Dan Hamhuis

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Hamhuis' role with the Predators evolved significantly over his five seasons. In his rookie year, 2003–04, he recorded seven goals and 26 points over 82 games, ranking tied for third in point-scoring and second in average ice time among NHL rookie defencemen. He was selected for the 2004 NHL YoungStars Game. As younger defencemen Shea Weber and Ryan Suter emerged as the club's top pairing, Hamhuis was used primarily as a shutdown defenceman, matching up against opposing teams' top forward units and leading the club in shorthanded ice time while seeing limited powerplay time. His offensive production dipped to a career-low 20 points in 2006–07 after signing a four-year, $8 million contract, but he remained a steady presence, recording between 24 and 27 points in his final three seasons with Nashville. Hamhuis scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal in game four of the opening round against the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, a 3–2 win, though the Predators lost the next two games and were eliminated.

In Their Own Story

On March 4, 2004, Hamhuis recorded a five-point night—one goal and four assists—in a 9–4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins. It was a breakout performance for the rookie defenceman, who had scored his first NHL goal earlier that season on October 16, 2003, a game-winner on the powerplay against St. Louis Blues goaltender Chris Osgood. That rookie season, Hamhuis helped the Predators make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, adding two assists in a first-round elimination to the Detroit Red Wings. After the 2009–10 season, with it apparent he would not be re-signed, his negotiating rights were traded to the Philadelphia Flyers on June 19, 2010, along with a conditional draft pick, for Ryan Parent. When he failed to agree to a contract with Philadelphia, his rights were traded again to the Pittsburgh Penguins on June 25 for a 2011 third-round pick. He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2010, and signed a six-year, $27 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks.

Reader's Guide

Dan Hamhuis played five seasons with the Nashville Predators from 2003 to 2010. A defenceman drafted 12th overall in 2001, he made his NHL debut in 2003–04 and played 82 games, recording seven goals and 26 points. He was a key part of Nashville's first-ever playoff appearance that season. After a breakout 2005–06 season in which he recorded career-highs of seven goals, 31 assists and 38 points in 82 games while leading all Predators players in ice time, Hamhuis signed a four-year, $8 million contract on September 21, 2006. His offensive production declined after that, but he remained a reliable shutdown defender, leading the team in shorthanded ice time while Weber and Suter handled offensive duties. Hamhuis scored his first Stanley Cup playoff goal in 2008 against the Detroit Red Wings. He was traded twice in June 2010—first to the Philadelphia Flyers, then to the Pittsburgh Penguins—before signing with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent on July 1, 2010.

Did You Know?

• Hamhuis was drafted 12th overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2001 NHL entry draft, the second defenceman selected after Mike Komisarek.
• He scored his first NHL goal on October 16, 2003, a game-winner on the powerplay against St. Louis Blues goaltender Chris Osgood.
• On March 4, 2004, Hamhuis recorded a five-point night (one goal, four assists) in a 9–4 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
• He led all Predators players in ice time during the 2005–06 season.
• Hamhuis' negotiating rights were traded twice in June 2010—first to the Philadelphia Flyers, then to the Pittsburgh Penguins—before he signed with the Vancouver Canucks as a free agent.