One of the biggest rumors surrounding the Toronto Maple Leafs this past season was a potential deal with the New Jersey Devils involving defenseman Dougie Hamilton.
The Devils were looking to shed Hamilton’s contract, with the Leafs looking to add firepower on the blue line. Several issues got in the way, including Hamilton’s no-trade clause.
Well, it could well be that the no-trade clause, at least, may not get in the way, should the Devils and Maple Leafs revisit a trade this summer.
Late last month, the Maple Leafs made two stunning front-office hires. One was bringing in Judd Brackett as an assistant GM. The other was Freddie Hamilton as the team’s Chief of Staff.
And it just so happens that Freddie Hamilton is a sibling of Dougie Hamilton, as The Athletic noted.
That’s an interesting link between the Maple Leafs and the veteran blueliner. Now, this isn’t to say that the Devils’ defenseman will request a trade to Toronto just because his brother works with the Maple Leafs.
But it is an interesting selling point. The Devils continue to have a logjam in their defense corps. And they would like nothing more than to shed Hamilton’s $9 million cap hit.
Toronto, meanwhile, could use the additional pop in the backend. The Leafs need a right-shot D who can offer an offensive upgrade. That makes the 32-year-old Hamilton a good idea.
Would Acquisition Cost for Hamilton Change this Summer?
One of the sticking points surrounding a potential trade for Dougie Hamilton was the acquisition cost for the Maple Leafs. The Devils weren’t about to let him go for cheap, even if his no-trade clause zapped most of New Jersey’s leverage.
But given the change in administration with Sunny Mehta taking over, and the evident need for cap space, could the Devils bring their asking price down?
There is plenty of reason to think that Mehta would be more flexible, unlike his predecessor, Tom Fitzgerald. Mehta doesn’t really have any incentive to sell as high as he can on Hamilton. If anything, his mandate will be to do whatever he can to further the organization’s plans.
And if that means jettisoning Hamilton to the Maple Leafs for a less-than-impressive return, then so be it.
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Maple Leafs Would Be Taking Calculated Risk with Hamilton
Taking on Dougie Hamilton’s $9 million cap hit for the next two seasons will be a calculated risk. Assuming the Maple Leafs kept Morgan Rielly, the $22 million or so in cap space the team has this summer would quickly shrink.
That’s why taking on Hamilton’s contract would be a major risk. Unless the Leafs could shed salary elsewhere, namely Rielly’s contract, bringing in Dougie Hamilton would represent a potential mess.
While there might be a chance that the Devils would retain at least something on Hamilton’s contract, that’s not a very likely outcome. New Jersey would like to rid itself of the contract, making retention a long shot.
Yes, anything can happen. Things could change in a heartbeat. But unless John Chayka and Mehta have something up their sleeves, working out a deal involving Hamilton’s full cap hit could be a tough proposition.
But there’s a clear link between Dougie Hamilton and the Maple Leafs now. So, this summer might just be the best time to take advantage of it.
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