Devils News
Devils Expect Dougie Hamilton ‘To Be Available’ vs. Hurricanes in Playoffs
The New Jersey Devils expect injured defenseman Dougie Hamilton to be available against the Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
NEWARK—Following the New Jersey Devils’ loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night, the head coach dropped a casual nugget about injured defenseman, Dougie Hamilton.
Sheldon Keefe admitted that although before it was looking doom and gloom, the Devils are expecting Dougie Hamilton to be available in the first round of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Devils have been deploying Seamus Casey on the blueline over their last three games. The 21-year-old defenseman has played well with a decent amount of minutes at his disposal.
However, despite the runway that Keefe’s given Casey, the Devils’ head coach admitted he’s not committed to the rookie, and gave another positive outlook on Hamilton.
“We’re not committed to anything as a sixth guy,” Keefe explained. “We’re gonna get Dougie Hamilton up to speed here. We expect him to be available for us. For me, it’s about preparing the seventh and eighth guys to be ready (for playoffs.)”
Hamilton has been out of the lineup since leaving the first period of the Devils’ tilt with the Dallas Stars on March 4th.
Initially, Devils general manager, Tom Fitzgerald, was pessimistic about his potential return this season, if at all.
However, Hamilton has positively progressed amid his recovery, and a return in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs is becoming increasingly more likely.
As far as we know, the veteran Devils defenseman has skated on his own in full gear twice in preparation for his comeback, looking like a player ready to go.
That’s far different from Jonas Siegenthaler, who has also resumed skating, however, in a tracksuit as opposed to his hockey gear.
Siegenthaler hasn’t been ruled out of a return, either. Yet, the Swiss defenseman’s return certainly seems far less likely than Hamilton’s.
After the Hurricanes received a big boost in their newest defenseman, Alexander Nikishin, the Devils very well may get their own in Hamilton.
The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs get underway in just over a week, where the Devils will face the Hurricanes in Carolina.
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