The New Jersey Devils have been engaged in trade discussions with other clubs about defenceman Dougie Hamilton dating back to last season, and things are beginning to intensify further as the Devils have decided to scratch him from the lineup for Saturday night’s game.
Hamilton, 32, has two more years remaining on his contract after this season and comes with a $9 million salary cap hit. He also owns a 10-team trade list, something he is willing to expand upon.
Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald has been evaluating the trade market on Hamilton for some time and tried to move him at least once this season but has been unsuccessful.
Various reports have indicated that Hamilton rejected to waive his no-movement clause at least one this season, as the club was not one he was willing to move to. Hamilton ranks No.3 on TFP’s Trade Watch List.
In response to being a scratch this evening, Hamilton’s agent J.P. Barry voiced his displeasure to TSN’s Pierre LeBrun.
“Dougie was informed today that he will be not be playing now that Kovacevic is back in the lineup. In our view, this decision is all about business rather than his game right now. Singling him out seems very calculated at this stage,” Barry told LeBrun.
“Dougie has a 10-team trade list and there have been efforts to trade him going back to the draft last year. We have made it clear to the Devils that we will consider teams outside our list and other creative ways to get to a team that is mutually acceptable.”