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A veteran New Jersey Devils blueliner reportedly nixed a trade to a rebuilding club, putting the team into a tough spot.
The New Jersey Devils have been one of the clubs struggling to clear cap space this season. Their tight cap situation was one of the key reasons why Quinn Hughes could not land in New Jersey.
But that situation wasn’t the result of negligence on GM Tom Fitzgerald’s part. The tenure general manager tried to proactively deal with the Devils’ cap situation long before Hughes became available.
According to insider Elliotte Friedman, the Devils attempted to trade veteran defenseman Dougie Hamilton this past summer. However, Hamilton invoked his no-trade clause to nix the trade.
In particular, the Devils had a trade in place with a rebuilding club, the San Jose Sharks. Friedman stated the following during the Saturday Headlines segment on January 10:
“In the summer, San Jose did try to trade for him, and Hamilton blocked that move; the way it’s going now for the Sharks, maybe he changes his mind.”
So, there are a couple of things to unpack here. First, it makes sense that Hamilton would block the Devils’ agreement with the Sharks. San Jose had an awful season in 2024-25, finishing at the bottom on NHL standings.
Hamilton wanted to play for a contender, with the Devils seen as one. Perhaps Hamilton would have agreed to a deal involving another contender. That didn’t materialize, so he nixed the deal.
Second, San Jose is now surprisingly in the playoff picture. Entering Sunday’s action, the Sharks are third in the Pacific Division, one point ahead of the two wild card clubs trailing them. The Devils, meanwhile, are riding a three-game losing streak and beginning to fade in the Eastern Conference.
That contrast of situations could entice Hamilton to waive his no-trade clause and head out West.
Devils Don’t Have Much Leverage in Hamilton Trade
The Devils don’t have much leverage in a Dougie Hamilton trade. The 32-year-old possesses a no-movement clause along with a 10-team no-trade list. While that opens the door for a move to a team not on his list, that may be a bleak prospect.
Teams that Hamilton would be interested in playing for most likely don’t have the cap space to make a deal work. For instance, contenders like the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, or Vegas Golden Knights could be a fit, but cannot afford him under the current cap situation.
That’s why a deal to a rebuilding club would make the most sense. But those are the teams likely on his no-trade list. Hence, the Devils would have virtually no pull in any sort of negotiation with such clubs.
Hamilton’s Cap Hit Weighing Heavily in New Jersey
The Devils have a glut of blueliners at the moment. In particular, the return of Jonathan Kovacevic has squeezed Hamilton out of the lineup. That’s great, but the Devils need upgrades in their forward group.
This weekend, news broke of Stefan Noesen and Zack MacEwen going down for extended periods. The Devils could use more depth as they look to turn things around. But they don’t have the cap space to do much.
Dumping Hamilton’s $9 million cap hit would go a long way towards solving that issue. That’s why Hamilton’s cap hit at the moment feels like an anchor. It remains unclear what could happen leading up to the trade deadline this season.
Nestor Quixtan Seasoned NHL analyst and baseball writer focused on covering clubs across each league with news, analysis, and insights. Originally from Toronto, Canada, Nestor’s singular experiences and background have enabled him to bring a different take on the sports world as a whole. Nestor’s fondness for baseball and hockey set the tone for his love and passion for writing about sports. More about Nestor Quixtan
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