Speculation Builds Around No. 1 Defenseman as Maple Leafs Monitor Situation Closely
Photo credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images
A new report from Greg Wyshynski shows that the New Jersey Devils may be trying to bring in all three Hughes brothers, as Dougie Hamilton may be on the outs, with the Maple Leafs paying close attention.
The New Jersey Devils have been in the news recently due to reports that defenseman Dougie Hamilton is on the trade block, and while it's only hearsay, it would certainly shake things up in the NHL.
One of the league's premier defensemen, Hamilton is one of the players who is expected to be a key part in the Devils' push towards a deep postseason run, but he could fetch a premium return if they were to part ways with him.
Hughes trio could push Hamilton elsewhere: Wyshynski
However, while there's only a bit of smoke to the rumors thus far, a new report might stoke the fire a bit more.
ESPN's Greg Wyshynski was on Jeff Marek's The Sheet and in discussing a variety of topics, Hamilton's name came up due to something potentially brewing in New Jersey.
According to Wyshynski, the Devils are looking to bring in Quinn Hughes to form a trio of brothers who could bring them their next Stanley Cup:
If the endgame is to unite the Hughes triforce in New Jersey, Dougie Hamilton was not going to be on the roster when that happened; I always figured that one had to do with the other.
It would be a stunning turn of events to have Hughes jump ship from Vancouver to New Jersey, but given their competitive window and the chance to play with his brothers; it might be enticing.
Toronto can help New Jersey by taking on Hamilton
However, that means if he's on the outs, the Maple Leafs should be keeping an eye on things closely, knowing they need to improve on their back end and Hamilton would be a vast improvement over Morgan Rielly.
Speaking of Rielly, he's from Vancouver, and if he were to entertain any type of trade offer that might be his first choice, so what if they did something insane?
Let's make a three team deal:
To Toronto:
(D) Dougie Hamilton
To Vancouver:
(D) Morgan Rielly
To New Jersey:
(D) Quinn Hughes
(D) Dougie Hamilton
To Vancouver:
(D) Morgan Rielly
To New Jersey:
(D) Quinn Hughes
Toronto swaps out Hamilton for Rielly, and takes on the bigger contract of the three, adding that true offensive presence with the physicality and defense Craig Berube wants.
Hamilton, 32, had 40 points in 64 games (9 goals, 31 assists) but is capable of giving you 15+ goals, 40+ points, a ton of blocks, hits, and a high defensive IQ; he has 501 points in 835 games throughout his career.
Rielly takes over for Hughes in Vancouver, and while he isn't the same offensive star as the young defender, he's got experience, and a fresh start elsewhere might motivate him and kickstart the offense once again.
Rielly, 31, had 41 points in 82 games for the Maple Leafs in 2024-25; he's registered 513 points in 873 career games.
New Jersey lands Hughes for about the same price as Hamilton, they unite the three brothers and earn themselves a serious opportunity to challenge for a Conference Finals berth.
Hughes, 25, was stellar yet again for Vancouver. He had 76 points in 67 games and finished in the Top 3 for the Norris yet again; he has 409 points in 433 games in his career.
The logistics are certainly complicated, but given that the money would work out, their contracts are similar in length (Rielly being the longest of the three), and all three teams benefit in the end.
If New Jersey wants to add Quinn Hughes, they could look to see if the Maple Leafs want to so business. We know they want Hamilton, and Rielly needs a change too.
It seems like the recipe for a blockbuster in the making.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 13 | 2700 ANSWERS Speculation Builds Around No. 1 Defenseman as Maple Leafs Monitor Situation Closely Should the Maple Leafs try and acquire Dougie Hamilton? | ||
| Yes | 1548 | 57.3 % |
| No | 1152 | 42.7 % |
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