It’s hardly a secret that the New Jersey Devils have actively shopping defenseman Dougie Hamilton. According to the chatter, efforts to move Hamilton date back to last summer.
One interesting rumor posited that the Devils had a deal in place to send Hamilton to the San Jose Sharks, a deal which the blueliner decidedly axed.
This season, the Devils have tried their best to shed Hamilton’s onerous cap hit. Despite their best efforts, the Devils have had no luck. But, boy, can things change in the blink of an eye. Luke Hughes’ recent injury completely shifted New Jersey’s plan to jettison the veteran blueliner.
That situation prompted insider Elliotte Friedman to officially confirm the fate of the Dougie Hamilton “derby.” During the January 24 edition of Saturday Headlines, Friedman made it clear that the Devils won’t likely move Hamilton this season.
Dougie Hamilton's fate with the New Jersey Devils seems to already have been sealed
In particular, Hughes’ injury threw a monkey wrench in the trade works for the Devils. The choice for Hughes and the club to rehab his shoulder injury would significantly reduce the time needed for the young blueliner to return to the ice. However, there’s no guarantee Hughes could be back before the March 6 trade deadline. That’s why the Devils are pretty much stuck with Hamilton.
Friedman did make one interesting remark. He pointed out that a trade could still happen if the Devils received an offer they couldn’t refuse. That would be an ideal scenario for Tom Fitzgerald. But realistically, it’s tough to envisage a team overpaying for Hamilton. Unless a contender suffered a catastrophic injury, they may swing for Hamilton.
Otherwise, it seems that the Devils and their beleaguered veteran blueliner will run out this season. If a trade does happen, it might well become a summertime matter. But for the time being, the odds of the Devils trading Dougie Hamilton are about as high as space aliens landing on Earth declaring, “We come in peace.”