Hurricanes, Hamilton shelve contract talks until offseason

The Carolina Hurricanes and Dougie Hamilton are putting aside contract negotiations until the conclusion of the current campaign.

"We've kind of decided that it would be best for both (sides to) just wait until the end of the (season)," Hurricanes general manager Don Waddell said on the "DFO Rundown" podcast. "Let's sit down and see if we can hammer out a deal, (but) put it on the back burner so Dougie can worry about playing hockey at this point."

Waddell clarified that the delay doesn't mean there isn't a mutual interest in reaching a deal.

"Dougie wants to stay here," the GM said. "We've talked to him, he wants to stay here. We want to keep Dougie. We love Dougie. He fits in well with our team, (and our) coaches like him."

Waddell added that both sides talked last weekend before coming to their current understanding.

Hamilton is a pending unrestricted free agent who would be the best defenseman available if he opts to test the market this summer.

In early March, there was reportedly a "tangible gap" between what the Hurricanes and Hamilton were seeking in talks, and negotiations had cooled since February. In November, Waddell said he was hoping to get the deal done before the start of the season in January.

Hamilton is Carolina's No. 1 rearguard and has helped form one of the NHL's top defensive pairs alongside Jaccob Slavin. In addition to posting excellent possession figures, Hamilton has racked up 24 points across 30 games in 2021.

The Hurricanes acquired the 27-year-old in a trade with the Calgary Flames in 2018.