Boston Bruins Prospects Update: Dougie Hamilton Dominating the OHL

The Boston Bruins are in an awful slump right now and could certainly use the two-way talents of elite defenseman prospect Dougie Hamilton, who is leading the OHL in scoring among defenseman.

Hamilton, 18, cannot join the Bruins until next season, but the ninth overall pick in the 2011 NHL draft will soon be a fixture on the Boston blueline.

At 6'4" and 195 pounds, Hamilton is an imposing player who uses his size to his advantage in the defensive zone, while using his strength to power slap shots from the point on the power play.

Even though he's done well to add weight and strength over the past few years, at 18 years old, Hamilton hasn't come close to the physical strength he has the potential to achieve.

While Hamilton's defensive abilities are impressive, it's his offensive skills that have fans eagerly anticipating his NHL debut.

Hamilton has 70 points in 48 games this season for the Niagara IceDogs. He has scored 17 goals with 53 assists.

His passing is solid for a defenseman, but his skating is a major reason for his offensive prowess. His long strides and good speed allow Hamilton to cover a ton of ground while skating up the ice to join the attack in the offensive zone. He also has the ability to recover with his strong footwork if he's beaten in the neutral zone.

When Hamilton joins the attack, he's not afraid to jump into the play and become a scoring option, as shown in the video below.

Hamilton has the potential to be a No. 1-type defenseman at the NHL level, and playing in Boston's defensively-responsible style of play will help him further develop his defense.

The Bruins would be foolish to rush Hamilton to the NHL, especially considering Boston has strong defensive depth, but by playing at such a high level at both ends of the ice this season, the young defenseman will soon find his way to the pros.

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Nicholas Goss is a Boston Bruins Featured Columnist for Bleacher Report and was the organization's on-site reporter for the 2011 Stanley Cup Finals in Boston.