With the summer just weeks away, fans are wondering if history will repeat itself, since the Carolina Hurricanes just granted star defenseman Dougie Hamilton permission to meet with other teams before to free agency opening. If Carolina is unwilling to pay Hamilton enough to persuade him to stay, a rare sign-and-trade opportunity arises. This would also mean that the pending unrestricted free agent could sign an eight-year contract rather than the maximum seven-year agreement he could get if he waited.
Hamilton will undoubtedly be well-liked on the market, and he is projected to receive a large increase from his current $5.75 million annual salary cap charge after receiving Norris Trophy votes in each of the previous five seasons.
The key issue now being asked by some supporters is whether we should prepare for another Tavares situation in Toronto. Hamilton grew up a Maple Leafs fan, exactly like Toronto, as some of them pointed out, and it has fans wondering what general manager Kyle Dubas could do to snag a top blue liner like Hamilton. It appears to be impossible.
However, it's been known around that league that Dubas has reportedly coveted Hamilton through the years. According to one report revealed by ESPN, Dubas asked Hamilton from the Hurricanes during trade talks involving Leafs goalie Frederik Andersen before this season — which was shut down.
Hamilton's arrival in Toronto, however, would be costly to the Leafs, leading to the trade of 27-year-old defenseman Morgan Rielly, who earns $5 million per year and is in the final year of his deal, according to ESPN. Hamilton is the better player, therefore it's a road they should consider.
