The Binghamton Senators announced today that they have signed left wing Denis Hamel to a three-year American Hockey League contract.
Hamel, 30, returns to the city where he enjoyed the most prolific three-year span in his professional career. Between 2003 and 2006, Hamel amassed Binghamton Senators franchise records in goals (124) and points (236) while ranking second all-time with 235 games played and 112 assists.
A point-per-game performer during his previous stint with Binghamton in the Ottawa organization, Hamel has totaled 211 goals and 188 assists for 399 points in 507 career AHL games with Binghamton and Rochester. He reached the Calder Cup Finals with the Americans in 1999 and 2000, played in the AHL All-Star Classic in 2000 and 2006, and a First Team AHL All-Star in 2003-04. Hamel was also a co-winner of the Willie Marshall Award as the AHL’s leading goal-scorer when he netted 56 goals in 2005-06.
“Making the commitment to sign an elite player like Denis Hamel to be the cornerstone of our club is tremendous and signifies the priority in getting the B-Sens back on track,” said Tom Mitchell, Binghamton Senators executive vice president. “A good mix of veterans, led by ‘Hammer,’ along with what we anticipate to be a strong core of recent draft picks to stock Binghamton in 07-08 bodes well for us.”
