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Latest On Alex DeBrincat

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When the Ottawa Senators traded the seventh-overall pick at the 2021 draft along with two other picks to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for Alex DeBrincat, many assumed that the Senators were making the trade with the idea of signing DeBrincat to a long-term extension. While that’s definitely Ottawa’s preferred option with their new winger, it seems DeBrincat hasn’t made a firm choice on whether to commit to the Senators long-term just yet.

As reported by Ian Mendes of The Athletic, DeBrincat “isn’t ready” to sign a long-term deal in Ottawa at this point, although he did say that he’s “open” to the possibility of it. (subscription link) DeBrincat will be eligible to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024, and without a long-term deal in place DeBrincat could accept a $9MM minimum qualifying offer this summer, which would take him right to free agency. DeBrincat, who scored 78 points this season, is an extremely talented offensive player and someone who the Senators undoubtedly want to be a cornerstone member of their club. With this development in mind, it will be important to monitor how well DeBrincat fits in his new surroundings in Ottawa because that fit could determine if the Senators get their wish, which is DeBrincat’s signature on a long-term deal.

Ottawa Senators Make Three Training Camp Cuts

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  • The Ottawa Senators announced three cuts from their training camp today, sending prospects Chandler Romeo, Reid Valade, and Dalyn Wakely to their OHL clubs. Romeo, 19, was a seventh-round pick of the Senators at the 2021 draft while Valade and Wakely have each not been drafted. All three were not expected to play significant roles at training camp or in the preseason.

Ottawa Senators Sign Jorian Donovan

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The Ottawa Senators’ front office isn’t slowing down to take in training camp. The team announced today that they have signed prospect Jorian Donovan to a three-year entry-level contract.

Donovan, 18, was the team’s fifth-round pick this summer, selected 136th overall after his first season in the OHL. The young defenseman had 22 points in 64 games for the Hamilton Bulldogs, after being the sixth-overall pick in the 2020 OHL priority selection.

While he was born in Calgary, this is a hometown kid for the Senators. Donovan is the son of former NHL forward Shean Donovan, who played more than 950 games in the league and is now a development coach with the organization. He finished his playing career in Ottawa, and coached with the 67’s and the Kanata Lasers, the minor program where Jorian made his name.

It’s not just nepotism that got him this deal though, as general manager Pierre Dorion explains:

We’ve been impressed with Jorian’s game since drafting him in July. He competes hard and will be a defenceman that Hamilton leans on in every situation this season. An athletic player who skates well, getting Jorian under contract today is an important step for the future of the organization.

There is real upside in the young defenseman, and Dorion is right when he says the Bulldogs will be relying on him this season. With the graduation of Nathan Staios and Arber Xhekaj, there will be big minutes available in Hamilton this season. If a player like Donovan takes over in that top role, his value could skyrocket quickly.

Zack Ostapchuk Out Weeks; Will Be Sent Back To Junio

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  • Zack Ostapchuk, the 39th overall pick in 2021, is out a few weeks for the Ottawa Senators and will be sent back to junior after he’s healthy enough according to Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia. That ends any possibility that he could make the team out of camp after his outstanding playoff run for the Vancouver Giants of the WHL. The 19-year-old is not yet eligible for the AHL and instead will go back and try to carry over that postseason success for an entire year.

Shane Pinto Activated From Injured Reserve

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After a brilliant end to the 2020-21 season and a strong training camp, it appeared as though Shane Pinto had set himself up to be a key contributor to the Ottawa Senators last year. He started things off by averaging nearly 20 minutes of ice time through his first three games, and was set to have a strong rookie season. Then, unfortunately, he suffered a shoulder injury that would essentially end his year. He would end up on injured reserve for basically the entire thing, finishing with just one point in five games – two of which he lasted less than five minutes.

Now, finally, Pinto has been officially activated from injured reserve according to CapFriendly, and will try to give his rookie season another go. The 21-year-old center was selected 32nd overall in 2019 and dominated for two years at the University of North Dakota, before scoring seven points in 12 games in 2020-21 for the Senators.

Healthy and surrounded by improved talent, there’s a chance for Pinto to get right back to where he was a year ago. Interestingly, though, the second-line center position has been filled in his absence. Joshua Norris and Tim Stutzle now occupy those two spots, likely leaving Pinto in the third-line pivot role, likely beside Mathieu Joseph. Alex Formenton, who would be a top candidate for the other wing spot there is still unsigned, meaning it could go to someone like the recently-signed Tyler Motte for now, though training camp will determine that.

In any case, it is exciting time for Pinto and Senators fans as he takes another crack at becoming a full-time NHL player. His development is one of the things that could push the team over the edge and have them competing for the playoffs this season.

Snapshots: Sandin, Senators, Schneider

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One of the unsigned restricted free agents still waiting on a contract is Rasmus Sandin of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Some have suggested that the Maple Leafs could trade the young defenseman, but Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet threw some cold water on that today during the 32 Thoughts podcast.

Like I said a couple of weeks ago, I really don’t think Toronto has a desire to trade Sandin. You look at their depth chart over the next couple of years and basically every defenseman aside from [Timothy] Liljegren and [Morgan] Rielly come off the cap pretty soon. I think they have a desire to keep him. 

Friedman notes that some agents believe the leverage for Sandin (and fellow unsigned RFA Nicolas Hague) has been lowered by some of the recent deals signed, including the ones for Michael Anderson (one year, $1MM) and Sean Durzi (two years, $3.4MM) with the Los Angeles Kings. Camp starts in just a few days, meaning Sandin might be absent if a deal can’t be worked out at the last second.

  • The Ottawa Senators announced their full leadership group ahead of what should be a very interesting season. Claude Giroux will be one of Brady Tkachuk’s alternates, along with Thomas Chabot, after signing a three-year, $19.5MM contract this offseason. Giroux served as captain of the Philadelphia Flyers for ten seasons before reaching unrestricted free agency this summer.
  • Cory Schneider will be back in the New York Islanders organization this season says general manager Lou Lamoriello, who spoke with media including Kevin Kurz of The Athletic today. The 36-year-old goaltender leaned into his role with the AHL’s Bridgeport Islanders last year, posting a .921 save percentage in 30 games, while also making one appearance at the NHL level (and winning his first game since 2019-20). Like so much other Islanders-related news, it is not clear what kind of contract Schneider will be signing, or what role is expected of him this year.

Viktor Lodin Suffers Upper-Body Injury

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  • After a successful season helping his Swedish club, Timra IK, survive its first season back in the SHL, Viktor Lodin crossed the Atlantic and saw his first North American professional action with the Senators. The 2019 fourth-round pick played well, scoring eight points in 10 AHL games and even got into his first NHL game. That success meant Lodin would be competing for a lineup spot in Senators training camp, but unfortunately he may have to wait. In today’s prospect tournament game vs. the Montreal Canadiens, Lodin went hard into the boards and sustained an upper-body injury that caused him to leave the game. While we don’t have word on the full extent of the injury, it’s surely not an ideal development for Lodin’s NHL odds.

Ridly Greig Unlikely To Play In Rookie Tournament

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  • The Senators are expected to hold prospect Ridly Greig out of all three rookie tournament games, notes Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch. The 20-year-old suffered a shoulder injury at the World Juniors and Ottawa is expected to be cautious with him with training camps fast approaching.  He had six points in five events for Canada at the tournament and could battle for a spot in the bottom six in the preseason although some time with AHL Belleville in a more prominent role might be the best move from a development perspective.

Ottawa Senators Sign Derick Brassard, Michael Dal Colle To PTOs

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The momentum behind the Ottawa Senators continues, this time with two veteran forwards joining the group for training camp. General manager Pierre Dorion told reporters including Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia that Derick Brassard and Michael Dal Colle will both be with the Senators in camp on professional tryouts.

Brassard, 34, is a familiar face for Ottawa fans, having played parts of two seasons with the team in the past. While his time there was relatively successful, many will remember him only as the piece that the Senators received for a young Mika Zibanejad from the New York Rangers in 2016. While Zibanejad is now a star, Brassard has bounced around, playing for seemingly every team in the league to this point.

After starting with the Columbus Blue Jackets and then going through New York and Ottawa, the veteran forward has played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, and Edmonton Oilers. Last year saw him record 19 points in 46 games and now he is just searching for a place to play.

Dal Colle, meanwhile, is finally getting a chance with a different organization after spending his entire career to this point with the Islanders. The fifth-overall pick in 2014, he has played just 112 regular season NHL games to this point in his career and has just eight goals. Even his minor league totals haven’t been off-the-charts, though perhaps a fresh start will breathe life back into his career.

Still just 26, Dal Colle has never been able to use his size – 6’3″ – to his advantage, regularly acting like a small perimeter player instead of the power forward that some believed he could be. Now with a chance to showcase what he can do outside of the Islanders system, he’ll have to do more than he has to this point if he wants another NHL deal.

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