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The Maple Leafs will trade for Dougie Hamilton, but only on one condition


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Alexander Cole
January 14, 2026  (6:27 PM)
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Jan 24, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton (7) plays the puck against the Vegas Golden Knights during the third period at Prudential Center.
Photo credit: Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

With Dougie Hamilton on his way out of New Jersey, the Toronto Maple Leafs are considering a trade, but they have to figure some things out first.

Dougie Hamilton has been one of the biggest stories in the entire NHL as of late, especially as the New Jersey Devils benched him over the weekend.
Hamilton and his agent have made it clear that a trade is preferred right now. In fact, some reports suggest a trade could get done by the Olympics.
With that being said, it seems as though the Toronto Maple Leafs are very interested in Hamilton right now, especially since he can be had for a bargain.
However, there are a few things that would keep a team like the Leafs from actually wanting Hamilton on the roster, going forward.

Dougie Hamilton is still on the Maple Leafs' radar

According to Pierre LeBrun, one of the biggest concerns when it comes to Hamilton is the fact that he is making $9 million per year.
As the insider explains, the Leafs and others are more than happy to take Hamilton. However, the one condition is that the New Jersey Devils retain some salary.
For now, it is unclear how much salary the Devils would have to retain in order to get the job done, but it's not a small number.
We imagine that at least $2 million would have to be retained every season for any team to be truly interested in making this deal.
Over the course of the next few weeks, this is going to be a fascinating development to watch, and we wonder how it will all play out.
If the Maple Leafs end up making a deal, then there is no doubt that the fans are going to be very happy with that kind of outcome.
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The Maple Leafs will trade for Dougie Hamilton, but only on one condition

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