The New Jersey Devils might be in trouble for the remainder of the season, as rumors are swirling around star defenseman, Dougie Hamilton. After falling to a torn pectoral muscle injury, nobody is quite sure when he'll return to action.

Rumors suggest that Hamilton will be out for the remainder of the regular season, according to Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Nothing is confirmed for now, but this could be the direction the Devils go midway. through the season.

“The Devils will have a better idea in January or February of a recovery timeline for Dougie Hamilton, who is recovering from a torn pectoral muscle. Officially the team announced earlier this month he was out indefinitely. But my understanding, via league sources, is that it’s likely he won’t be back until sometime in the playoffs, whether that's late April or early May.”

If these rumors hold true, this could play out in the Devils' favor. Sure, they'd love to have Dougie Hamilton back in the lineup. However, thanks to the NHL's rules, his injury could free up $9 million for New Jersey.

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“Obviously the Devils would much rather have their top defenseman back as soon as possible, but if there’s a silver lining it’s that it means his $9 million cap hit could come into play ahead of the March 8 trade deadline. Which would be huge for them. How many teams have $9 million of cap space suddenly fall in their laps in this frozen cap environment?”

If that's how it plays out, then the Devils could suddenly acquire top tier talent before the trade deadline. Considering they need another defenseman and a goalie, New Jersey could capitalize and acquire some top tier talent. Additionally, Hamilton would eventually come back for the playoffs.

Only time will tell how it plays out. It's unfortunate Hamilton is out indefinitely, but it really could play out in the Devils' favor. Especially if they can make a playoff appearance.