NHL Updates: New Jersey Devils' Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat discussed in trade scenarios per insider

The New Jersey Devils were looking all season long to secure the contract of Vancouver Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes. But on Friday, those hopes came crashing down when the Norris Trophy winner was instead shipped to the Minnesota Wild.

However, while the Devils might have failed their quest of reuniting the Hughes brothers, one insider believes that the franchise is still looking at making some key trades, and two names appear on the top of that list.

New Jersey Devils' salary cap situation drives Dougie Hamilton and Ondrej Palat trade talks

Despite the increased cap space of $95.5 million from last year’s $85.5 million, the Devils are already $5.9 million over the cap limit. If they want to remain cap compliant, they might need to get rid of some names before the trade freeze at the end of December.

According to Kevin Weekes from ESPN, the two players who have emerged as the most likely names to be put on the trade block are defenseman Dougie Hamilton and forward Ondrej Palat. Both boast some of the biggest contracts on the Devils' roster.

While Hamilton has a $9 million cap hit, Palat has a $6M AAV deal that extends through the next season. Not to mention, both have a No-Trade Clause with 10 teams, which makes it hard for GM Tom Fitzgerald to maneuver with their cooperation.

Additionally, with the Devils struggling with an 11-17-3 record and on the brink of slipping out of the playoff race, the franchise needs some new names in its lineup. But for that, they would need to offload these contracts and bring New Jersey’s cap space within limits.

The decision to re-sign Luke Hughes to a long-term extension has also created unwanted financial strains on the Devils’ leadership. However, while the 21-year-old D-man remains a key fixture for the side, the same cannot be said about Hamilton and Palat.

Hamilton’s injury history and missing at least 18 games in three of his four seasons with the Devils have made teams reluctant to go for the 30-year-old. Meanwhile, Palat’s age and declining production have made him a cap dump candidate with zero trade value.

But even if the Devils could somehow generate enough interest in both players, the 10-man trade lists make things extra tough for Fitzgerald. It means 21 teams in the league are already out of the race. With the team being desperate for roster improvements, it will be interesting to see how the franchise goes from here.

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