NHL Rumors: 3 New Jersey Devils Offseason Trade Candidates

The 2025-26 season has been very disappointing for the New Jersey Devils, and they are likely to miss the playoffs for the second time in three seasons because of it. With this, it is likely that the Devils will be making some changes to their roster during the summer.

Because of this, let's look at three Devils who could be traded during this offseason.

Dougie Hamilton

It isn't a secret that the Devils have worked to trade Hamilton. It is also known that the veteran defenseman would like a change of scenery. Thus, it would not be surprising in the slightest if the Devils traded him this offseason. His $9 million cap hit until the end of the 2027-28 is a big obstacle, but teams looking for an offensive defenseman for their top four and power play could target him.

Simon Nemec

Nemec was a popular name in the rumor mill leading up to the 2026 NHL trade deadline. The Devils trading him would come with a lot of risk, but he would also be a great trade chip for them to use to improve their roster elsewhere. He is also a pending restricted free agent, which makes things more interesting.

Nick Bjugstad

Bjugstad could be another Devil to keep an eye on this summer as a trade candidate. The 33-year-old is the kind of bottom-six center that contenders often target, so it would not be particularly surprising if he generated some interest during the offseason.