Toronto Maple Leafs back in the mix for Dougie Hamilton thanks to new development
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Brad Treliving would love to have Dougie Hamilton on his team, although acquiring such a player does come with some issues.
New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton is currently on the trading block, and there is no doubt that the Toronto Maple Leafs would love to acquire him.
However, there has been one major hurdle here. The Maple Leafs have been trying to get the Devils to retain half of the defenseman's $9 million per season salary.
The Devils don't want to do this. They have some big-time cap issues right now, and with the team looking to retool, they would much rather just have a clean break with their overpays.
Dougie Hamilton and the Toronto Maple Leafs
Of course, this makes things difficult for the Maple Leafs. However, according to James Mirtle of The Athletic, where there is a will, there is a way.
In a new piece, Mirtle explains that since the Leafs don't have high-level draft picks or prospects to give up, they should embrace Hamilton's $9 million cap hit.
This way, they can get away with offering the Devils a whole lot less, thus making a trade much more palatable.
Per James Mirtle:
The Leafs’ first attempts at a deal here, per the source, were contingent on a lot of retention — understandably not ideal for New Jersey — but what if they opted to take on the bulk of the AAV? Toronto lacks many high-end picks or prospects, but if this becomes a cap dump, Hamilton brings an intriguing mix, including the ability to quarterback a top power play with star talent.
The Devils need to understand that Hamilton is making too much money right now and that a trade is going to take a lot of compromise from opposing teams.
While that might be difficult to take in, it is simply the truth of the situation, and the Devils need to be aware of that as they go into the trade deadline.
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| POLL | ||
FEVRIER 13|264 ANSWERS Toronto Maple Leafs back in the mix for Dougie Hamilton thanks to new development Do you believe Brad Treliving will get Dougie Hamilton on the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 72 | 27.3 % |
| NO | 192 | 72.7 % |
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