Report: Devils' Brenden Dillon Invoked No-Trade Clause To Reject Trade
New Jersey Devils defenseman Brenden Dillon is on the outs at the moment, having been healthy-scratched for the past three games, with a fourth coming Tuesday night. Will the Devils look to trade him?
Apparently, they tried that last season, but Dillon invoked his full no-trade clause. That has reverted to a 10-team no-trade list in the final year of his contract this season at a $4M cap hit.
Elliotte Friedman reported on The Fan Hockey Show this week, “He has some protection and I think he used some of it last year,” Friedman said.
Brenden Dillon reportedly vetoed a trade out of New Jersey last season using his trade protection, per @FriedgeHNIC (h/t: @lose4hughes ) https://t.co/BPTS2z6bii
— Devils Fanatics (@devilsfanatics) October 19, 2026
Dillon has repeatedly expressed his desire to stay in Jersey, per Daniel Amos of New Jersey Hockey Now.
“It should be really an honor to play for this team, for this crest,” Dillon said.
Devils head coach Sheldon Keefe says it's been a tough call making the decision to leave Dillon out of the proceedings these past few games.
“The conversation’s not easy. Dillon’s a guy that’s worked extremely hard in his career to establish himself in the league,” Keefe said, per NJD.TV. “He’s an important leader on our team, so to not have him involved, it wasn’t an easy discussion.”
The soon-to-be 36-year-old is a sizeable left-shot D-man and a team leader who brings physicality to his role as a shutdown D. He is also a "beloved member" of the Devils' locker room, per Pucks & Pitchforks. However, he's also played himself out of the six-man blueline rotation this season as "his on-ice numbers through the team's first five games were the worst among regulars," writes JP Gambatese.
We'll keep on Dillon as a potential trade option for teams looking for a defensive, stay-at-home D-man. In the previous five seasons, he's recorded over 100 blocked shots and around 200 hits.