NHL Rumors: Calgary Flames and Ottawa Senators
Calgary Flames Dougie Hamilton after scoring on the Ottawa Senators
On the Calgary Flames and Dougie Hamilton …

Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Sun: Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported on Saturday night that at least two teams have contract the Calgary Flames about defenseman Dougie Hamilton. Hamilton heard the report.

“You can’t think too much into that stuff. Just try to keep playing hockey.

“It’s part of the game. I think every deadline, every draft and all that stuff, there are always rumours. There are so many rumours and stuff, and I don’t know how much of it is true or anything, right?

“I’m happy here and I want to keep helping try to turn this around for the Flames, so I can’t look into that stuff. It’s just a distraction, if anything.”

Kypreos said he’s not suggesting that the Flames are shopping Hamilton.

On the Ottawa Senators …

Bruce Garrioch in the Ottawa Citizen: Senators GM Pierre Dorion is expecting trade talks to start picking up soon with the American Thanksgiving approaching. It’s at that time where teams are deciding on if they need to make some changes or not.

“Teams have let themselves sort themselves out when you hit the 15-to-20 game mark and we’re getting to that,” Dorion told Postmedia before the Senators faced the Wild. “You want to see what you have. A lot of times, you have kids that haven’t fulfilled your expectations or you have older guys that aren’t at the same level they once were.

“With us, we’re always looking to improve at whatever position it may be and I think it’s the time of the year where, if I go back on what Bryan (Murray) has told me, the discussions are more prevalent.”

The Senators had been looking for a defenseman dating back to the training camp, but Fredrik Claesson‘s play may lessen their need for added depth.

Dorion said that he is not looking for scoring up front.

Andrew Hammond is ready to play and they will sit down with him to go over the options. They could send him to the AHL on a conditioning stint. The Senators are fine with carrying three goalies because of Craig Anderson‘s situation.