If you follow the New Jersey Devils, you've probably heard the names Dougie Hamilton and Quinn Hughes circling in recent days.
Fear? Hope? Panic? Don’t worry, we’re here to break down exactly what’s happening so you can decide what level of concern is appropriate.
Is Dougie Hamilton Leaving the Devils?
No, not officially.
As of now, there’s been no confirmation that Hamilton is on his way out. However, during a recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the Devils have had conversations with other teams about Hamilton.
“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.”
Hamilton is currently in year five of a seven-year, $63 million contract (with a $9 million AAV), making him the highest-paid player on the Devils' roster. There’s a reason for that: the veteran defenseman is a reliable two-way player who’s been in the league since 2013.
He recently modified his no-trade clause, going from a full restriction to a partial no-trade, meaning he can now be traded to a list of 10 teams.
Why Would the Devils Trade Hamilton?
It’s all about cap space.
The Devils have made several moves this offseason already:
- Signed Connor Brown and Evgenii Dadonov to strengthen their bottom six.
- Re-signed Jake Allen to address their goaltending need.
- Re-signed Cody Glass, the 26-year-old center.
But now, General Manager Tom Fitzgerald’s next priority is signing Luke Hughes, the 21-year-old defenseman expected to be a key piece of the team’s core.
The issue? The Devils have only $6 million in cap space left.
Trading Hamilton would free up a significant amount of money to get that done, and potentially more.
What About Ondřej Palát?
Another name that’s been floated as a cap casualty is Ondřej Palát, the 34-year-old winger entering the fourth year of his five-year, $30 million contract. He carries a $6 million cap hit.
On paper, trading Palát might make more sense than Hamilton, but there’s no indication the Devils are actively shopping him. The current focus appears to be Hamilton and Fitzgerald’s talks with other teams.
So Why Move a Top Defenseman?
Here’s where it gets interesting: Quinn Hughes.
Rumors about Quinn Hughes requesting a trade have resurfaced this offseason, fueling speculation that the Devils may be positioning themselves to reunite the Hughes brothers in New Jersey.
After the Canucks’ 2024–25 season, President of Hockey Operations Jim Rutherford said:
“[Quinn] has said before he wants to play with his brothers. That would be partly out of our control. In our control if we brought his brothers here.”
While Quinn is still under contract (entering year five of a six-year deal), he’s expressed interest in playing with Luke and Jack Hughes.
Greg Wyshynski of ESPN added fuel to the fire:
“Re: Dougie Hamilton rumors—if the endgame is to unite the Hughes triforce in New Jersey, Dougie Hamilton was not going to be on the roster when that happened; I always figured that one had to do with the other.”
Mock Trades Being Floated
If the Devils and Canucks wanted to make this happen, here are a few hypothetical trade scenarios that have surfaced:
Option 1:
- Devils trade: Dougie Hamilton, Dawson Mercer, 2026 first-round pick
- Canucks trade: Quinn Hughes, Dakota Joshua
- This clears Hamilton’s cap hit, adds Joshua for Canucks cap flexibility, and reunites the Hughes brothers.
Option 2:
- Devils trade: Ondřej Palát (to any team), then Dawson Mercer to Vancouver
- Canucks trade: Quinn Hughes
- Palát’s trade clears the cap room; Mercer balances the value. Quinn and Luke would both earn ~$7.5–8M.
Final Word, for Now
At this point, everything except Fitzgerald shopping Hamilton is speculation. There’s no indication Quinn Hughes is being traded imminently. He remains under contract and is the captain of the Vancouver Canucks.
But this is the NHL offseason, and rumors move fast.
More speculation, and maybe even a few surprises, are sure to come. Whether it ends with Quinn Hughes in red and black, skating beside Luke and Jack, remains to be seen.
Photo Credit: © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images