Hammer time on the IceDogs blueline
Dedication and devotion has earned Liam Ham the trust of the Niagara coaching staff
The Niagara IceDogs version of Hammer Time on the blue line isn’t what you might think.
The expression suggests massive defencemen driving opponents through the boards or unleashing a blistering slap shot at the opposition net.
Niagara’s version — in the person of blueliner Liam Ham — is steadfast in all three zones. It’s an effort that may not show up on the highlight reel but makes its presence felt in the win-loss column.
“Hammer is rock solid,” said Niagara IceDogs head coach Billy Burke as his team took to the ice to begin training camp. “He defends. He generates offence. He is incredibly committed and hard working. He truly cares and wants the best for his teammates. He carries himself like a pro.”
Burke said the 19-year-old rearguard from Newmarket is the kind of player on which coaches count. He has come a long way since his first training camp.
That was the 2016-17 season. Ham earned his spot on the roster as the IceDogs went into rebuilding mode under new coach David Bell who succeeded Marty Williamson as the IceDogs reached the OHL finals the year before.
Bell’s team finished 23-35-0-6 for 56 points. The total marked the team’s lowest since it moved to Niagara from Mississauga for the 2007-2008 season.
The IceDogs dip in the standings created an opening for Ham, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 192 pounds.
He was drafted by the IceDogs in the sixth round of the OHL Priority Selection after playing as a 16-year-old with the Aurora Tigers of the Ontario Provincial Junior League.
However, he had already committed to Clarkson University, an NCAA Division 1 program in Potsdam, N.Y.
A tug of war ensued with the IceDogs winning. It was heady stuff for a
17-year-old.
“Coming in I think I took a little too much for granted,” Ham said. “I thought it would be easy. I thought my role was set in stone.
“The way the season progressed was disappointing, but from that summer on, I knew I had way more to give my teammates, the coaching staff, and the organization.
“I wasn’t the player you see now. I hold myself to a much higher standard. I expect more from myself.”
The product of the York-Simcoe Express AAA organization dressed regularly, but the coach’s relegated him to the third pairing. Meaningful minutes were hard to come by.
Ham ended up with two goals and eight assists in 55 games and a plus/minus rating of –14.
“It was an eye-opener for him,” said Burke, who was an assistant coach on the team. “The OHL a fast league. He committed himself to transform his body and getting quicker. That’s not as easy as it sounds.
“He did the full meal plan in the summer and still does. He is very conscious about what he puts into his body as fuel.
“You know it is a tough league coming in, but when you are in the grind, you realize how fast it really is — and how committed your opponents are.”
Last season, with openings on the depth chart ahead of him, Ham answered the call. His point total tripled to six goals and 26 assists and 63 games with another goal and five assists in 10 playoff games.
Still, it wasn’t, enough to earn a selection in the NHL draft.
“I think there is a lot more I can add to my game,” Ham said. “It’s always on my mind. The coaches know how much respect I have for the game, and that I want to make a career out of it.
“I think I have gained their respect and trust. They play me in situations where the game is on the line. The time and effort I put into this have paid off, but there is no way I am going to take my foot off the gas pedal.”
Burke said Ham shouldn’t be discouraged by the fact his name wasn’t called on draft day.
He is now a veteran and solid in his end. He has learned how to lean down and into opposing forwards to gain leverage. Once he gets the puck, he can skate and has good vision. In the offensive zone, he knows how to get pucks through to the net.
“It’s the NHL draft; I get it,” Burke said. “It’s exciting. Everyone wants to be a draft pick. It’s a feather in your cap as a player, but if you go to Hockey DB, there are first-round picks that don’t end up playing in NHL games — and lateround draft choices or undrafted free agents that play in the NHL a long time. A hockey career is a marathon, not a sprint.
“Hammer knows that if a player continuously improves, the NHL will eventually find him.”