New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton was the subject of frequent trade speculation throughout last summer. Now, it appears he's willing to expand his 10-team trade list to facilitate a mutually beneficial deal.
On July 28, 2021, the New Jersey Devils surprised the hockey world by signing free-agent defenseman Dougie Hamilton to a seven-year, $63-million contract.
Hamilton was a significant addition to the Devils, who were rebuilding under GM Tom Fitzgerald. Two years later, they were poised to become a Stanley Cup contender, finishing with a franchise-best 112 points while Hamilton had career highs of 22 goals, 52 assists and 74 points.
Fast forward to January 2026, and the Devils and Hamilton appear set to part ways. The club has struggled to regain its once-promising form, while Hamilton has endured injuries and a decline in his production.
On Saturday, the Devils revealed they would scratch the 32-year-old defenseman from Sunday's game against the Winnipeg Jets. They claimed it was to make room for blueliners Simon Nemec and Johnathan Kovecevic to return to the lineup after being sidelined by injury.
However, Hamilton's agent, J.P. Barry, told TSN's Pierre LeBrun that his side felt it was done for business interests rather than his client's performance.
Barry also informed LeBrun that the Devils had attempted to trade Hamilton going back to last year's draft. His comments confirm the speculation that circulated throughout last summer, claiming the club was open to offers for Hamilton, who denied the conjecture during training camp last September.
The chatter faded through autumn but never fully dissipated. Hamilton and teammate Ondrej Palat downplayed rumors that surfaced last month claiming the Devils tried to move them to free up cap space in a failed attempt to acquire Quinn Hughes before the latter was traded to the Minnesota Wild.
Hamilton carries a 10-team trade list, but Barry said the blueliner is willing to consider teams outside of his list if it will help facilitate a deal "that is mutually acceptable."
Andre Leal of The Hockey News observed that the veteran blueliner has been traded twice before. The first occurred during the 2015 NHL draft, when the Boston Bruins dealt him to the Calgary Flames. The second was during the 2018 draft, when the Flames shipped him to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported the San Jose Sharks attempted to acquire Hamilton last summer, but he blocked that effort. Friedman also indicated that there are "hard feelings" now between the blueliner and Devils management.
Teams interested in Hamilton last summer could circle back before the March 6 NHL trade deadline. His skills as a mobile, right-shot defenseman will make him an enticing trade target.
However, Hamilton's $9 million average annual value through 2027-28 makes him an expensive addition even with the significant increases in the salary cap over the next two seasons. His injury history could also be a cause for concern.
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