What Could the New Jersey Devils do at the Trade Deadline?
Dave Pagnotta of the Fourth Period joined Irf Gaffar on the DFO Rundown Podcast on Wednesday and was asked about what the market says about what the New Jersey Devils could do at the trade deadline. Pagnotta could add a big fish at the deadline, along with keeping their tabs on Blake Coleman, but wonders about Dougie Hamilton‘s future.
DevilsNation.com Transcriptions
Simon Nemec Continues Growth for the New Jersey Devils
Irfaan Gaffar: “This New Jersey Devils team has Stanley Cup aspirations. So, for them, Tom Fitzgerald, and their management group, at what point do you look to the market and say, ‘we need to add now’?”
David Pagnotta: “I think they’re kind of in that mindset right now where they’re starting to explore what options are available to them. And Fitzgerald is not afraid to make a big splash, or to go out there and make a big move, and he’s proven a lot of that, at least in free agency.
From a trade perspective, I think they’re starting to do their due diligence they may have already started a week or so ago, maybe prior to that, but basically trying to understand what the market is. And we’ve talked about this before.
We’ve talked about a guy like Blake Coleman, a former Devil now in Calgary with another year on his contract, being a fantastic complementary piece for a Stanley Cup contender like New Jersey. I think that’s the case. I think he’s on their radar. I think he’s on a few teams’ radars, but at the same time, there is still an opportunity and a willingness to go for a big fish, and I’m very curious to see, and then that seems to be the word around the league: Keep an eye on New Jersey.
Devils Rumors: Dougie Hamilton Will Remain with the New Jersey Devils For At Least The Season
They’re willing to do that. That being said, takes a lot of money to bring in top quality talent, and a name that we heard in June and over parts of the summer was Dougie Hamilton, and he’s got a $9 million cap hit. I’m very curious to see what happens there with him. It may not be now, it may be in the offseason. I may be kind of jumping the gun here a little bit, but if they bring in a big-time talent, especially up front, and it’s going to cost a lot of money.
I wonder what the future holds there for Dougie Hamilton, who has, I believe, a 10-team trade list this season. And it wouldn’t surprise me if the Devils at the very least, explore some options here, move money out in one side, bring in more money on the other, and maybe it’s part of the same deal we’re talking that.
We’re obviously talking big blockbuster here, but I think they’re going to explore all of their options, and again, see what’s available. There are a lot of teams that we’ve talked about over the last few weeks that wouldn’t shock anybody if they’re going after big fish. And that’s Carolina, that’s Utah, that’s Ottawa, that’s the Canadiens to a certain extent, and Anaheim to a certain extent as well. I’m throwing New Jersey right in that mix, because I think there’s a willingness to do it Irf.
None of the Teams Linked to Dougie Hamilton Make Any Sense as Trade Partners
Obviously, we got to wait and see what happens here. And it’s not like, it’s not like Fitzy is out there, like, desperately trying to make this happen, but he’s keeping that option open. And again, if he goes in this direction, I do wonder about the future of Dougie Hamilton, with that no-trade clause modified this year, that $9 million cap. And how many $9 million defensemen do you want on your team right now?
Luke Hughes. I think that’s a little bit of a factor, but I think it’s more so geared towards if we have an opportunity to bring in a really big stud up front that can really stabilize this top six, and just push us over the edge. And it means Hamilton and his $9 million AAV, have to be a casualty of that. I think they’re willing to explore that.”
Gaffar: “I can think of a couple of names. Won’t say them, but of guys that you know could go there, that have won at the highest level and been very, very productive at the highest level, that could definitely put that team over the over the edge.”
