If Carolina can't come to terms with Hamilton then they will offer him around the league and let teams negotiate an extension to maximize trade value. Same thing they did with Faulk.
More likely than not the Canes will sign him though.
Call me crazy... I don't think Hamilton is going to be an easy player to sign... I think he has to test the market.
Yes, he ticks "every box" that you'd want in a defenceman, but there are holes in his game that require a partner like Slavin to cover up. He'll be 28 years old and he'll be looking for his "career-making deal".
He's got the numbers, the size, to shoot for Subban, Josi-type money; but even pre-covid; I think he would have been looking more at Trouba-type money -- post COVID he'll be looking at less; and I think that's going to be a tough circumstance to put pen to paper without seeing the open market.