The New Jersey Devils don't have to pick a side ahead of the NHL trade deadline. They are surefire sellers, as they are near the basement of the Eastern Conference. Trade rumors have swirled around many of their players, but the clock is ticking for GM Tom Fitzgerald. The Devils should be trading Dougie Hamilton before the deadline, and the failure to do so is a nightmare.
The Devils have other players they can trade before Friday afternoon. But Hamilton is the key, as clearing his $9 million off the books would be key for their offseason plans. While Fitzgerald may not be the general manager to add those players in the offseason, maybe he can save his job at the trade deadline.
Who should the Devils trade before Friday afternoon's deadline? And what would be considered a nightmare for New Jersey?
The Devils should sell anyone and everyone
Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt, Luke Hughes, and Dawson Mercer. Those are the core members of the Devils that should not be moved before the NHL trade deadline. If any other team calls on any other player, Fitzgerald must at least consider moving them. The price has to be right, of course, especially if Timo Meier or Jacob Markstrom are on the block. But this recipe is not working, and something has to change.
But the player the Devils must move before Friday is Dougie Hamilton. At $9 million for next season, there are only a few teams that can fit his full salary under the cap. If the Devils are willing to retain half of his salary, they could get a great return to kickstart the rebuild. Defensemen have been going for high prices this year, namely Tyler Myers and Colton Parayko, although the latter is not official. Hamilton could be in the playoffs while the Devils look to the future.
The dream scenario for the Devils is to be sitting pretty with a bevy of picks and prospects on Friday afternoon. Brenden Dillon, Jonas Seigenthaler, Cody Glass, Connor Brown, and Evgenii Dadanov should all be on the move, to say the least. They can set themselves up for a quick retool, but trades are the first step.
Dougie Hamilton must go
The other tradeable assets on the Devils won't bring back much. They are depth pieces that may bring back mid-round picks, but nothing that will change the future of the team. Those moves, combined with the big move of sending off Hamilton, are what can bring New Jersey back into the playoffs.
The Devils tried to trade Hamilton in the offseason, but he denied a move to the San Jose Sharks. Now, the Sharks are pushing for the playoffs and still need a defenseman. If the Devils and Sharks connect on another trade, will Hamilton waive his no-trade clause to make a playoff run? It is possible, but it is also possible he denied it to stay on the East Coast.
If that is the case, there are limited options for Hamilton. The Columbus Blue Jackets are an intriguing option, as they are pushing for a playoff spot and have extra draft picks from last year's David Jiricek trade. They are trying to bring back Charlie Coyle, Mason Marchment, and Boone Jenner for next year instead of trading them at the deadline. A way to actually improve their team would be picking up Hamilton.
The Devils need to trade Hamilton, even though he has turned his play around recently. They could make a serious change in the offseason with the salary the trade clears. Otherwise, it would be difficult to make changes in the summer.
