Hamilton Embraces Call to Give Back | FEATURE

Dougie Hamilton may stand at an intimidating 6’6” and even taller on skates but get to know the Devils defenseman off the ice, and you quickly realize he is the epitome of a gentle giant.

These past two seasons, Hamilton has, in partnership with RWJBarnabas Health, been running the Dougie’s Buddies program, giving back to the youth of New Jersey through the most memorable of experiences at Prudential Center on a Devils game night.

One of the unique aspects of the New Jersey Devils is that they are the only professional sports team with the words “New Jersey” in their name, carrying the torch for the great state. And through the program, Hamilton is giving back to the community he has made his home.

“It’s such a great experience for me," Hamilton shared. "Because you really don’t know what to expect each time. They’re always different ages of kids and the families are all different. This season we had Learn to Play youth, kids that were just starting out in hockey and learning more about the game, but we also had kids that were going through some really tough times, whether it was health stuff or anything else. I just really enjoy the experience of giving these kids a special moment in their day.”

“At RWJBarnabas Health, we believe in the power of community partnerships to inspire and uplift our youth,” said Justin Edelman, Senior Vice President, External Communications & Corporate Partnerships, RWJBarnabas Health. “Dougie’s Buddies is such a meaningful initiative that helps lift the spirits of pediatric patients, Learn to Play participants and their families, and it’s truly rewarding to see Dougie Hamilton fully embrace his connection to the community through this program.”

Embracing the opportunity to give back to his hockey community started at the very beginning for Hamilton, dating back to his Junior years when he played for the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League of the Canadian Hockey League. Even as his life became busier through the rigors of jumping right from Junior hockey to the National Hockey League, Hamilton understood the importance of making an effort to find the time and the partnership with RWJBarnabas Health helped make it all happen.

“It’s something I’ve always enjoyed doing," the 31-year-old defenseman said. "I started it with my team in Junior hockey, we started doing stuff like that, and I’ve always enjoyed it. It can be hard during the season with your time and all that, but at the same time, it’s important to find a way to carve out that time to find ways to impact other people and give back in different ways. I wish I could do it even more."

Do more, likely because he understands the impact these moments can have in a multitude of ways. The range of kids and families Hamilton meets with through the Dougie's Buddies program means Hamilton's outreach spans an array of different circumstances. Some are just starting to fall in love with the game of hockey; some might need a positive distraction in their day. Each individual meeting has its own ripple effect.

“It’s all about the little things, right?” Hamilton said. “Meeting them and their families, it’s just fun for me and a great memory for them to have. And depending on the kids I’m meeting, I know it can impact them in so many different ways. A kid just learning to play the game, just starting out in hockey, it might be a chance for them to really dream about playing in the NHL, makes you want to continue learning and playing hockey more and work harder to get better, that kind of thing.

"And then on the other side," Hamilton continued, "someone who is going through something really difficult, something hard in their life, it’s a good distraction for them, something to make them smile, something for them to think about other than what they might be going through. And it’s not just them, it’s their whole family getting a moment to think about something else. For me, it’s all about them and making their experiences, their day, as memorable as I can.”

“I’ve had a lot of great experiences meeting kids and their families and seeing their reactions," he said. "Some of the stuff they’ve said to me, it’s things I’ll remember my whole life. That impact I hope I make on them, they’re really made on me as well. I think that’s special to be able to do that and I want to be able to do that as much as I can."

As much as those meet-and-greet postgame events have an impact on Dougie’s guests, they also have a profound, lasting impact on Hamilton.

And it can be as simple as a hug.

“There was one kid a couple of years ago, a little boy, he was going through cancer treatment, or just coming off his last treatment. I was able to meet him and he gave me such a big hug after the game when I went to meet him," Hamilton recalled. "You could see how much it meant to him and that just meant so much to me. That’s one of those moments that I think will always stick with me. Just to see what they’re going through and you put yourself in their shoes, their families' shoes, you just can’t possibly imagine what they’re going through, so that moment, yeah, that’s a big impact. It puts everything into perspective."

For Hamilton, the moments he shares post-game with these families through Dougie's Buddies still feel like the least he can and hopes to be able to do more as well, knowing very well what type of influence he can be.

"You’re trying to brighten people’s days," he said. "And if I can do that with a gesture like meeting these kids, then that’s what I’m going to do.”