NHL Trade Rumors: Devils' Dougie Hamilton linked to mid-season trade

The New Jersey Devils are expected to battle for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference this season, but even so, expect to see them make some significant changes to their roster at some point this season.

GM Tom Fitzgerald has admitted the stakes are as high as they've ever been in New Jersey this year, and one player that continues to be linked to trade rumors is veteran defenceman Dougie Hamilton. Recently, Daily Faceoff's Anthony Trudeau was part of a DFO roundtable and commented that he felt Hamilton will be the biggest name moved this season.

I’m going with Dougie Hamilton, and I don’t think we’ll have to wait until 2026. After fellow blueliner Luke Hughes’s big-league payday, GM Tom Fitzgerald only has a few months to make room to activate $4 million worth of Johnny Kovacevic off the IR. Dangling a power-play ace like Hamilton could not only clean up Jersey’s books but also net a badly needed top-six winger. The tricky parts of a Hamilton trade will be finding a third team to eat some of his $9-million salary and working around his 10-team no-trade list, but the hard-shooting former Norris contender won’t be short on suitors; the Devils, who have Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey waiting in the wings, might be the only team in the NHL that doesn’t need another right-shot puck mover.

Hamilton is under contract through the 2027-28 season at $9 million AAV, and throughout the past few seasons has battled a slew of injuries. He's played more than 70 games just once in four seasons with the Devils, and so far through two contests has one goal this season.

With the Devils having some young talent ready to emerge on the right side of their blueline, plus Luke Hughes as their anchor moving forward, it makes a ton of sense for the Devils to shift their resources and find another game-breaker up front moving forward.

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