The New Jersey Devils blue line has been in shambles for more than a month. Injuries keep piling up, and it looked bleak when Luke Hughes couldn't go on Friday. He ended up missing two games, but head coach Sheldon Keefe announced that he would be returning to the lineup on Monday night against the Minnesota Wild.
He's just one of the many defensemen missing from the lineup. The biggest hole right now is the one left by Dougie Hamilton. His impact on the offense cannot be undersold. His place on the power play is hard to replace (although the return of Hughes really helps). Yet, the Devils have been forced to figure it out.
Tom Fitzgerald announced earlier this month that Hamilton was going to miss the rest of the regular season. He did it on Kraken-Canucks podcast, which was weird, but we're just happy to get the information. On Monday, we got a little more information.
Dougie Hamilton started skating again over the past few days.
— Amanda Stein (@amandacstein) March 31, 2025
Sheldon Keefe said he’s progressing.
Cody Glass also skated for the first time today. He’s got a lower body injury. #NJDevils
Skating doesn't necessarily mean he's close, but it is a step in the right direction. Skating could mean anything from he's a month or more away to he might be ready in a week or two. The Devils did use some of Hamilton's LTIR money to acquire some players at the NHL Trade Deadline, but the Jack Hughes injury along with the Jonas Siegenthaler injury would likely cover it.
Hamilton returning could give the Devils a spark and might give them a chance in the playofs. Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said he knew that Hamilton was going to miss the regular season, and he could miss the rest of the playoffs. With Hamilton skating already, there has to be hope that he could be back sooner than even Fitzgerald expected.
Skating on his own likely means the regular season is still out of the question. However, could returning for the Hurricanes series be back on the table? We sure hope so. Hamilton playing against his former team and helping eliminate them would be fantastic for his legacy. It would also bring essential playoff experience for the young guys on the team.