Bruins defenseman Dougie Hamilton is keeping a diary for ESPNBoston.com this season. In this edition, he discusses his role on the Boston blue line after a rash of injuries, how he became a defenseman and his Halloween costumes. (As told to Louise K. Cornetta)

I think the season has been a little bit frustrating so far. We’ll have spurts where we play a really good 20 minutes and then we’ll play a really bad 20 minutes. Claude [Julien] used the term that we’re like Jekyll and Hyde. We have to keep focusing on our defense, not cheating on defense, chipping pucks in and the things we talk about all the time. If we do all that, it will help our consistency.

We’ve had a pretty tough schedule with a lot of games to start the season. We’re all looking forward to this month with a lot of home games and some rest. It should hopefully be a good month. We hope to keep rolling on how we’ve played the last couple of games. It all goes with the consistency I talked about. The last few games we won by being consistent throughout the game and doing the little things, and that’s what’s helping us.

As for my own play, I think that is also about consistency. I’m just trying to do my best every game. It’s been an interesting opportunity for me as we’re without guys like Z [Zdeno Chara], Millsy [Kevin Miller] and Kruger [Torey Krug]. We’ve had to play a different game without them. I’ve been getting used to more ice time, which has been kind of fun. I think I’ve done well with it and want to keep it going.

I like having more ice time a lot. It reminds me of how I played in juniors. When you’re playing a lot and playing consistently throughout the game, I think it really helps me. I play better when I’m playing more. With this opportunity now, it’s been fun and I think it’s been helping my game.

Certainly we really miss having those guys playing though. Like with Z, he’s a huge factor for us because he’s intimidating to another team when he’s on the ice. He can obviously play great defense but is also there on the penalty kill and then offensively, just really effective on the power play in getting shots through. His leadership is something he brings to this team as well. At the same time, guys are stepping up and we have a lot of good leaders on this team who can kind of fill that.

I know the expectation was for me to step up my game with Z out. That first game without him, I wouldn’t say it was pressure I felt but I was looking forward to that opportunity. I didn’t know what to expect. I don’t think I feel that pressure anymore. We’re all used to it. I understand it’s not me replacing Chara or anything like that because I think that’s impossible. It’s us as a group stepping up and making good plays, which I think we’ve done and is nice to see.

Dougie Hamilton enjoys having more ice time, but misses having the likes of Zdeno Chara on the Bruins blue line. Claus Andersen/Getty Images

There’s been a lot going on with the defense to start the season. As you know by now, Johnny Boychuck was traded to the Islanders. It was a little bit expected that a trade was coming. Everyone was a little upset that he was the one going, but we knew it was going to be someone. It was fun to play against him recently and to see him being successful. He was one of the guys who really helped me when I got here. I looked up to him a lot. I enjoyed being his friend here and how he opened his arms to me. He was there whenever I needed something. I really appreciated that. I kind of wish he was still here.

Since we’re on the subject of defensemen, I was trying to remember how I ended up being one. When I was little, I was always a defenseman. There was actually a year and a half in minor bantam that I switched to forward. I wanted to try forward and play more offense. I wasn’t really growing at that time either. I think it helped my game because I learned what it was like to be a forward and to develop offensive skills entering the blue line and around the net. When I went back to D, I definitely realized I was a better defenseman and liked playing behind the puck. I liked seeing the ice as the last guy. It’s definitely a different perspective when you’re a forward. For me, I was more effective as a defenseman.

We’re all trying to play two-way games. The forwards are trying to generate chances to score. On defense, it’s our job to limit the other forwards’ chances. With my game, I do try to incorporate the offense and enjoy that part of it. It’s pretty tough to switch from one role to the other.

When I was younger, I had a lot of favorite players but Scott Niedermayer was definitely my favorite defenseman. I loved the way he skated and made the game look easy. I also never thought I’d be 6-foot-5. When I grew, I could kind of idolize guys like Jay Bouwmeester, Brent Burns, and then got compared a little bit to Rob Blake. It’s nice to look at people my size who are good skaters and good puck movers and play in all situations. It’s how I modeled my game and enjoyed watching them to see if I could be like them.

We’ve started our longest homestand of the season. It’s nice even though I’ve had more success on the road this season, especially in the two rinks where my parents came to see me play along with some friends and family. But it’s great to be home with our fans and to have the same routine every day and staying away from having to be on airplanes or in hotels.

I did get a place in Boston and will be moving in this homestand. I won’t have any roommates though. It’s exciting to be on my own. It should be interesting. I’m not sure that I’m ready, but there are no other options. I’m going to have to be ready.

Once I’m moved in, it will be nice to eat at home. I think I’ve eaten out every night so far this season. I haven’t had a kitchen for the past seven weeks. I enjoy going to restaurants on Hanover Street. With our spare time on days we just have practice, it will give us time to chill. I usually just watch TV and hang out on all my electronic devices. I’ll probably be looking to cook some meals. Other than that, I like to go for walks in Boston, especially the Back Bay area.

I get recognized a fair bit now when I’m out. When I was out with some of my teammates like [Ryan] Spooner when he was here, we were joking how I’m always getting recognized because I’m tall and the color of my hair. It’s not easy for me to hide. There’s not many guys that look like me. The fans in Boston are really friendly. No one is ever rude to me or mean or taking my time or anything like that. So it’s usually fun to have the fans recognize me. When they say nice things to me, it usually makes me smile and laugh.

We just had Halloween. You might have seen me dressed up as Elsa from "Frozen" at Boston Children’s Hospital. Last year, we just had random costumes to choose from. I chose the baby one because I thought that was fitting. I was a big baby. I didn’t think we were going to be able to top that, but we did. The Bruins PR came up with the idea of "Frozen" and added all the characters. I think that will be my favorite appearance of the year. It’s fun to be in a costume and make the kids smile. For me, Elsa was a good fit and I enjoyed it. It’s a satisfying feeling when you can help and give back and make the kids and their families smile.

The team also had a party earlier in the week. I went as Hulk Hogan to that. A couple of us went to a costume store and picked out some stuff. I had a big muscle shirt basically with a bandana. The best costume at the Halloween party was Dennis Seidenberg for sure, but I can’t reveal what it is. It’s a secret and we’ll just leave it at that.

I know everyone will be talking about the Patriots beating the Broncos. I’m a football fan, but I may be a bigger fan of college football. It’s pretty awesome to sit there on a Saturday and watch. But with our schedule, it’s pretty tough because we play most Saturdays. I was able to watch the BC game when they beat USC, which was pretty awesome. I don’t think I really had a favorite team before coming to Boston, but I’m a big fan of the Patriots now and the other teams in Boston. It’s fun to cheer for them and to follow them.