NHL Rumor Mill – March 11, 2026
Were the Devils shopping Dougie Hamilton at the trade deadline? What would it have cost the Bruins to acquire Rangers center Vincent Trocheck? Find out in today’s NHL Rumor Mill.
DEVILS WEREN’T SHOPPING DOUGIE HAMILTON BEFORE THE TRADE DEADLINE
NEW JERSEY HOCKEY NOW: James Nichols reports multiple reports linked Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton to other teams leading up to last Friday’s trade deadline.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (NHL Images).
Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald said he wasn’t shopping Hamilton before the deadline, but he acknowledged a couple of teams called about the 32-year-old defenseman.
Hamilton appeared in trade rumors in mid-January after being a healthy scratch from a game against the Winnipeg Jets. At the time, Fitzgerald said it was performance-related, but the defenseman’s camp believed the club was trying to force Hamilton to waive his 10-team trade list going back to last summer’s draft.
Since then, however, Hamilton’s performance has improved, with 17 points in his last 20 games. Fitzgerald downplayed the January incident as a misunderstanding.
Hamilton is signed through 2027-28 with an average annual value of $9 million. He is due for a $7.4 million signing bonus on July 1, which reportedly hindered the Devils’ efforts to move him in a trade.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: The Devils will be a team to monitor in the offseason. They were reportedly listening to offers for young defenseman Simon Nemec, who is in the final season of his entry-level contract and will be a restricted free agent lacking arbitration rights. It’s believed he could seek a contract comparable to the seven-year, $63 million deal signed by teammate Luke Hughes last October.
The Devils can’t afford to shell out $27 million annually for three defensemen. They could face a choice between moving Nemec or Hamilton.
THE RANGERS’ PRICE FOR TROCHECK WAS TOO EXPENSIVE FOR THE BRUINS
THE BOSTON GLOBE: Kevin Paul Dupont reported Sunday about what the New York Rangers may have sought from the Bruins in exchange for Vincent Trocheck.
Dupont cited multiple sources claiming Rangers general manager Chris Drury set a high price for the 32-year-old center. It was rumored that the Boston Bruins were among the suitors for Trocheck.
Based on his sources, Dupont believed it could have had Drury asking Bruins GM Don Sweeney for Fraser Minten and a first-round pick, “or perhaps Minten, Mark Kastelic, and a first or second-rounder”.
SPECTOR’S NOTE: If that’s what Drury was seeking, it’s not surprising Sweeney passed. It would also explain why another club didn’t land Trocheck.
Nothing doing with the above but Hamilton got me thinking.
I wonder….would the leafs and oilers consider a trade that includes Nurse for Reilly?
Both players look like they could benefit from a change of scenery and both players are unlikely to go anywhere that results in a substantial prize coming back the other way.
Of course movement clauses are an obstacle that are a consideration.
I am not interested in what other pieces need to be included in mock trades but wonder if anyone thinks we could see such a frame work.
Personally as an Oiler fan…if nurse does get moved this is the style of trade I foresee
1Oilerfan
Leafs fans would be all over Nurse.
I don’t think the Leafs would want the additional salary
I’ve been wishing for that very trade for months now. May it come to pass in the offseason.
As an Oilers fan myself, I can’t see the Oilers going after Reilly. He’s not a physical defensive defenseman. We’re not lacking scoring. We’re lacking defense and it’s the defensive lapses that’s costing the Oilers. It will be a downgrade for the Oilers imho.
Toronto will definitely be all over that though.
Agree 100 on that Brian.
Reilly is not what we need, plus he isn’t known for his wheels or natural stride, so will slow up more than Nurse as he ages. He might be already.
Nurse can be a frustrating player due to the physical tools, especially his size and skating. He could be a stand out. But he just makes bad decisions too often when he tries to do too much or is too aggressive.
He can go through solid periods of D first play, and then not so much. But he also hasn’t had a consistent quality partner on his right side for a long time.
I’m hopeful he stays paired with Murphy for an extended look in a 2nd pair shut down type role and he plays a simple D first game unless the aggressive decision is obvious. Then by all means attack.
I think it could work, and if it does it would be huge for the Oil.
Boston should look at Thomas to fill their 1st line center position.Trocheck is not the right fit. They have been looking for Bergeron s replacement since the day he retired. It would be costly but those guys Don t fall out of trees. Would hold on to Minton but every other potential center would be fair game,lncluding Zacha and Lindholm.
Sr
He is a perfect get for bruins but if they want anything close to what had been rumoured you just say sorry and move on
An offer like a 1st. A good player. Like Lorhei Middlestadt Zacha plus prospect like Lysell and a smaller piece depending on the player pkg