Dougie Hamilton NHL trade rumors clarified as New Jersey Devils deny actively moving veteran defenseman before deadline

It was a concerted buzz caused by the NHL trade rumors about Dougie Hamilton leading up to the trade deadline. As the New Jersey Devils considered the choices of the roster in the course of the season, the expectation that the long-time veteran defenseman might be traded increased.

But the story behind the scenes was nowhere as dramatic as was being portrayed through the rumor cycle. Although Hamilton's name appeared in the league conversations and on some trade boards, the team management has been adamant that the group never tried to trade him before the deadline.

Dougie Hamilton of the New Jersey Devils, NHL trade rumors addressed by general manager Tom Fitzgerald

Following the deadline, Tom Fitzgerald explained that the New Jersey Devils never put Dougie Hamilton on the market. According to Fitzgerald, some teams had approached the Devils based on the assumption that Hamilton could be made available to them, and this was much thanks to the rising rumors in the NHL about a trade.

This was part of the speculation, as there had been a previous occasion in the season when Hamilton was a healthy scratch in January. The action cast doubt on his position with the team and created the perception that New Jersey could consider selling the 32-year-old defenseman.

After this, Hamilton retaliated with more vigor. His blue line offensiveness also improved, and he kept registering significant minutes with the Devils as the season went on.

Another factor that would have made a midseason move hard is Hamilton's contract structure. The old-time defenceman has a 9-million, a yearly cap burden, extending to 2027-28. Moreover, a big signing bonus that is to be paid in July, as well as the restricted trade protection provisions, make any prospective deal tricky.

Fitzgerald did admit that the Devils can reassess their roster in the off-season. The state of New Jersey is already equipped with a number of NHL-quality defensemen, and the front office may consider ways of changing it should it be interested in a more powerful forward group.

Until now, Hamilton has been one of the essential members of the Devils' defensive team. Although the recent trend of NHL trade rumors created so much buzz, the organization claims that the rumors were not a representation of its actual strategy before the deadline.