I was going to save this for tomorrow AM, but I think things are going to move fast here. Friedman just spoke on Hockey Night In Canada confirming a blocked trade to San Jose by Hamilton this summer. Also stated Hamilton feels unfairly targeted…to which I say boohoo…
Do I feel bad for Dougie, not at all. First off he’s making $9m a year to play hockey. Secondly the NHL is a business. The same way Dougie used his leverage to turn down trades, Tom Fitzgerald now uses his leverage, pushing Hamilton out of the lineup and out of New Jersey. It is Fitzgerald’s duty to improve the team in any way possible. In this case, addition(of cap space) by subtraction(of dead weight) will undoubtedly improve the club. A reminder; Hamilton signed a No Trade Clause not a No Scratch Clause. The only obligation the Devils have to Dougie was to pay him, not play him. They never reneged on their deal, as much as they wish they could have.
Despite all of these 'positive' defensive metrics that Hamilton supporters are trying to push, Dougie has been awful. Sometimes numbers do lie, and these Dougie metrics were as untruthful as Minnesota Daycare pressers. The eye test in this case is what is important, and number 7 scorched the retinas of Devils fans these past few months with his sloppy play.
Dougie has done irreparable damage to this franchise on and off the ice over the past 6 months or so. Exercising his NTC has cost the fans and his teammates the season and for Tim Fitzgerald and Sheldon Keefe, perhaps their jobs. This was an already mentally weak team that was given hope when they found out Quinn Hughes was joining them. Just hours later to have that dream/sense of relief ripped from their grasp was devastating.
Elliotte Friedman further elaborated on the situation on his 32 Thought podcast just a few days ago. Claiming the Quinn Hughes fumble to really have destroyed this locker room. While this is not confirmed, the picture I will paint for you here is roughly how it had to have gone... The injury depleted and again mentally weak, but still playoff contending Jersey team had lost their mojo. Injuries piling up and rimors swirling, they knew they needed a boost. FItzy actually gets a deal done! Vancouver accpepts, Quinn tells his brothers, the reaction is similar to the Luke Hughes infamous draft couch. Quinn goes at Jack’s place, yanks his own bag off of the Vancouver charter throws it in 86's trunk, right next to Tate McRae's overnight bag(that part is debatable). The three of them were about to live a life long dream, the entire family and Devils organization overwhelmed with joy. Then, the deflated locker room that was in need of this boost for weeks went from to elated, and then right back to beyond deflated when Hamilton blocked the move. The tone deaf Hamilton was here to stay. Quinn was notified, GM's around the league sprung to action, and “Billy G sacked up” while the Devils crumbled.
Dougie has proved his social awareness to be almost as bad as his D zone awareness. His selfishness to put himself in front of the franchise and his soon to be former friends/teammates, has cost this organization dearly. I understand if things are going well, and you’re playing great, then yes your NTC is fair to utilize. However, every time Dougie has stepped on the ice for a majority of this season especially of late, the Devils have struggled. Turning down the move showed that Hamilton doesn't care if he wins and definitely doesn't care if the Devils win. It's the easy way out, he's comfortable here, he's getting top minutes and top dollar why leave.
It’s been nothing but awful positioning, inability for clean zone exits, frequent and questionable pinches, clumsy puck control, hesitation to shoot/inability to get the puck the net and unwillingness to play physical hockey, for far too long. It’s unfortunate, but since his pectoral surgery a few years ago, the big defenseman is nowhere near the same player who had 74pts in 82 games just three years ago.
His complacent behavior has burnt this season to an unsalvageable level. Mark Messier was on the TNT broadcast earlier today and had said the Rangers need to go 25-12 over their final stretch to have a chance at the playoffs. The Devils, not far off, would need similar results themselves. Does anyone really think this team can win at a .667 clip the rest of the way? This is a team that was in first place in the East at Thanksgiving and now has such little confidence they make scoring a single goal a monumental task. One of the guys in that locker room is dating a major pop star, nothing should seem impossible in that room!
Luckily the hoses are out and the flames are beginning to be doused with Hamilton's long awaited willingness to leave NJ finally here. It’s now time for a rapid remediation to be done by Tom Fitzgerald, who has lost almost all trust within this fanbase over the past year and most notably the last 60 days or so. Assuring immediate safety, assessing damage, securing the property, with comprehensive cleaning and restoration, focusing on removing the soot, smoke odors, and water damage that Hamilton’s contract has inflicted will not be an easy task. I hate to always bring this guy up, but anything short of Fitzgerald landing his second cousin, Brady Tkachuk would not win back this fanbase. For the record I think there’s about a 0.1% chance that happens. Despite the relationship to Fitz, Tkachuk’s wife and in-laws hailing from Manasquan, and Brady’s beautiful new home being there as well, if ever made available the sweepstakes would be NHL bedlam that would be near impossible to win. But that's what Fitz needs to do to regain faith in the wake of this somewhat self inflicted disaster.
Notes:
I may or may not have accidentally started a rumor on Instagram about Fitzgerald walking around the facility and hitting players in the knee with a pipe earlier today. That was fully in jest, and not meant to be taken in a literal sense. Follow @realestchrismark (I know stupid name from the early days of IG that I will change one day) if you want to share Devils posts, memes, or just shoot the shit... Thanks again for checking us out here. Hopefully some good news to share soon!