Mammoth Interested In Dougie Hamilton

Add the Mammoth to the list of teams that have kicked the tires on Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton, says David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period.

Whether the feeling is reciprocal remains to be seen. Hamilton has a full no-movement clause accompanied by a 10-team trade list. That extensive trade protection already nixed a deal that would have sent Hamilton to the Sharks last summer. Nonetheless, Pagnotta adds that while “his agent is trying to help facilitate a move” and that he’s “open to exploring options outside of his preferred list,” his market isn’t particularly fervent. The Maple Leafs had some interest, but their recent slide has likely taken them out of the buying conversation, especially in terms of taking on a player with a steep cap hit like Hamilton’s $9MM. San Jose still has some degree of interest, according to Pagnotta, but it’s unclear whether Hamilton has changed his tune on a move there.

While Hamilton’s initial cost is pricey, he only has two years left on his deal and will be a UFA in 2028. The cost of entrance will take many playoff hopefuls out of the picture, especially if the Devils aren’t keen on retaining salary, but that type of structure works for a team like Utah that has loads of present cap space, some money coming off the books this summer, and no big-ticket RFAs to negotiate with until after Hamilton’s contract expires.

Talks apparently slowed regarding Hamilton last month after fellow righty Luke Hughes exited New Jersey’s lineup with a shoulder dislocation. With the Devils well out of the playoff picture and Hughes close to returning, though, they should be more willing to re-engage in conversations. Hughes’ absence has opened the door for Hamilton to get reps as New Jersey’s top power-play quarterback once again, though, and he’s delivered a 2-5–7 scoring line in his last 10 as a result. The Devils are hoping that’s boosted his stock to some degree, although his 22 points in 54 games this season are still on track for his worst offensive showing in over 10 years.

That’s understandably a sign of concern for a defender on the wrong side of 30 whose offensive acumen was always his selling point. It’s also a testament to just how consistent a producer he’d been up to this point, though. From 2014 to 2025, Hamilton averaged 16 goals and 52 points per 82 games and finished top 10 in Norris Trophy voting four times. It’s now been three years since he received any award consideration, and his output has been on a somewhat consistent decline since a left pectoral muscle tear limited him to just 20 games in the 2023-24 campaign.

Still, for a playoff hopeful in Utah that’s being held back by a relative lack of depth scoring and a bottom-two power play, Hamilton’s fit would be natural as an established, successful PP1 option. Any concerns about his defense should be quelled by a system under head coach Andre Tourigny that’s consistently held possession control since the franchise’s inception last season, controlling 53.7% of shot attempts and 53.6% of scoring chances at 5-on-5 this year.

It could also come with a relatively low acquisition cost, depending on how desperate the Devils are to clear the bulk of Hamilton’s money. They likely would have been willing to take less for him earlier in the season when they were still in the playoff conversation and were looking to boost their cap flexibility to make additions. The latter is still likely a long-term priority, but is no longer a pressing short-term concern with them on a five-game losing streak and 13 points out of the playoff picture.