The Montreal Canadiens will be a team to keep an eye on during this off-season. After taking a major step in the right direction this season and making it to the Eastern Conference Final, they should be looking to boost their roster this summer. One area that the Canadiens could look to improve is their blueline. Because of this, they are being urged to strike a deal for one of the NHL's top defenseman trade candidates. In a recent article for Bleacher Report [https://bleacherreport.com/articles/25431449-1-trade-or-signing-every-nhl-team-must-make-during-2026-offseason], Adam Gretz urged the Canadiens to trade for New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton this off-season. "A second-line center upgrade should be high on the list. Another right-shot defenseman should be right there with it. For now, we will focus on the latter area and propose a trade involving New Jersey's Dougie Hamilton," Gretz wrote. "Adding him to a defense that already has Lane Hutson and Noah Dobson would give Montreal one of the best puck-moving, possession-driving blue lines." The thought of the Canadiens bringing in Hamilton is an interesting one. If they acquired him, he would give them another proven top-four defenseman for their right side. He would also provide them with another clear option for their power play because of his ability to produce offense from the point. In 77 games this season with the Devils, Hamilton had 12 goals, 27 assists, 39 points. However, he notably ended the campaign on a high note, posting 30 points in his final 38 games. Yet, Hamilton has a $9 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 season. Even if the Devils retained some of his salary, there would still be a good amount of risk in the Canadiens bringing in Hamilton. Not only has he had injury trouble in recent seasons, but he is also turning 33 years old in June. It will be interesting to see if the Canadiens end up making a push for Hamilton this off-season. He would undoubtedly have the potential to give the Canadiens more offense from the point, but his contract and age would him a risky addition for Montreal.
