Devils Shift Trade Strategy After Nemec Deal. Hamilton Stays Off the Table.

The New Jersey Devils just swapped Simon Nemec to Calgary, and that move might have saved Dougie Hamilton from being traded this summer.

According to Nick Kypreos of Sportsnet, the Devils are now unlikely to move Hamilton. The reasoning? Nemec was the young defenseman who could have made Hamilton expendable. With Nemec gone, New Jersey’s blue line suddenly looks thinner, and Hamilton — who Kypreos calls the team’s strongest analytical defenseman remaining — becomes more valuable staying put.

Hamilton’s name had been floating around trade rumors since last season. He’s a 30-year-old right-shot defenseman who can drive offense and eats minutes. But the Devils probably don’t want to create a bigger hole than they need to fill. Moving Nemec already created a vacancy on the right side. Shipping out Hamilton too would leave them scrambling.

The Devils finished the season short of expectations, and general manager Tom Fitzgerald has been clear changes are coming. They already traded for goalie Jacob Markstrom last summer, but that didn’t solve their goaltending issues. Now the rumor mill has them linked to Winnipeg’s Connor Hellebuyck.

David Pagnotta of The Fourth Period reported that New Jersey could come calling for Hellebuyck, with the Jets’ goalie situation uncertain. And here’s the twist: the Devils might move Markstrom in a separate deal rather than packaging him for Hellebuyck. That approach would let them recoup assets while upgrading in net.

Hellebuyck is a three-time Vezina winner, and the Jets haven’t committed to keeping him long-term. If New Jersey lands him, that changes their outlook fast. If not, they’ll have to explore other options — there’s always a trade or free agent signing waiting in the wings.

What’s interesting is how this all fits together. By trading Nemec and keeping Hamilton, the Devils are betting on their veteran core while still trying to upgrade where it hurts most: goaltending. The NHL Draft starts Friday, and trade chatter around Hellebuyck is expected to heat up this week. Whether that means a deal gets done before anyone picks a player remains to be seen. But the Devils are clearly not done dealing.