James Nichols
What an odd time it is to be the New Jersey Devils.
There are so many more questions than answers about the state of the organization between now and July 1st, or perhaps, deeper into the summer. One of the main questions will be on the blueline, and whether their veteran $9 million defenseman will still be with the Devils or their former second overall pick in 2022.
The Devils GMs comments on the matter made things all the more confusing. More on that below in the links.
Also below, some notes from practice, and lineup tweaks on Tuesday.
Elsewhere, Matthew Knies trade rumors, the latest 2026 NHL Draft rankings, and more.
Devils Trade Rumors & News
New Jersey Hockey Now: Yesterday’s deep dive unpacked GM Tom Fitzgerald’s latest denial of the Dougie Hamilton debacle, Hamilton’s ongoing media unavailability since the agent drama surfaced, and how the whole situation has left the blueline picture even murkier heading into summer. The noise around that $7.4M signing bonus due July 1 keeps the trade chatter alive, and it’s raising real questions about Simon Nemec’s long-term fit in New Jersey.
On the ice yesterday, the Devils practiced Tuesday afternoon at RWJBarnabas Health Hockey House on Tuesday with three games left in the current seven-game homestand. All expected players were on the ice (Brett Pesce remains week-to-week with a lower-body issue).
Biggest tweak: Jesper Bratt and Arseny Gritsyuk flipped spots. Gritsyuk slides back in with Cody Glass and Lenni Hameenaho. Head coach Sheldon Keefe explained Bratt rejoins Jack Hughes after finding his game intellectually away from Jack—who operates on a whole ‘nother level, and if you’re not up to speed, it’s hard to succeed (no rhyme intended).
📺 Devils Rink Report: Staying on the blueline, I asked GM Tom Fitzgerald about the relationship with Dougie Hamilton after the public debacle earlier this season. His response made things even more confusing. I dove into it on the latest Devils Rink Report.
Full episode here 👇🏼 Watch the full Devils Rink Report here
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Sportsnet: See, if the national media can recognize the rising pressure in New Jersey, so can the Devils’ organization. Even they know the fact that they did nothing at the NHL trade deadline is puzzling, especially in the wake of their recent history, such as the previously mentioned Hamilton discourse, and yesterday’s Simon Nemec discussion.
NHL Trade Talk, News & National Hockey Now
The Athletic: With the way it’s gone in New Jersey this season and the likelihood they miss the Stanley Cup Playoffs, perhaps you should all famliarize yourselves with this list of the top prospects in the 2026 NHL Draft. Here’s the latest rankings.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Captain Sidney Crosby took morning skate with the Pittsburgh Penguins yesterday. Here’s the latest injury report from Dan Kingerski.
Montreal Hockey Now: Matthew Knies was at the center of trade rumors, and reportedly, the Montreal Canadiens may have been in the mix.
Forever Blueshirts: New York Rangers captain J.T. Miller is making progress in his recovery from an upper-body injury, taking part in the optional morning skate — his first time on the ice with teammates since landing on IR last week. Coach Mike Sullivan noted he’s had solo skates prior and called it a sign of progress, anticipating a return “sooner than later” while taking it day-to-day.
