Latest On Alex DeBrincat
The trade market will only heat up over the next few weeks, and Ottawa Senators winger Alex DeBrincat is expected to be high on the list of most trade bait boards. Reports late last week suggested Ottawa will want to get a move in place by next week’s draft, as the 25-year-old sniper isn’t willing to sign a long-term extension with the Sens after heading to the Canadian capital via trade at this time last year. Today, we have some more clarity on where DeBrincat could end up by the end of the month: the Dallas Stars, Nashville Predators, Florida Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights, and the Detroit Red Wings are on his preferred list of teams where he’d sign a long-term extension, Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports.
Ottawa acquired DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks just before the first round of last year’s draft, conceding the seventh overall pick (used on Kevin Korchinski), the 39th overall pick (used on Paul Ludwinski), and a third-round pick in 2024. How much of that value Ottawa can recoup in a secondary trade remains to be seen.
Garrioch mentioned last year’s Kevin Fiala trade between the Minnesota Wild and Los Angeles Kings as a comparable, with the Kings sending high-end defense prospect Brock Faber and the 19th overall pick in the 2022 draft in return for Fiala’s RFA rights (he then signed a long-term extension). Garrioch argues that Senators general manager Pierre Dorion should be in a position to get a better return, given DeBrincat is a two-time 40-goal scorer at the time of the deal.
Daily Faceoff’s Frank Seravalli seemed to pour cold water on that today, however, suggesting an offer from the Detroit Red Wings of winger Filip Zadina (whose time to develop into a full-time NHLer is quickly running out) and futures as a likely return in terms of value for DeBrincat. What does seem clear is that Ottawa likely won’t be receiving a significant roster player in this deal – nor will they be getting the value of picks they gave up for DeBrincat in the first place.
If Ottawa is able to get a prospect closer to Faber’s caliber in return for DeBrincat, though, they should be aiming for a winger who could replace DeBrincat’s spot long-term. The team’s gamble on Tyler Boucher at 10th overall in 2021 doesn’t look like it will pay off, and the team is quickly running out of forward prospects with top-six ceilings with Shane Pinto and Ridly Greig graduating to full-time NHL roles. That could be someone like Mavrik Bourque from Dallas, Fedor Svechkov from Nashville, Mackie Samoskevich from Florida, or Brendan Brisson from Vegas.
Expecting a first-round pick along with Brisson from Vegas may be too much to ask, but the team is slated to pick with the last selection of the first round after winning the Stanley Cup, so it doesn’t quite hold as much value. Dallas and Florida do not have their first-round picks in this year’s draft, while Detroit holds the ninth overall selection, and Nashville holds the 15th and 24th overall picks.
Senators Reportedly Pushing To Trade Alex DeBrincat By Draft Day
- Also on Insider Trading, TSN’s Chris Johnston reports that the Senators, by filing for arbitration with restricted free agent forward Alex DeBrincat, have “set the window for when they have to trade” the player. Johnston believes the Senators will make a push to get a DeBrincat trade finalized “by the draft this month” if possible. One might remember that DeBrincat was traded to Ottawa on draft day last year, and now based on Johnston’s report it seems he could get dealt on one of hockey’s most significant days once again, if not sooner.
Ottawa Senators Sign Oskar Pettersson
The Ottawa Senators have signed forward Oskar Pettersson to a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced today. Financial details were not disclosed.
The 19-year-old Swedish prospect had a strong season in his home country. A cerebral and speedy winger, Pettersson tallied two points and 33 penalty minutes in 29 regular-season games with Rogle BK of the SHL, his first pro experience. In Sweden’s U20 league with Rogle’s top junior team, Pettersson led his team in points per game among players with at least 10 games, recording 23 goals and 10 assists in 24 games.
Senators general manager Pierre Dorion gave a statement on Pettersson’s signing:
Oskar has quickly become one of the organization’s top prospects. He had a strong first pro season and showcases a similar maturity level to players who are much older than he. A north/south winger who has demonstrated that he’s capable of playing in all situations, he routinely utilizes his speed to effectively cycle the puck. He’s a smart player with good habits; his work ethic alone is certain to be of considerable value to him as he strives to take the next step.
Selected by the Senators with the 72nd overall pick in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft, Pettersson joins two other players from the team’s draft class who Ottawa has already signed: defensemen Tomas Hamara (87th overall) and Jorian Donovan. Pettersson is expected to attend the Senators’ upcoming annual development camp before returning to Rogle for the next season, the team said.
Given his age, Pettersson is eligible for a one-year slide on this deal if he plays less than 10 NHL games. With Pettersson not expected to see NHL ice in 2023-24, his three-year contract will likely kick in for the 2024-25 campaign.
Ottawa Senators Expected To Take Alex DeBrincat To Arbitration
“He doesn’t want to sign here.”
That’s how blunt Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia was today, when discussing Alex DeBrincat‘s future with the Ottawa Senators. Garrioch reports that the Senators have elected to take DeBrincat to arbitration, attempting to get the possible 15% reduction on his $9MM qualifying offer.
That does not mean they will necessarily receive it. As suggested by the name, an arbitrator will decide what DeBrincat’s salary in 2023-24 will be, based on his previous contracts and performance.
It was always a risky play, going after the young forward. Ottawa sent the seventh and 39th overall picks in 2022 (plus a 2024 third-rounder) to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for DeBrincat last July, with only one season remaining on his contract. The three-year, $19.2MM deal was heavily back-loaded, forcing any RFA qualifying offer to skyrocket to $9MM.
If DeBrincat doesn’t want to play in Ottawa, he could simply take the one-year arbitration decision and hit unrestricted free agency in 2024 as a 26-year-old with two 41-goal seasons under his belt.
The Senators could get up to 15% off that $9MM, meaning the award could be as low as $7.65MM.
Of course, that doesn’t mean he’ll actually be playing in Ottawa next season. The club is in active trade talks to move the young winger and recoup some of the draft capital they spent last year.
Though he didn’t put up 40 goals, DeBrincat still showed off his scoring touch with the Senators. In 82 games, he lit the lamp 27 times and racked up 66 total points, good enough for fourth on the team behind Tim Stutzle, Brady Tkachuk, and Claude Giroux. In a 450-game NHL career, he now has 187 goals and 373 points.
Poll: Where Will Alex DeBrincat Play Next Season?
Yesterday, the sale of the Ottawa Senators finally came to fruition, as a former minority owner of the Montreal Canadiens, Michael Andlauer, purchased the Senators for $950MM. The next question up for Ottawa this offseason is what to do with pending restricted free agent forward, Alex DeBrincat.
As the Stanley Cup Finals got underway, there were reports indicating that DeBrincat felt uneasy about signing a long-term extension with the Senators given their murky ownership situation at the time. However, recently, some reports indicated that DeBrincat had a desire to stay in Ottawa, citing his close relationship with the coaching staff and teammates.
Acquired in a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks offseason, the Senators paid a steep price, giving Chicago their seventh and 39th overall picks in last year’s draft, as well as their third-round selection in 2024. As DeBrincat is due a $9MM qualifying offer before the contract tender deadline, both the team and the player have to come to a conclusion soon.
Although not living up to his goal-scoring expectations this past season, DeBrincat did manage a career-high in assists with 39. An offensive specialist for much of his career, DeBrincat would be a great addition to most teams’ top six.
Where do you think DeBrincat will be playing next season?
Where Will Alex DeBrincat Play Next Season?
-
Detroit Red Wings 39% (561)
-
Ottawa Senators 22% (306)
-
Other (Comment Below) 17% (241)
-
Carolina Hurricanes 9% (128)
-
Colorado Avalanche 4% (64)
-
Columbus Blue Jackets 4% (64)
-
Washington Capitals 4% (59)
Total votes: 1,423
Snapshots: Senators Sale, Canadiens Staff, Knoblauch
The new owner of the Ottawa Senators was revealed today, with Canadiens minority owner Michael Andlauer proving victorious after a long sale process. But while we now know the identity of the team’s new owner, the team won’t officially change hands for a few more months. Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch reports that the deal for the team may not close until September, as there remains “a lot of work to be done” and Andlauer must also sell his stake in the Canadiens before taking control of their division rival.
As a result of that wait, no significant changes to the team’s hockey operations department are expected until Andlauer assumes full control of the franchise, according to TSN’s Darren Dreger. Steve Staios, currently an Edmonton Oilers executive, has been widely reported to be of interest to Andlauer as a potentially significant addition to the Senators’ front office, and it’s possible that Andlauer would prefer to have different people in charge of hockey operations than the two figureheads currently in place: general manager Pierre Dorion and head coach D.J. Smith. But while it could very well end up being the case that Andlauer prefers new hires, it seems the current status quo will remain in place through this offseason, an arrangement that could have an impact in the team’s ongoing decision-making regarding star forward Alex DeBrincat.
Some other notes from across the NHL:
- While a variety of factors influenced the Montreal Canadiens’ fall from 2021 Stanley Cup finalist to league basement-dweller between 2021 and 2022/2023, one significant contributing factor is injuries. The team has been absolutely ravaged by injuries over the past two seasons, including this year when 2022 number-one pick Juraj Slafkovsky and star forward Cole Caufield were among the multitude of Canadiens to suffer season-ending injuries. The Canadiens have placed a high priority on player development at this stage of their rebuild, but head coach Martin St. Louis’ development efforts have been consistently hamstrung by injuries to key young talent. Now, off-ice changes are being made to address this situation. TVA Sports’ Tony Marinaro reports that the Canadiens have parted ways with head physiotherapist Donald Balmforth and head athletic therapist Graham Rynbend, a report that was confirmed by Jean Francois Chaumont of Le Journal de Montreal.
- The New York Rangers will retain Kris Knoblauch as their AHL head coach for next season, according to The Athletic’s Arthur Staple. Knoblauch was a candidate for the Rangers’ head coaching vacancy and has been the bench boss for the Hartford Wolf Pack for the past four seasons. He led Hartford to the AHL playoffs this past season and upset one of the Eastern Conference’s best teams, the Providence Bruins, in a playoff series. Knoblauch, 44, will look to build on the progress made for Hartford this past season and make a push toward Calder Cup contention.
Patrick Roy Resigns From QMJHL’s Québec Remparts
9:56 a.m. CT: Roy told the media this morning that “absolutely [no]” NHL team has reached out to him yet about a coaching position.
9:35 a.m. CT: NHL head coaching hopeful Patrick Roy announced today he’s leaving his post with the QMJHL’s Québec Remparts, reports TVA Sports. Roy and his Remparts just won the 2023 Memorial Cup, defeating the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds with a shutout win in the final game.
It’s quite auspicious timing for the announcement, given the sale of the Ottawa Senators to Michael Andlauer was agreed upon in principle this morning. Roy, who’s been connected to Senators coaching vacancies in the past, could be a leading candidate if the team decides to move on from D.J. Smith behind the bench this summer under new ownership.
Roy last coached in the NHL in 2016, serving as the head coach and VP of hockey operations for the Colorado Avalanche before abruptly quitting during training camp preceding the 2016-17 campaign. He was succeeded by Jared Bednar, who guided the Avalanche to their first Stanley Cup in over two decades in 2022.
After taking two years off, Roy returned to the Remparts as GM and head coach in 2018. Before joining the Avalanche, he had been Québec’s coach between 2005 and 2013 and general manager since retiring from the NHL in 2003. He also owned the Remparts from 1997 to 2014.
Roy has a penchant for a defensive style of play as a coach, an area where the Senators have struggled in recent seasons. One would argue, though, with the standout individual defensive performances of players like Artem Zub, that it’s more of a personnel issue than a coaching one. Nevertheless, if he does end up behind the Senators’ bench, improving the team’s defensive systems would be his first priority.
Michael Andlauer Expected To Purchase Ottawa Senators
8:30 a.m. CT: Andlauer’s winning bid for the Senators is worth $950MM, sources tell Garrioch. The final purchase price comes in well above most valuations of the franchise – Sportico values the team at $655MM, while Forbes was more optimistic at $800MM in 2022 (although it was a 52% change from 2021).
7:52 a.m. CT: Soon-to-be-former Montreal Canadiens minority owner Michael Andlauer has won the bidding war for the Ottawa Senators and is expected to assume ownership, sources tell Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch.
Andlauer’s bid won’t quite eclipse the $1 billion US mark but is close to it. The development comes after Garrioch reported Sunday that the NHL had urged the estate of previous owner Eugene Melnyk to reach a resolution to the sale process as soon as possible.
Multiple celebrity-backed bids for the Senators, namely Snoop Dogg’s involvement with Los Angeles-based entrepreneur Neko Sparks, The Weeknd’s involvement with Jeffrey and Michael Kimel, and Ryan Reynolds’ involvement with the Remington Group, were not selected. Reynolds chose not to submit a bid last month, while Andlauer’s bid eclipsed the value and stability of both the Kimel brothers’ and Sparks’ bids.
The agreement will now require approval from NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the league’s executive board. The board met regarding the sale last Wednesday but will likely meet again in a quick fashion considering today’s development. The approval process may extend beyond the upcoming NHL Board of Governors’ meeting in New York on June 22, but Bettman is expected to provide a comprehensive update to the governors on the status of the sale. In order to go through, Andlauer’s bid will require a two-thirds majority vote from the board.
This is expected to be the largest sale in NHL history, assuming it is indeed in the $1 billion US ballpark. It comes just two decades after Melnyk purchased the team out of bankruptcy. Per Garrioch, a no-relocation clause is included as part of this sale.
Garrioch’s reporting indicates Andlauer has impressed league representatives with his vision for the team and desire for competitiveness. Quality ownership, something that’s been missing at times throughout the team’s 30-plus-year history, should lead to more consistency on the ice.
All four final bids (Andlauer, Sparks, the Kimels, and Toronto billionaire Steve Apostolopoulos) ranged between $850MM and $1 billion, Garrioch said. Apostolopoulos withdrew from the sale process on Friday, citing frustration with the lack of a resolution, which could very well have influenced Andlauer’s camp to get this done quickly.
Per Garrioch, Anna and Olivia, Melnyk’s daughters and heirs of his estate, will retain up to a 10% stake in the franchise upon approval. As part of the agreement, Andlauer will obviously need to divest his ownership share in the Montreal Canadiens, where he currently holds a partial stake.
Andlauer is in a position to have a massive impact on the team – whether it’s by installing a new general manager, constructing a more centrally-located arena for the team, or both. After working with current Edmonton Oilers special assistant to the GM, Steve Staios, during Andlauer’s time owning the OHL’s Hamilton Bulldogs, he should be a name to watch if Andlauer decides it’s time to move on from Pierre Dorion.
Ottawa Senators Sale Could Be Just Days Away
- The sale of the Ottawa Senators franchise may finally be entering its final days. This is according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia who has been tirelessly reporting on the process. It seems likely that the new owner will be either Michael Andlauer or Jeffrey and Michael Kimel of the Harlo Capital Group, however Los Angeles producer Neko Sparks remains in the mix but seems less likely to be the preferred bidder. League sources told Garrioch that they are confident there are no more major hurdles to clear leading them to believe they are on the verge of closing out the eight-month process. It’ll be interesting to see if the bid comes close to the $1B bid that was apparently posted by Steve Apostolopoulos, who has since left the bidding after he reportedly became frustrated with the process.
Ottawa Senators Have Expressed Interest In Scott Laughton
Philadelphia Flyers forward Scott Laughton has once again entered trade speculation in recent days. It’s no surprise, given new general manager Daniel Brière‘s aggressive approach, already moving on from defender Ivan Provorov before the offseason begins in earnest.
The team is looking for a more significant rebuild/retool than they’ve had in years past, but there are certain targets the team wouldn’t be opposed to holding onto. Laughton, 29, is one of them – he’s been one of the team’s more consistent players over the past few seasons and has taken on a significant leadership role.
All that’s to say, if Philadelphia moves him, it won’t be for a marginal package. The Fourth Period’s Anthony DiMarco reported this morning the Flyers have turned down late first-round picks in exchange for Laughton, who had 43 points in 78 games this season and is locked in at a $3MM cap hit through 2026.
One of the teams who’ve called the Flyers about Laughton is the Ottawa Senators, David Pagnotta said this morning, adding to his colleague’s initial report. The team’s offer likely would’ve centered around their 2024 first-round selection – they’ve already given up this year’s first-round pick (12th overall) to the Arizona Coyotes in a deal for Jakob Chychrun.
Laughton is a natural center, a position the Senators struggled mightily at this season in regard to depth. However, that was instigated by a shoulder injury to Joshua Norris, who missed all but eight games. With he, Tim Stützle, and Shane Pinto locked into the top three center spots long-term, Laughton would likely shift to wing to play in the top nine.
That’s something he can do with ease, and he did so multiple times as a Flyer. His versatility is a valuable asset, though, especially if injuries strike the Senators again. Laughton’s been used quite a bit on the penalty kill in Philadelphia, too, though advanced metrics aren’t kind to his performance with a man down.
One has to question, though – for a team that hasn’t been able to exit their rebuild successfully despite multiple attempts, are the Senators (and general manager Pierre Dorion) in a safe position to give up two first-round selections within months of each other?
You’d likely get a pretty even split of answers to that question. The team undoubtedly has the core to advance to their first postseason since 2017, but depth issues at every position continue to plague them in a tough Atlantic Division. Laughton, a high-end third-line piece, could go a long way toward solving those issues.
If the Flyers do manage to get more than just a late first in return for Laughton, it’ll be a great return on their investment. Drafted 20th overall in 2012, Laughton has given the Flyers over 500 games and nearly 200 points of service over a 10-season career in the organization.