New Jersey Devils
Did Dougie Hamilton Make a Mistake Passing on the Sharks?
Uncover the latest on Dougie Hamilton and the Sharks. Did he make the right choice by blocking the trade to San Jose?
With all sorts of chatter surrounding the future of defenseman Dougie Hamilton in New Jersey, reports that he turned down a trade to the San Jose Sharks over the summer add a new wrinkle to this developing story. Given how this season has unfolded for both the New Jersey Devils and the Sharks, it’s fair to wonder if he’s starting to regret saying no.
According to Elliotte Friedman, the Devils and Sharks had a trade in place last summer that would have sent Hamilton to San Jose, but the veteran defenseman blocked the move using his 10-team trade list. At the time, it made sense on paper. San Jose was supposed to be rebuilding, while New Jersey was viewed as a contender. Fast forward to now, and that script has flipped in a hurry.
Related: Why Oilers Trading Darnell Nurse for Dougie Hamilton Is Being Debated
The Sharks have been one of the league’s biggest surprises and currently sit ahead of the Devils in the standings. The Devils are falling out of the playoff race, while a young Sharks team with dynamic young starpower is in a postseason spot. Meanwhile, Hamilton was a healthy scratch Sunday, a decision that clearly didn’t sit well with him or his agent.
That development alone suggests his future in New Jersey is anything but stable.
From San Jose’s perspective, the fit isn’t as clean as it once was. John Klingberg has unexpectedly solved their power-play quarterback issue, and Hamilton’s $9 million cap hit — with bonuses still looming — is no small commitment. His production has not made adding him or his contract an easy decision, assuming the Sharks still have an interest.
The tables have turned here. What was once a situation where the player wasn’t sold on the direction of a rebuilding team, that rebuilding team is no longer a basement dweller in the standings. There might still be intrigue on the part of the Sharks to add a d-man, who from 2019 to 2025, ranked 11th among NHL defensemen in points per game. If that version of Hamilton is still there, San Jose may at least listen if conversations are reopened.
The bigger question is whether Hamilton wishes he had done the same.
Next: Part 2: 5 Other Superstars Who Could Be On The Move In the Foreseeable Future
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