Zach Hamill

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.

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]