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Krug (left, short) and Hamilton (right, tall)
Barry Chin/The Boston Globe via Getty Images |
So which one do you like? The playoff juggernaut who was instrumental in taking down King Henrik Lundqvist and the Rangers last year or the blue liner prodigy already likened to Boston favorites Orr and Bourque? They both have nicknames revolving around the music industry with Mötley Krüg, Goals, Goals, Goals and Teach Me How to Dougie and they are both great young defensemen. Honestly I think there is no this one is better than that one but it comes down to more of a personal preference of play or a situational deployment. I like Dougie Hamilton in a more defensive role. If he is out there trying to protect the lead late in a game I feel confident in his ability. I like Torey Krug if I need a goal now to tie it up or to win it. At times he is practically a 4th forward attacking the net. I’ll take either on the power play but Krug seems to have that touch on the puck that just gets it to the net a little more often than Hamilton.
While Hamilton isn’t afraid to wind up and let it rip I feel like his shots get blocked more often while Krug’s seem to have eyes. As some proof of that Krug does get on the stat sheet more often than Hamilton. He has played 2 more games than Hamilton but I don’t think that is the deciding factor in the stat line. Krug has 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points, 3 of those coming from the power play. Hamilton has only taken 5 fewer shots than Krug but only has 3 goals and 3 assists for 6 points, though two of those points came from the power play almost equaling Krug.
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Torey Krug
Barry Chin/Globe Staff |
Offensively I’m all Krug all the way. He’s not afraid to rush the puck or jump up in the neutral zone to be an outlet for entering the offensive zone. He’ll always take an opportunity to pinch in, get deep into the corners sometimes and make a play to the front of the net. However this hurts him defensively at times and that is where Hamilton outshines Krug in my opinion. While both players are in the plus column in +\- Hamilton is at 9 while Krug is just at 6. Again Krug has played in 2 more games and thus 2 games worth of people trying to score while he is on the ice but Krug also gets a lot more power play time and not a lot of time on the penalty kill which should do wonders for anybody’s +\- rating.
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Dougie Hamilton
via boston.sportsthenandnow.com |
Overall I think Dougie Hamilton is a more well-rounded player. He provides the offense from the point that the Bruins use very often when they get control in the zone but doesn’t let himself get caught on the defensive side. You almost don’t even notice Hamilton when he is on the ice, which isn’t a bad thing. To be a defenseman in the NHL and only really get noticed when something good happens is a high compliment. Torey Krug just has that 'it factor' of what is he going to do next? When he has the puck it’s interesting to see what he is going to do with it. A cross ice pass, jump up and start the rush, a give and go at the blue line entering the zone, or a laser beam from the point on the power play? I’m more than happy to have both of them, especially in times like these when Adam McQuaid and Dennis Seidenberg have been out of the lineup due to injuries. I just find myself glued to Krug when he is on the ice; plus I’m more of a Mötley Crüe guy than Cali Swag District.
Twitter @billman93 and @BruinsLife and let us know who your favorite is.
