Denis Hamel

Denis Jean Hamel (born May 10, 1977) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who last played semi-professionally in the LNAH. A former star in junior, Hamel was not able to translate his scoring success in junior to the National Hockey League (NHL), although he had success at the AHL level, being named an AHL All-Star 3 times. After a serious knee injury in 2000, Hamel's skating speed was diminished and his ability to contribute in the NHL was limited. He was known as a fan favorite with the Binghamton Senators, and is known for his contributions to the community, for which he won the 2008 AHL Man of the Year award.

Playing career Hamel was drafted 153rd overall by the St. Louis Blues in the 1995 NHL entry draft. Before he graduated from junior hockey, the Blues traded his rights to the Buffalo Sabres. After 3 seasons with the Sabres' AHL team, the Rochester Americans, he played two full seasons with the Sabres in 2000–01 and 2001–02. During the 2000–01 season, he suffered a serious knee injury which limited his play to 41 games and affected his skating speed. He split the 2003–04 season between Buffalo and Rochester. For the 2003–04 season, Hamel signed with the Ottawa Senators organization and played a majority of his games with the Binghamton Senators, Ottawa's AHL affiliate. In the 2005–2006 season, Hamel set the Binghamton team record for most goals in a season with 56. In addition, he was the captain of Binghamton Senators for the 2005–2006 season.

In 2006–07 he returned to the NHL as a regular forward with the Ottawa Senators, and played 43 games with the club. After the Senators suffered injuries to Mike Fisher and Jason Spezza, the club traded for Mike Comrie who would take Hamel's place after the injured players returned. On February 10, 2007, the Atlanta Thrashers claimed Hamel off waivers after Ottawa wanted to assign Hamel to Binghamton. After playing three games for Atlanta, he was placed on waivers and claimed by the Philadelphia Flyers on February 27, 2007, where he finished the season.

On July 6, 2007, Hamel returned to the Senators organization, signing a three-year American Hockey League contract with the Binghamton Senators. He chose to sign with Binghamton, as he intended to have stability in his career. He played the entire 2007–08 season with Binghamton, scoring 32 goals in 67 games. He played there through the 2008-09 and 2009-10 season before being released as a UFA in the 2010 offseason. He was signed by the Adirondack Phantoms on October 30, 2010, one month into the AHL season.

Personal Hamel married Julie Brisson, a figure skater, on July 18, 2015 in Casselman, Ontario.

Records Holds the following Binghamton Senators franchise records: Most goals in a single season (56 in 2005–06) Most career goals and points in franchise history (124 and 236)

Career statistics Regular season Playoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1993–94 Laval Régents QMAAA 28 10 11 21 50 — — — — — 1993–94 Abitibi–Témiscamingue Forestiers QMAAA 15 5 7 12 29 5 0 3 3 16 1994–95 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 66 15 12 27 155 13 2 0 2 29 1995–96 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 65 40 49 89 199 17 10 14 24 64 1996–97 Chicoutimi Saguenéens QMJHL 70 50 50 100 339 20 15 10 25 65 1997–98 Rochester Americans AHL 74 10 15 25 98 4 1 2 3 0 1998–99 Rochester Americans AHL 74 16 17 33 121 20 3 4 7 10 1999–2000 Rochester Americans AHL 76 34 24 58 122 21 6 7 13 49 1999–2000 Buffalo Sabres NHL 3 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 2000–01 Buffalo Sabres NHL 41 8 3 11 22 — — — — — 2001–02 Buffalo Sabres NHL 61 2 6 8 28 — — — — — 2002–03 Rochester Americans AHL 48 27 20 47 64 3 3 2 5 4 2002–03 Buffalo Sabres NHL 25 2 0 2 17 — — — — — 2003–04 Binghamton Senators AHL 78 29 38 67 116 2 0 0 0 2 2003–04 Ottawa Senators NHL 5 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2004–05 Binghamton Senators AHL 80 39 39 78 75 5 1 0 1 4 2005–06 Binghamton Senators AHL 77 56 35 91 65 — — — — — 2005–06 Ottawa Senators NHL 4 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 2006–07 Ottawa Senators NHL 43 4 3 7 10 — — — — — 2006–07 Atlanta Thrashers NHL 3 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 2006–07 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 7 0 0 0 0 — — — — —2007–08 Binghamton Senators AHL 6732235560 — — — — — 2008–09 Binghamton Senators AHL 63 25 25 50 36 — — — — — 2009–10 Binghamton Senators AHL 73 22 29 51 45 — — — — — 2010–11 Saguenay Marquis LNAH 7 6 8 14 2 — — — — — 2010–11 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 66 25 25 50 50 — — — — — 2011–12 Adirondack Phantoms AHL 74 23 23 46 14 — — — — — 2012–13 Jonquière Marquis LNAH 34 26 21 47 6 11 3 9 12 10 2013–14 Jonquière Marquis LNAH 24 15 15 30 11 1 0 0 0 02015–16 Laval Prédateurs LNAH 4 1 0 1 0 — — — — — AHL totals 850 338 313 651 866 55 14 15 29 69 NHL totals 192 19 12 31 77 — — — — —

Awards and honours Award Year QMJHL All-Rookie Team 1995 AHL All-Star Game 2000, 2006, 2008 First All-Star Team 2004 Willie Marshall Award 2005 Yanick Dupre Memorial Award 2008 AHL Hall of Fame 2020