YOUNG STARS: Hamblin setting the standard

PENTICTON, BC - When the coach has a question in a meeting, James Hamblin has the answer.
When you're in need of a captain at Rookie Camp, James Hamblin has the experience and proudly takes on that responsibility.
When you have a job to be done on the ice, James Hamblin can help you get it done whether it's getting that all-important goal or getting a defensive stop.
There's one prospect who's earned the nickname 'Mr. Do It Right' from his coaches and peers, and he's setting the example here in Penticton, BC at the Young Stars Classic while setting himself up for further success in the Oilers organization. The 23-year-old forward is setting the standard at Rookie Camp in the Okanagan purely on merit with his skill, humility and dedication after fighting his way up the ladder from a fresh-faced rookie for the WHL's Medicine Hat Tigers to earning an entry-level contract in the NHL.
"He's someone that is 'Mr. Do It Right'," Condors Head Coach Colin Chaulk said. "You talk about coaches' favourites, and I have favourite players. My favourite players are the ones that are good people, work hard, and do it right. James became a favourite player because of his performance.
"Whether it's blocking a shot, whether it's scoring a big goal or doing the little things, he's someone that does it. There are many others as well, but he's grown into that role and I'm just excited personally to see him having some success and for you guys to see it as well."
The Edmonton, AB product has been one of the standouts on the ice at the Young Stars Classic wearing the 'C' for the Oilers Rookies and his hometown club, tabulating two game-winning goals and an assist on a line with Dylan Holloway and Xavier Bourgault through the tournament's first two games. Off the ice, he's a perfect example to players, coaches and management of how a prospect should work for an NHL job and how he should conduct himself while doing it.
"You look at him over the course of the year and it's really difficult to find him doing anything wrong," Chaulk added. "We joke with him that he's 'Mr. Do it Right', so with his experience and the road that he's travelled, he earned that opportunity."

Hamblin considers a product of a strong family circle that begins at the top with his mother Gina, who tragically passed away from cancer in September of 2017.
"She's the biggest thing for me," he said. "I'm kind of going on and being who she was. That's really big for me, she was an amazing person. Then, just everyone around me. I have such a great support group and the list goes on of people that are in my corner. That's how I got here -- definitely because of all of those people."
Hamblin starred in junior for five seasons with Medicine Hat, wearing the 'C' for the Tigers in his final three seasons and wrapping up his final year in 2019-20 with the third-most points in the WHL with 36 goals and 92 points in 64 games.
Following his final year in Medicine Hat and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Hamblin wasn't sure of the next move until he was lucky enough to land in Bakersfield on a two-year AHL deal to give himself some runway for growth while not having to worry about where he was going to play.

"It's definitely been a long process," he said. "Coming out of junior with COVID hitting, I wasn't really sure what direction I was going to have to go. I was fortunate enough to get an AHL contract, and then the last couple of years I've just been kind of battling.
After being loaned to Ostersunds IK of HockeyEttan in Sweden, where he put up over a point per game, Hamblin returned to Bakersfield and was part of the Condors run to the Pacific Division title. A breakout season of 21 goals and 14 assists in 64 games followed in 2021-22, and the left-shot forward showcased himself as a player who Jay Woodcroft, then Colin Chaulk, was able to trust with a bigger role.
"James is someone who I just love his story," Chaulk said. "He was a really good point producer in the WHL and comes in on an American Hockey League contract and wills his way into Bakersfield, being able to take a shift and be responsible without the puck, be in shape and be trusted by the coaching staff of the Edmonton Oilers."
Hamblin took the next step earlier this March and achieved what he knew was possible from the beginning -- signing a two-year NHL contract.

"I think I always thought that I could get that NHL contract," he said. "I think the mindset kind of changes as you go. When I first got (Bakersfield), it was more about just staying in the lineup and doing whatever I could to play every night. Then it kind of switched to 'how can I improve?' or 'how can I move up the lineup?' and so on and so forth until I got that contract.
"I was just excited to get a really good start to the year and sign that contract halfway through."
Having that continuity with a two-year NHL deal is only the start of Hamblin's push for a role with the Edmonton Oilers. The work continued in the summer at home in Oil Country where he focused on building versatility and building strength while training with the likes of Dmitri Samorukov, Stuart Skinner and Tyler Benson -- the latter two of whom he was teammates with on a powerhouse SSAC Bantam AAA Lions team in 2012-13.
"To make that jump, it's a big jump and to be a little bit stronger. That's what I need to get up there," he said. "There's a role to be filled in Edmonton and I'm going to have to be a versatile player to fill that role. Working on that kind of stuff like PK and faceoffs.
"I worked a lot with Skinner, Samorukov and Benson and it was a really good summer. We kind of feed off each other and we're all kind of in a similar boat where we're trying to get into the NHL, so we all kind of pushed each other throughout the summer."

Entering Rookie Camp this week, Hamblin is the most experienced when it comes to professional games played with already 102 AHL contests under his belt at 23 years of age. With that comes familiarity with the expectations and the coaches, so it was an easy decision for Chaulk and his staff to give him the 'C' to lead the group through the Young Stars Classic.
"I totally embrace it," he said. "I'm coming into my third season, so I kind of know the ropes. I know how Chaulker wants us to act and I know how Woodcroft wants us to act, so if I can pass that on along to the younger guys, that's a good thing."
Hamblin has already had an impact in his captaincy role, both on the ice and off it.
"I think he's helping all the younger guys and he's showing this by example and leading on the ice," linemate Xavier Bourgault said. "I think it starts in practice with the preparation. He's doing all those little things correctly, so it's fun to play with him and he can help us through this rookie tournament."