHL 65 13 13 26 40 16 1 5 6 4
2009–10 Providence Bruins AHL 75 14 30 44 24
2009–10 Boston Bruins NHL 1 0 1 1 0
2010–11 Providence Bruins AHL 68 9 34 43 66
2010–11 Boston Bruins NHL 3 0 1 1 0
2011–12 Providence Bruins AHL 41 8 13 21 24
2011–12 Boston Bruins NHL 16 0 2 2 4
2012–13 Hershey Bears AHL 40 11 11 22 34
2012–13 San Antonio Rampage AHL 26 5 13 18 20
2012–13 Milwaukee Admirals AHL 6 3 1 4 0 4 1 1 2 2
2013–14 Utica Comets AHL 22 3 6 9 6
2013–14 Barys Astana KHL 13 1 2 3 10 1 0 0 0 0
2014–15 HPK Liiga 58 16 19 35 67
2015–16 HC Fribourg–Gottéron NLA 9 5 2 7 6
2015–16 HC Ambrì–Piotta NLA 8 1 3 4 6
2015–16 Iserlohn Roosters DEL 24 4 7 11 14
2016–17 IF Björklöven Allsv 29 7 11 18 16
2017–18 Lørenskog IK GET 27 11 8 19 22
2017–18 HC Dukla Jihlava ELH 21 4 5 9 10
2018–19 EC Bad Nauheim DEL2 34 10 29 39 63 4 1 1 2 4
2019–20 EC Bad Nauheim DEL2 32 13 18 31 38 2 2 0 2 8
2020–21 Ducs d'Angers FRA 22 5 8 13 30
AHL totals 349 66 126 192 220 29 3 9 12 6
NHL totals 20 0 4 4 4
Medal record
Representing   Canada
ice hockey
World U-17 Hockey Challenge
  2005 Lethbridge
U-18 Junior World Cup
  2005 Piešťany

International

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Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM
2005 Canada Pacific U17 6 2 3 5 10
2005 Canada U18 5 5 3 8 4
Junior totals 11 7 6 13 14

Awards and honors

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Award Year
WHL
West First All-Star Team 2007
Bob Clarke Trophy 2007
CHL First All-Star Team 2007

Transactions

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References

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  1. ^ Tsumura, Howard (May 2, 2003). "Reese is the right piece". The Province.
  2. ^ a b c "Zach Hamill – 9". Everett Silvertips. Archived from the original on May 7, 2007. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  3. ^ "Team Pacific roster". Hockey Canada. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  4. ^ Sheppard, James (August 5, 2005). "Playing for Maple Leaf 'spectacular' honour". Vancouver Sun. Canada.
  5. ^ Harder, Greg (October 27, 2005). "Teammates for a game". Leader Post.
  6. ^ "Forty-Four of Canada's Top Junior Aged Players Invited to Attend National Junior Team Development Camp from July 22–28 in Calgary, AB" (Press release). Hockey Canada. June 22, 2006. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  7. ^ "Development Camp roster". Hockey Canada. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  8. ^ "CHL announces Team WHL Roster for the ADT Canada Russia Challenge" (Press release). Canadian Hockey League. October 26, 2006. Archived from the original on August 4, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
  9. ^ "CHL announces participating players for the 2007 Home Hardware CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game" (Press release). Canadian Hockey League. January 4, 2007. Archived from the original on February 9, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
  10. ^ "Olympic-style boxing scheduled". Leader Post. January 30, 2007. Archived from the original on October 25, 2012. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  11. ^ Wolfe, Cory (February 8, 2007). "Blades-Raiders alumni do battle". Star-Phoenix.
  12. ^ "Everett Silvertips' Zach Hamill Captures Bob Clarke Trophy as WHL's Top Scorer" (Press release). Western Hockey League. March 19, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
  13. ^ "WHL Announces 2006–07 Conference All Star Teams" (Press release). Western Hockey League. March 22, 2007. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
  14. ^ "This Week in Silvertips Hockey: 2006–2007 Regular Season Recap" (Press release). Everett Silvertips. March 22, 2007. Archived from the original on April 25, 2007. Retrieved March 26, 2007.
  15. ^ "Bruins sign top pick Hamill". TSN. August 8, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2007. [dead link]
  16. ^ "Bruins send Hamill back to Everett". TSN. September 21, 2007. Archived from the original on June 13, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2007.
  17. ^ Patterson, Nick (March 31, 2008). "Hamill headed to Providence". HeraldNet. Retrieved March 31, 2008.
  18. ^ "Zach Hamill Stats and News".
  19. ^ Bartkowski, Khudobin join B's practice
  20. ^ Recchi, Bruins receive Cup rings
  21. ^ "Capitals acquire Zach Hamill from Boston for Chris Bourque". Washington Capitals. May 26, 2012. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  22. ^ "Capitals Acquire Casey Wellman from Florida". Washington Capitals. January 31, 2013. Retrieved January 31, 2013.
  23. ^ "Admirals get Hamill on loan from Florida". Milwaukee Admirals. April 11, 2013. Retrieved April 11, 2013.
  24. ^ "Report: Canucks put Hamill on unconditional waivers". The Province. December 18, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2014.
  25. ^ "Barys Astana Sign Former Boston First Rounder Zach Hamill". Yard Barker. November 5, 2013. Archived from the original on December 25, 2013. Retrieved December 25, 2013.
  26. ^ "Canadian Zach Hamill replaced Adam Hall temporarily" (in Italian). HC Ambrì-Piotta. October 9, 2015. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved October 9, 2015.
  27. ^ "Zach Hamill ready for Bjorkloven" (in Swedish). IF Björklöven. November 21, 2016. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
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Awards and achievements
Preceded by Winner of the WHL Bob Clarke Trophy
2007
Succeeded by
Preceded by Boston Bruins first round draft pick
2007
Succeeded by