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Neely was ‘surprised’ that Hamilton didn’t want to sign with Bruins

Cam Neely

Cam Neeley smiles at news conference where he was introduced as the new president of the Boston Bruins hockey club, Wednesday, June 16, 2010, Boston. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

AP

Yesterday, Dougie Hamilton didn’t want to talk about his reasons for wanting out of Boston.

“For me, I’m just going to keep on saying how excited I am to be a Flame and looking forward to the future and everything,” he said. “What’s in the past is in the past and I think I’m just looking forward to being a Flame to moving to Calgary and seeing the city and the fans.”

But it’s clear he no longer wanted to be a Bruin.

It’s been speculated that the 22-year-old defenseman didn’t get along with coach Claude Julien. There was also talk at the draft in Florida that he felt bullied by Boston’s veteran players. And that may mesh with the report that Hamilton wasn’t the most popular figure in the Bruins’ room.

The whole thing is somewhat reminiscent of Evander Kane’s departure from Winnipeg, minus the clothes in the shower.

Whatever led to Hamilton’s unwillingness to sign long-term with the Bruins, it took club president Cam Neely by surprise.

“I really didn’t get any indications of anything negative in exit meetings,” Neely told the Boston Globe. “So I was surprised.”

Neely told the newspaper that the Bruins made three separate offers -- one for four years, another for five, and a third for six. The salary, according to Neely, was not far off what Hamilton agreed to be paid in Calgary.

“We wanted Dougie,” Neely said.

But he didn’t want them.

Related: Sweeney explains Hamilton trade: ‘We extended Dougie a very significant contract offer’