Early Dougie Hamilton destinations before 2026 NHL Trade Deadline

The New Jersey Devils are in the middle of a disastrous stretch of their season. They just lost 9-0 to the New York Islanders, and fans are clamoring for a change. The Devils should be shopping defenseman Dougie Hamilton before the NHL trade deadline to change things up and free up some cap space. Who would take on the final 2.5 years of his contract?

Hamilton is under contract for $9 million per season through the 2027-28 campaign. When the deal ends, he will be 35 years old, and this is his worst season yet. The Devils would not be getting assets back in this trade; they would be lucky to unload all of Hamilton’s salary on any other team.

Which teams should call the Devils for a Hamilton trade? The veteran has a no-move clause, so the team must be prepared to contend and have the necessary cap space to accommodate his contract.

Would the Penguins be a fit for Dougie Hamilton?

Coming into the season, the Penguins were seen as one of the only teams not trying to add and contend immediately. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin did not get the message, as the veterans have been great this year. Pittsburgh is in the second Wild Card spot heading into Thursday’s action. Hamilton would be a decent fit in Pittsburgh if he were willing to accept the deal.

The Penguins have plenty of cap space and will have even more after the season. Malkin’s deal is expiring, and his time in Pittsburgh could be over. If the Devils took on Connor Clifton, with a $3.33 cap hit for this season, this deal could make sense on both sides. Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson are both under contract for next season, which makes the Penguins’ blue line expensive. But adding Hamilton could improve them for this season.

Hamilton would have to accept a trade to the Penguins, which is possible considering the direction of the Devils.

The Mammoth continue to add

The Mammoth just announced their first major NHL event, as they will host the Winter Classic next season. That should push them to continue to add in the upcoming offseason. Trades for defensemen have been a part of the Mammoth’s team building philosphy in their two seasons. Hamilton would be a solid fit, but the no-move clause could pose a problem here.

Hamilton spent three seasons with the Calgary Flames early in his career before he was traded to the Carolina Hurricanes. Since then, he has stayed on the East Coast, closer to his hometown of Toronto. Would he accept a trade to an up-and-coming squad thousands of miles away? It is possible, but the Mammoth may have to prove more in the coming weeks before that comes to fruition.

The Blackhawks need to support Connor Bedard

Last season, the Blackhawks cut bait on what they believed was a lost cause in right-handed defenseman Seth Jones. Now, Jones is a Stanley Cup Champion and a US Olympian. While they still have retained salary on their books from that trade, they did well to add goalie Spencer Knight. And still, they have the cap space to add Hamilton this season.

After a great start to the season, both Connor Bedard and Frank Nazar are injured, and the team is floundering. Adding a stable force to the blue line would be smart, but Hamilton is an expensive fit. With $2 million of Jones’ contract on the books every season, Chicago has to be careful when building their blueline in the upcoming seasons.

The Devils would be lucky to rid themselves of the last two full seasons of Hamilton’s contract. With his no-move clause and incredibly high salary, there are plenty of reasons that this trade will not happen. Chicago, Utah, and Pittsburgh make the most sense, but even they have significant detractions that could hold up a deal.

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