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Brian Burke would like you to stop leaking Dougie Hamilton trade rumors

BUFFALO, NY - JUNE 24: President of Hockey Operations for the Calgary Flames Brian Burke attends round one of the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016 in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Brian Burke, president of hockey operations for the Calgary Flames, attends the 2016 NHL Draft on June 24, 2016, in Buffalo. (Getty)

Dougie Hamilton’s name has entered the rumor mill with chatter that the Calgary Flames are listening to offers on the 23-year-old defenseman they acquired during the 2015 NHL Draft.

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On Wednesday, Brian Burke didn’t take too kindly to hearing his young blue liners name out there as potentially available on the market. Speaking to TSN’s Leafs Lunch, the Flames President of Hockey Operations vented his frustration with those involved who leaked this story to hockey insiders.

“This is one where it’s very frustrating where you have to deal with leaks. And when as soon as one of the teams that in the mix in the leaks is the Toronto Maple Leafs…now it’s an army of leakers, an army of people who have no goddamn idea what they’re talking about who will happily go on and say the Toronto Maple Leafs are doing this and they’re doing that. This is one where we think we can trace the leak. Our GM [Brad Treliving] got a call from a team who shall remain nameless — at least for now, if this goes on much further I’m probably not going to remain nameless – and said ‘would you move Dougie Hamilton?’ and Tre said no.

“We expended a tremendous amount of assets to get this player. We’re really happy with him. He’s a quality guy. He’s 6’5. He weighs 237 lbs. He’s a right shot. He skates like a deer. He’s a good hockey player. Yeah, let’s move him. Let’s get rid of him. It’s not hard to get guys like that. So, we told this team – and by the way, the offer they made was insulting – so we told the team, no, we’re not moving him and next time you have an idea that stupid just save the quarter, don’t go to the payphone. That team started telling teams ‘yeah, we made an offer on Hamilton.’ Now it’s a rumor, it’s got legs, right? It’s almost like ‘well, they must be moving him.’

“We haven’t offered him to anyone. We don’t intend to move him. Now, if you got the right offer, okay. If someone offers us 20 first-round picks are we making that deal? Probably. Wayne Gretzky got traded. But the difference between listening and listening attentively and shopping, those are different things. So would you listen? Yes, it’s your job to listen. Is he a guy we intend to move? Not a chance. Is he a guy we think will move? Not a chance.”

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Hamilton has another four seasons on his deal carrying a $5.75 million cap hit, per Cap Friendly. But as Burke said, they spent a lot to bring him to Calgary. Unless some team is desperate enough to overpay — maybe not in the 20 first-round picks department — then why would they part with him?

Burke is never shy about voicing his opinion on things, which makes us long for another Flames-related rumor to pop up so he can out who he believes is leaking rumors about his players.

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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at puckdaddyblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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