Devils GM not expecting Hamilton back for start of playoffs
New Jersey Devils defenseman Dougie Hamilton isn't expected to be ready to return from his lower-body injury for the start of the postseason, general manager Tom Fitzgerald said on the "Krackin' Canuckleheads" podcast Wednesday.
"It'll go into the second round," Fitzgerald said of Hamilton's injury.
He added: "I gotta go back and do the math. It happened this last week. There's a possibility. We're not planning on it, how's that? This is what we have."
Hamilton suffered the ailment March 4 and hasn't played since. He was ruled out for "an extended time" on Friday.
The Devils are also without defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler for at least the rest of the regular season. Jack Hughes has been ruled out for the regular season and playoffs.
Hamilton leads all Devils defensemen with 40 points in 63 games this season. He ranks third among the team's blue-liners in average ice time (19:48). Luke Hughes has taken over his duties quarterbacking the top power-play unit.
The Devils added Brian Dumoulin and Dennis Cholowski to help shore up the blue line ahead of the trade deadline. New Jersey also has top defense prospects Simon Nemec and Seamus Casey as insurance.
New Jersey enters Thursday third in the Metropolitan Division with a 92.7% chance of making the playoffs, per MoneyPuck.
Hamilton, 31, is in the fourth season of a seven-year, $63-million contract he signed as a free agent with the Devils in 2021.