The 2026 NHL Olympic trade freeze begins at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 4th, and lasts through February 22nd. That means the clock is ticking for the New Jersey Devils to finalize a Dougie Hamilton trade.
The Devils would still be able to trade him after the freeze is lifted, but sitting on him for weeks while the NHL goes to the Olympics, and Hamilton not being one of the players selected, would be a black cloud over the team. After losing to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday night, the Devils' season is essentially over.
That changes everything, and even if the Devils were considering keeping Hamilton due to his recent play, the smartest move is to get him to a contender.
Dougie Hamilton still has two years left on his contract at $9 million per year
One of the biggest detriments to Hamilton’s trade options is his contract. Not many teams can afford to fit a $9 million cap hit onto their salary structure. However, even if a team can make that work, adding that same hit for two more seasons after this one is a hard pill to swallow.
It also hurts that Hamilton hasn’t been the same player since he injured his pectoral muscle in the 2023-24 season. The season before that, he was a Norris-caliber defenseman. He finished sixth with three first-place votes in 2022-23. He had 74 points that season, almost a point per game. He added a career-high 22 goals. Hamilton was one of the best offensive defensemen in hockey that year.
Since he was benched a few weeks ago, Hamilton looks like that player again. He has 12 points in the last 12 games. If he keeps on that pace, the contract might not be as big a detriment as once thought.
Which teams have expressed interest in Hamilton?
The one team we know has had interest in Hamilton is the San Jose Sharks, but that has reportedly changed. The Sharks make sense, as they have just one defenseman signed in 2026-27. However, Hamilton’s agent J.P. Barry said last month he’s not sure that the Sharks are an option anymore.
From there, it’s hard to tell who can even make a Hamilton trade work. The Toronto Maple Leafs have been tied to Hamilton, but their season is just as over as the Devils’ at this point. However, Sportsnet lists both the Sharks and the Leafs as trade destinations, along with the Anaheim Ducks, Utah Mammoth, and Carolina Hurricanes as trade options.
The Devils have had trouble getting a trade done because of Hamilton’s partial no-trade clause. He can say no to 21 teams across the league. However, Hamilton’s agent did say they would be willing to waive their no-trade clause for the right destination.
Devils could be keeping Hamilton for now
There is so much unknown about Hamilton’s situation, and the Devils’ situation as a whole. With Luke Hughes injured, Hamilton is kind of necessary in the lineup, right now. However, if the Devils do trade Hamilton, they can call Colton White back up. He played well the last time the Devils called him up.
Still, the Devils are trying to get value out of Hamilton while they can. If they don’t do it now, maybe it makes sense to just wait until the offseason after the Devils pay his bonus.
One thing we do know is if they get this deal done by Wednesday at 3 p.m., it would be a major shock.