Hamilton holding his own as a pro six years later

By Sean Rooney on September 1, 2017.

It’s been six years since he last wore orange and black, but Wacey Hamilton still loves to skate in Medicine Hat.

Hamilton, from Cochrane, is among a group of pro players who have booked ice at Canalta Centre around the current Tigers’ training camp. It’s a tradition that’s been going on long before he debuted with the club way back in 2007.

“It gets a little more depressing every time just because I’m a little bit older,” he said in jest following Wednesday’s workout. “I think it’s a blast coming back and skating with the guys, seeing all the pro guys that come back.”

This week he’s shared the ice with Curtis Valk, Chad Butcher, Tyler Lewington and Kale Kessy. He and Valk have been teammates the past few years with the Utica Comets, but will go separate ways now that Valk has signed a two-way deal with the Florida Panthers. Butcher signed an AHL deal with Edmonton’s farm team in Bakersfield, Calif. in the off-season, Lewington will enter the last year of his two-way deal with the Washington Capitals and Kessy will continue his career after finishing last season with the Manitoba Moose.

Hamilton knows times have changed since the days when he’d watch Stefan Meyer, Steve Marr and Tommy Maxwell skate and wonder what the future held for him.

“When I was playing for the Tigers I thought it was the coolest thing to pick those guys’ brains, see what pro life is like,” he said. “The roles have kind of flipped, I think it’s fun for both sides.”

An alternate captain with Utica last season, Hamilton had nine goals and 10 assists in 67 games. His career pro numbers are similar, with 35 goals and 55 assists in 338 games. It’s not a huge change from his time in Medicine Hat, where he captained the 2010-11 squad and put up 73 points.

“Honestly I don’t think I have (changed as a player),” he said. “I’d say maybe my role offensively since becoming a pro isn’t as big; I’ve become more of a defensive centreman. I take a lot of pride in PK, trying to be one of the better penalty killers in the league. Good faceoffs, that’s part of my game too.

“Just small little intangibles that you never thought were that important to the game, but when you get to the next level they become very important.”

The biggest change in his life seems to be away from the rink. Now married with a six-week-old baby girl, he’s anticipating moving the family out east —unless of course he can earn a spot on the Vancouver Canucks roster. He heads west this weekend.

“I’ve got one more year on my deal, I leave for Vancouver on Saturday,” said Hamilton. “We’ll see what happens.”

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