Just a few hours before the draft, we have a massive trade. The Ottawa Senators have announced that they are acquiring superstar winger Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks for the seventh-overall pick, the 39th overall pick, and a 2024 third-round pick.
As relayed by Mark Lazerus of The Athletic, Blackhawks GM Kyle Davidson said the following regarding the deal:
It was an incredibly difficult decision to trade a player of Alex’s caliber. We feel as if this move sets the Blackhawks up for future success by giving us additional flexibility and future talent.
DeBrincat, 24, has one year remaining on his contract before he becomes a restricted free agent entitled to a $9MM qualifying offer. After that point, barring an extension, DeBrincat will become an unrestricted free agent. There is currently no word on any possible extension for DeBrincat, but one has to assume that the Senators will make every attempt to keep him in Ottawa beyond the two years of team control they have just acquired.
For the Senators, acquiring DeBrincat is a major coup as the team looks to escape their rebuild and finally return to contention. DeBrincat is a superstar forward in a relatively similar age range to the Senators’ other core pieces. He is close to the same age as Thomas Chabot and only a few years older than players such as Josh Norris and Brady Tkachuk. DeBrincat is an elite offensive player, having scored over 40 goals twice in his career, including this past season. His 78 points would have led the Senators in 2021-22, and the Senators have to be extremely excited about the possibility of DeBrincat playing with Tkachuk and Norris.
The contract situation is definitely something for Ottawa to monitor, as the Senators have had issues in the past with players not wanting to sign there long-term. But at the cost of their first-rounder, second-rounder, and a 2024 third, the chance to add a player of DeBrincat’s caliber for at least the next two years (and potentially longer) is definitely a risk worth taking.
For the Blackhawks, this trade is on one hand shocking and on the other wholly unsurprising. Davidson has made it no secret that he’d be stripping the roster bare in order to pursue a rebuild, and DeBrincat’s name had been floating in trade rumors for weeks. So the fact that he was ultimately dealt is not a surprise, especially when one considers the fact that the Blackhawks did not have a 2022 first-round pick until this trade. And having that seventh-overall pick is definitely a boon for a team looking to add more prospects to a depleted prospect pool.
That being said, there is a general sentiment that the return the Blackhawks received was a bit light when one takes into account DeBrincat’s age and talent level. A top-ten pick and a high second-rounder are two valuable assets, but only six players have scored more goals than DeBrincat over the last four years. He’s a superstar player who hasn’t even turned 25 years old. The last superstar-level player to be traded, Jack Eichel, net the Sabres a package that included NHL-ready talent such as Peyton Krebs and Alex Tuch as well as draft picks. While Eichel did have more years left on his contract, he also had some medical uncertainty, the kind of uncertainty the rarely-injured DeBrincat does not carry.
This trade is certainly going to be widely celebrated among Senators fans, but whether this trade is ultimately successful for Ottawa could depend on if they manage to sign DeBrincat to a long-term extension. For the Blackhawks, this trade is a major one, setting the tone for what could be a difficult few years as Davidson attempts to find the next set of core Blackhawks players. Finding one of those core players tonight, with the seventh-overall selection they just acquired, will be essential.
Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was first on the deal. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
That’s not that big of haul. Nice job ottawa
The Blackhawks are now the Cubs of the NHL. A minor league team
The Cubs have a much better future than the Hawks. Far better prospects.
The “return . . . is a bit light.” I’ll say. Maybe the number 7 pick will turn out to be another . . . Alex DeBrincat? Just think of it—the Blackhawks give up an elite player, still only 24, for unproven prospects who will likely never be as good as DeBrincat. That’s the problem with rebuilds: prospects who are overhyped and then underperform.
So. Chicago has decided to become the first contestant in the Connor Bedard tankathon.
yep and he will get to play with Toews and Kane because no other players will be left
Ummmmmmmm you sure about that
Drake Batherson punching the air right about now
Wow
Did…did they get more for Hagel than DeBrincat?
WT…
Which left wing is moving? Him, Tkachuk or Stuetzle? The latter moves to C?
ADB can play on the right wing. I would assume that everyone drops down a level, so their RW depth would be ADB, Batherson, Brown, and Watson in that order
It’s Hagel’s contract that makes him so valuable. Ottawa gets one year of DeBrincat at $6.4 then they have to pay him market rate.
two late (very late) first-rounders and two no-names vs. 7th pick and 39th?
Stutzle will be they’re 2C next year. He spent the second half of last season at center and excelled much more there than on the wing.
bad trade by the hawks
The cat was fun to watch in Chicago, tough to see this rebuild.
The Blackhawks are a complete joke this trade is highway robbery by Ottawa
Agreed its highway robbery right now. But are the sens really going to offer debrincat more then the 8.5 that tkachuk makes. Considering qualifying offer for debrincat next year is rumored to be 9mil. Plus they need to keep room for stutzle you could easily have 9mil invested in 3 players. Cuz u know if you dont sign stutzle theres a team out there that will offer sheet him eventually.
This is a great time of year. You and the rest of the whiny , tantrum tossing drama queens let ‘er rip. Play on.
You need to get a girlfriend
Why not? Next season, Ottawa has over $40 MM of cap space.
Seems a bit underwhelming, but their hands were kinda tied since everyone knew they weren’t gonna pay him. I heard MTL wants to get back into the top 10, so maybe there’s more to it.
Going from using 7 OA to dump Murray to acquiring Debrincat. What a ride.
Matt Murray’s mopiness made this move.
you actually thought they would give up 7 to move Murray?
The deal was to move down from 7 to 16. Not to just give up the 7OA.
Murray used his NTC to veto it.
yes but it was moving on, not just using it alone to move him
*moving down
That would have been a massive waste of an asset fir a team that wants to exit a rebuild.
A little ironic that DeBrincat was drafted 39th overall himself in 2016.
A top 10 and high 2nd plus a future 3rd is pretty good but probably would’ve expected to see more go back to CHI for a player of DeBrincat’s caliber.
This is where Brad Treliving has blown the Gaudreau contract talks.
He should have made a best offer and if JG refused, moved on to a DeBrincat trade. This was the only player available who could step into the hole in the Flames lineup and fill the same role.
This is a joke right? Hawks got fleeced
Steal…
Absolutely fleeced. I would hate to be a Chicago fan today. Dude is 24-years-old and has already had two 40+ goal seasons. What a pathetic return. I don’t care how much he’s owed you gotta do better. Or just keep the dude through your own rebuild.
I was a Hawks fan. There is no chance in hell that the production of the players they take with this trade will ever even remotely come close to what Debrincat has already done, let alone what he will do. Ottawa probably didn’t even need to buy out Colin White, and could have traded him as part of the deal and saved themselves the 2nd. Kyle Davidson is a raging jacka**
For sure an underwhelming trade for the Blackhawks. Why does Chicago always seem to get GM’s that THINK they’re the smartest guys around when it’s just the opposite?
I think Wirtz’s dad just came back from the great beyond and is running the team.
My real cynical side says that Davidson did this trade because he knew Kane and Toews will want no part of this team and will request a trade.
Anything Bowman has done that is still on this team they are getting rid of. Strome will walk, Dach is being shopped, and Jones will likely stay because of his contract but I bet they made some calls to see if anyone was interested. The return for Debrincat is lower because there was no extension signed….yet anyway. Ottawa got a 40 goal scorer for one year for the 7th overall and 2 more picks. Not bad for Chicago when you account for money, term and scorched earth rebuild. I would not be surprised if 2 or 3 more guys are traded in the off season. This rebuild is necessary, should have started in 2019.
The Fiala trade helped to set the market price for Debrincat as well.
It was bound to be lower because of that.
Maybe the rebuild was necessary but you don’t trade 2 young building blocks, Hagel and DeBrincat, for unknown drafted players. I, frankly, do not like rebuilds in any sport because that means you haven’t done your job as a GM. I’d prefer they trade Kane before the other 2. And yes, I know he has a no trade but he has to see what’s coming up with this team.
Wirtz is just dumbing down. I’d love it if Davidson proves me wrong but I’m not betting on it.
So you’d rather have this team flounder with their current core instead of trying to prepare themselves for the future?
You think they will be better without a young DeBrincat and a young Hagel? We’re not talking about a couple 28 or 29 year olds. These guys were very good, young players. This is not how a rebuild is suppose to look.
Great job by Ottawa. The Hawks on the other hand…..
Wonder how Seth Jones feels right about now? :/
He doesn’t care he is still cashing his checks
At some point all the losing will be too much fot a competitor like Jones.
Here we go again, Grading a trade without possibly knowing the outcome for several seasons.
You really are always the most smartest person in the room, aren’t you?
Sakic need to get on the phone right now! Probably can get kane for a 6th round pick.
@Brian D – He should flip the Georgie Dog for Kane and that pick!
Ottawa still needs a coach and an upgraded blue line, Plus who knows If Forsberg will be any good long term.
don’t like DJ smith?
I don’t see this as a total bust for Chicago.
The biggest blunder was trading their 2022 1st for Jones & giving him a massive extension.
Now Chicago just needs to move Kane for a decent hual & of course also Toews.
DeBrincat for the Blackhawks is not worth investing around $9mil per going forward. He becomes the high mark for any future long term deals on your new core down the road. Chicago came away with good picks & just needs to hit on them in this draft.
It’s was said they really wanted Anderson from the habs, as a Habs fan they got the better player here. But I can’t help but wonder what the offer was Anderson and Habs other 1st for 7th?
Maybe Jones will request a trade. If so, Davidson will look like a genius. If nothing else, I have a reason to watch the draft tonight now.
Will Gary do that thing where he waits until before the 7th pick to announce this trade as if the whole world doesn’t already know?
“setting the tone for what could be a difficult few years”
Had to laugh at that one, the Hawks won’t make the playoffs for many, many years.
heloooo rebuild!
The full tear down has started. About 4 years too late.