Dougie Hamilton Trade Talk Heats Up as Maple Leafs Link Resurfaces

Over the past few months, there has been some speculation regarding Dougie Hamilton and a potential trade, especially with the news that the New Jersey Devils want to bring in Quinn Hughes to play with his two brothers.

That means that he'll be on the outs for sure, as the Devils can't afford them both, and while there doesn't seem to be a deal in the works yet, there is the trade deadline come March.

Which is where NHL Insider Frank Seravalli believes a Hamilton trade will end up, and though he relents that something could happen now, one thing remains certain which is that the Devils are more than likely dealing Dougie:

It makes sense from a financial and contractual standpoint for the Devils, as they are a team who want to upgrade on the backend but need to facilitate a Hamilton trade to do so.

Though it's not like he's a terrible defender by any means, the potential for the Devils to unite the trio of Hughes brothers is too enticing to pass up.

So that means teams are going to be keeping a tab on things in the Garden State, and that includes the Toronto Maple Leafs.

A team who would love to add a bit more dynamic offense to their defense, Hamilton would be that true two-way presence on the blueline and could push the Maple Leafs over the top when it comes to their lineup.

While Morgan Rielly is expected to have a bounce back season, that isn't guaranteed, and with an identity change in full swing, a trade involving him and Hamilton could be in the works.

That would allow Toronto to add a player who is more than capable of running a power play, adding assists, actually score and shoot (which is something we are seeing more of out of Rielly) while also providing top tier defense.

You're also adding another beast in the 6'6, 230-pound Hamilton, who will also give you 75-80 blocks, 60-70 hits, and at least 10-15 goals a year. That type of production will play very well in Toronto, and Hamilton is still under contract for the same price as Rielly; it's a win-win.

Hamilton, 32, had 40 points in 64 games for the Devils last year, while adding 85 blocks, 74 hits and a plus-8 rating. For his career he's registered 501 points in 835 games (151 goals, 350 assists) including a 22-goal, 74-point season in 2022-23.

Given that Toronto already has a strong blueline, adding Hamilton to the fray would only strengthen them, but it would come at the cost of losing their longest tenured player.

Though with the latest developments, it could mean the team is willing to move on from Morgan Rielly and welcome in Dougie Hamilton.