The New Jersey Devils have been busy this off-season. This was expected, as Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald confirmed that the Metropolitan Division club would be sporting a different roster for next season.
Based on a recent report, it appears possible that the Devils might be open to making another notable move this off-season.
During a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Devils have had trade talks with teams regarding Hamilton this summer.
"The next biggest question for the Devils is Dougie Hamilton," Friedman said. "He went from a full no-move clause to a partial no-trade. I'm just curious here to see what happens. They paid him his bonus on July 1. I don't have a great feel for it in terms of percentage chances that anything occurs with him, but I know his name was kind of out there a little bit, and I've heard that they have been talking to a couple of teams. So, we'll see where that goes."
If the Devils were to trade Hamilton, it would be significant. The 32-year-old is one of their best defensemen, and their top four would have a notable hole if they moved him. However, trading Hamilton would also free up an additional $9 million of cap space that the Devils could use to improve their roster elsewhere.
Hamilton is signed until the end of the 2027-28 season, so the Devils certainly do not need to rush any potential move centering around the right-shot blueliner. Yetm with Devils having young right-shot defensemne like Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey in their system, perhaps moving Hamilton could make sense if the right offer is presented for him.
Hamilton appeared in 64 regular-season games this past season with the Devils, where he posted nine goals, 40 points, and a plus-8 rating. He also had two assists and a minus-3 rating in five playoff games for the Devils this spring.
Devils Made Great Move Signing Former Oilers Forward
One of the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-jersey-devils">New Jersey Devils</a>' top objectives this off-season was to improve their forward depth. They have done just that early on this summer, as they have brought in a few new forwards. This includes former Edmonton Oilers winger Connor Brown.
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