The New Jersey Devils are reportedly attempting to move on from two impact players in Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat; will the Maple Leafs pounce?
The Maple Leafs have been patiently waiting for the right deal to fall into their laps this season, and GM Brad Treliving has been very vocal about making his roster better this season. Still, with the team falling flat on their faces this season, the right deal has not yet presented itself.
That may have just changed, as Eastern Conference rivals, the New Jersey Devils, have reportedly placed two impact players on the trading block.
According to trusted NHL Insider Kevin Weekes, the Devils have placed forward Ondrej Palat and defenseman Dougie Hamilton on their trading block as they continue to ponder trades to tweak their roster.
The Leafs are 14-12-5 this season and have dealt with a tremendous amount of injuries this season, particularly on their blueline. Still without the likes of Chris Tanev and Brandon Carlo, the Leafs could really benefit from adding another right shot blueliner. Hamilton would certainly fit the bill.
On top of being a right shot, Hamilton is also more offensively inclined and can provide the Leafs with a booming shot and a power play quarterback. He’s also just a few seasons removed from a 74-point campaign.
The Toronto native is off to a rough start this season with just 4 goals and 8 points in 29 games, but the scoring history is there, and he did have 40 points in just 64 games last season. The one draw back is his $9M salary through 2027-28, though the Leafs do have a boat load of cap space next season, if they can find a way to move some contracts out to make the money work this year.
Palat might be the more reasonable target, simply due to the cost of acquisition being lower.Like Hamilton, the 34-year-old Palat is struggling in New Jersey this season to the tune of 2 goals and 7 points in 33 games. Still, the two-time Stanley Cup champion has a wealth of experience and plays with an edge that might gel with Craig Berube’s system.
Palat has ten NHL seasons where he has produced double digits in goals, and could add some secondary scoring punch to a Leafs’ lineup who could really use it.
Personally, if the choice is mine, I’m going after Hamilton. He fits what the Leafs need, he’s available, and a slow start might allow the Leafs to acquire him for less than what he’s actually worth. He also seems like a reasonably strong bounce-back candidate.
There’s no question that the Leafs could benefit from having someone new coming in to quarterback their power play, and Hamilton has scored in double digits 8 times in his 14-year NHL career, flirting with that mark an additional two times, with 9 goals in 2021-22 and again in 2024-25.
As far as what it would take to acquire him, you’d have to think that the Devils would demand the Leafs’ 2028 1st round pick, a quality prospect and a roster player. Perhaps something like Matias Maccelli, Ben Danford and a 1st?
It will be interesting to see just how aggressively Brad Treliving pursues a deal for someone like Hamilton, who can really help the team right now.
Previously on Toronto Hockey Daily