RUMOR: Dougie Hamilton set to leave New Jersey in a few days

Charles-Alexis Brisebois
RUMOR: Dougie Hamilton set to leave New Jersey in a few days
Credit: Getty Images

The Maple Leafs are incorrigible.

The club is addicted to players who have a big name, but aren't necessarily able to produce to the level of their talent – and their huge contract.

I say this because Dougie Hamilton, who is on the market in New Jersey, is reportedly a Maple Leaf target. Jimmy Murphy (RG Media) wrote about it in a piece to the effect that a deal for him is likely to happen in the next few days.

Do the Maple Leafs think they're the Panthers and have the resources to surround Hamilton like the defending champs did with Seth Jones?

If they think that way, it's a mistake.

At an average of $9 million a year on the cape for another 30 months or so, Hamilton is really becoming a problem for the Devils.

In fact, let me get this straight: he's probably been a problem for a while… but now he's becoming a public distraction.

The return of Johnathan Kovacevic to the lineup (who's becoming quite a defenseman over there) means there's really no room for Hamilton anymore.

That says a lot about Hamilton's game, doesn't it?

The defenseman, who reportedly recently used his partial no-trade clause to refuse to join the Sharks, knows full well that the Devils want to go after Quinn Hughes someday.

His place has never been in greater jeopardy. And he must not exactly feel appreciated.

If the Devils do indeed trade him, Hamilton could not only go to Toronto, but several teams are in the running. The Mammoth, the Ducks, the Golden Knights, and the Red Wings are ones to watch.

He's also reportedly increasingly open to saying yes to more teams than before, which is a sign that the situation is problematic.


overtime

– Here we go again.

– Artemi Panarin is greedy.

– Interesting.

– Sad news.

– At least it's aimed at singles.

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