It's been a quiet stretch for the New Jersey Devils since signing Evgenii Dadonov and Connor Brown in free agency, but that probably won't be it for this summer. We know a Luke Hughes extension is coming eventually, and that will likely force general manager Tom Fitzgerald into shedding some salary for cap space.
Johnathan Kovacevic potentially starting next season on LTIR would give the Devils some temporary cap flexibility, but he will play hockey at some point. It'll only be a matter of time before we have some more transactions, as something has to give with their cap situation, given that they only have around $7 million in cap space.
Palát Has to Go
It's beating a dead horse at this point, but Ondřej Palát cannot be on the Devils' roster to begin the 2025-26 season. Though he's still a capable bottom-six winger, he has a $6 million cap hit that's too burdensome to be on the books for any longer.
Is it mildly concerning that the Devils haven't traded Palát yet? It's maybe a 4/10, but I'm sure there is some interest around the league. The question is, are the teams interested in him ones he'd be willing to accept a trade to?
Palát has a 10-team trade list, in addition to a no-move clause, so he still has plenty of say about where he ends up. That's much to the Devils' detriment, but it shouldn't be an excuse. Their Hudson River Rivals, the New York Rangers, always seem to find ways to get out of these contracts, and the Devils need to do the same.
Whether it was waiving Barclay Goodrow or trading Jacob Trouba and Chris Kreider, the Rangers don't seem to have any issues getting out of unwanted contracts. Trouba and Kreider both had the Anaheim Ducks on their no-trade lists, but ultimately accepted trades to the Ducks. The Devils need to force Palát's hand into doing the same with whatever team.
Unfortunately, the Devils probably missed an opportunity to trade Palát without a sweetener. Even with Luke Hughes still unsigned, it's quite obvious they will need cap space, and other GMs know that. The Dallas Stars had to attach a 2028 second-round pick to clear Matt Dumba's contract, so the Devils will probably have to do the same, but they should be willing to include the sweetener if they have to.
Ultimately, something eventually gives, and the Devils find a taker for Palát, and it's imperative that they find a taker. It'd be a colossal failure on Fitzgerald's part if the Devils enter the 2025-26 season with Palát on the team because that'd likely mean the roster would only have marginal improvements.
What Happens With Hamilton?
Dougie Hamilton's name sure seems to be out there in the rumor mill, but I can't tell you what happens with him. Trading him this offseason is a bad idea for a couple of reasons.
For one, the Devils are almost certainly likely to lose a trade involving Hamilton. Even if they get an NHLer in return, how impactful is that player going to be? Using the San Jose Sharks as an example, let's say the return is a draft pick, a prospect, and Timothy Liljegren. That's a fine return, but how much does Liljegren help?
Liljegren is a pretty good player and would do well in a third-pair role. He has good two-way impacts and is an underrated puck-moving defenseman. You could even move him up the lineup if needed, but he's certainly not Hamilton, and Sheldon Keefe didn't seem to be the biggest fan of him in Toronto.
That's probably the type of return you're looking at for Hamilton, rather than it being a hockey trade involving, say, a Jason Robertson or another top-line, top-pair caliber player.
Also, the Devils still need Hamilton's offensive ability on the back end. Luke Hughes could break out at a moment's notice, but he alone won't be able to provide the necessary offense the Devils need from their blue line. They need someone else, and I'm not sure how much you can count on Šimon Nemec or Seamus Casey yet.
Nemec had a turbulent 2024-25 season, though he was fantastic in the playoffs. If that's the Nemec the Devils are getting next season, that alleviates some of the concerns about getting offense from the blue line. Casey showed plenty of potential last season, but he still looked a ways away from being ready defensively, so he may need some more time with the Utica Comets.
That's why the most likely outcome is the Devils keep Hamilton, but we'll see how it unfolds in the coming weeks.
Change Is Almost Certain
There's also Dawson Mercer to consider, though that will not be a cap dump if the Devils trade him. That will be a hockey trade since he's 23, on a decent contract, and has shown scoring upside in the NHL. Can I interest you in one Jared McCann? Because that seems like the ideal fit and has been since around the trade deadline.
Regardless, the Devils will likely be shedding salary at some point this summer. Once you remove Calen Addison and Nico Daws from the roster and add Arseniy Gritsyuk, the Devils have about $6.95 million in cap space. It's unlikely Luke Hughes signs for less than $7 million per year, so something will have to give.