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Alex DeBrincat

Atlantic Notes: DeBrincat, MacDonald, Kapanen

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Senators winger Alex DeBrincat has had a very strong month of December with 18 points in 13 games heading into today’s action.  When they acquired him at the draft, he was viewed as someone that they likely felt was a long-term piece of the puzzle.  However, Postmedia’s Ken Warren suggests a long-term agreement for the pending RFA might not be a slam dunk.  With the ownership situation not settled, do the Sens have a firm commitment that they’ll be able to spend right to the Upper Limit next season?  With the team struggling, do they want GM Pierre Dorion working out another long-term contract for a forward, one that would limit their flexibility?  A new deal for the 25-year-old probably pushes Ottawa into a situation where their top six forwards will account for more than 50% of the cap next season.  Would they be better off spending that money to upgrade the back end for a more well-rounded roster?

Accordingly, Warren wonders if there’s a scenario in which Ottawa trades DeBrincat at the trade deadline.  If they’re out of the mix and DeBrincat isn’t overly open to a long-term agreement, it’s possible that the smarter long-term play would be to move him.  It’d be a notable step back for the Senators at least in the short term but if they’re still out of the playoff picture in a couple of months, it’s one that might get considered if there’s no extension in place by then.

More from the Atlantic:

  • Lightning prospect Cameron MacDonald is on the move in the QMJHL as Saint John announced that they’ve moved the forward to Gatineau for a pair of draft picks. The 19-year-old was a fifth-round pick by Tampa Bay back in 2021 (160th overall) and is averaging more than a point per game this season with 16 goals and 13 assists in 27 contests.  In order for the Lightning to retain his NHL rights, they’ll have to sign MacDonald by June 1st and how he fares down the stretch with the Olympiques will go a long way toward determining if he’s worthy of an entry-level deal.
  • Canadiens prospect Oliver Kapanen has signed a one-year extension with KalPa through the 2023-24 season, the Finnish team announced. The 19-year-old was a second-round pick by Montreal in 2021 (64th overall) and has seven goals and seven assists in 32 SM-liiga games this season.  He’s currently playing for Finland at the World Juniors where he has two points in three games so far.

Snapshots: Novak, Robertson, DeBrincat

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There’s no better news than the kind Minnesota Wild prospect Pavel Novak shared today, announcing that he is now cancer-free. The 20-year-old forward was diagnosed in June and after undergoing treatment, released the following on his Instagram page today:

After a few months of troubles, I’m happy to share with you that I beat the cancer. There is no better feeling than to be healthy again. I would like to say thank you to all the doctors who helped me get over this. You’re my heroes. The biggest thank you to my parents and sister who always supported me and went through treatment with me. It wouldn’t work without you. Also thank you to everyone who was praying for me!

I’m really excited about what the future brings. 

Novak, 20, was the 146th pick of the 2020 draft and dominated with the Kelowna Rockets last season, scoring 29 goals and 72 points in 62 games. It is not clear yet when he will return to competitive hockey but the news is certainly encouraging.

  • While Kevin Weekes of ESPN tweeted this morning to keep an eye on the Dallas Stars, Darren Dreger of TSN suggests that a “major shift” might be needed in order to have Jason Robertson signed in time for the start of the regular season. There is still more than a week before Dallas kicks things off against the Nashville Predators on October 13 but there is no indication at this point that a deal is imminent. Robertson remains unsigned and will have to ink a contract by December 1 to play at all this season.
  • That wasn’t the only contract situation that Weekes tweeted about. The NHL insider also suggested that the Ottawa Senators are “actively working” to try and reach an extension with Alex DeBrincat, after acquiring him this summer. The situation is “fluid” according to Weekes, which suggests nothing is imminent on that front either. It does make sense that the Senators would be trying to sign the two-time 40-goal man but it will take a big number to lock up DeBrincat. The 24-year-old is owed a $9MM qualifying offer for next season, his last before reaching unrestricted free agency in 2024.

East Notes: DeBrincat, Severson, Flyers Injuries

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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.

Now, for some other notes from across the NHL’s Eastern Conference:

  • New Jersey Devils defenseman Damon Severson has spent the entirety of his eight-year professional career in New Jersey, but with his contract set to expire at the end of this season, his time in red and black could be coming to an end. Severson told the media today, as relayed by James Nichols of The Fourth Period, that contract talks between him and the Devils have not yet begun. That doesn’t mean that a deal won’t get done between now and next summer, of course, but with the signing of Dougie Hamilton, the recent Jonas Siegenthaler extension, the acquisition of John Marino, and the eventual arrivals of Luke Hughes and Simon Nemec, it’s definitely possible that the Devils don’t see room for Severson long-term in their top-four.
  • The Philadelphia Flyers issued a few injury updates today, as reported by NHL.com’s Bill Meltzer. Per the update, both Artem Anisimov and Carter Hart are dealing with lower-body injuries, and Cam Atkinson is dealing with an upper-body ailment. All are officially day-to-day. While these injuries don’t seem likely to have any major impact on Hart or  Atkinson, an injury could pose an issue for Anisimov, who is in Flyers camp on a PTO and is battling for a roster spot.

Snapshots: Eller, Golden Knights, DeBrincat

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With Washington’s top two centers being Evgeny Kuznetsov and newcomer Dylan Strome (with Nicklas Backstrom injured) and Connor McMichael in the mix as well, some have wondered if the Capitals should look into moving veteran middleman Lars Eller.  However, Sammi Silber of Washington Hockey Now cautions against that approach, noting that having a bit of a logjam down the middle is never a bad thing while Eller can certainly help on the defensive side of things, an area that McMichael isn’t ready to take on just yet.  With one year left at $3.5MM, Washington would have some interest if they were to shop the 33-year-old around but his best value might come later in the season compared to now when the trade market is not yielding top returns for veteran players.

More from around the hockey world:

  • While the season-ending injury to Robin Lehner has many thinking that the Golden Knights need to acquire a goaltender, Vegas’ Ken Boehlke argues that the best move they could make is to make no move at all. That will allow them to evaluate whether the core of this roster is truly good enough to contend and assess the readiness of Logan Thompson to be a full-time NHL goaltender.  If they’re in the playoff picture midseason, that approach would also give them a bit of cap flexibility to try to add thanks to LTIR as they won’t have spent Lehner’s $5MM at that point.  Vegas hasn’t shown much patience in their brief NHL tenure but there’s definitely a case to be made for them to have some now.
  • In his latest mailbag column (subscription link), Scott Powers of The Athletic reports that Alex DeBrincat didn’t show interest in signing a long-term deal with the Blackhawks before his trade to Ottawa last month. The 24-year-old was only eligible to sign an extension at the start of the new league year on July 13th (a few days after the swap) and is owed a qualifying offer of $9MM next summer.  That amount will likely be the starting point for extension negotiations with the Senators as he’s coming off his second 41-goal campaign over the last four years.

Latest On Jonathan Toews

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It wasn’t too many years ago that Jonathan Toews and his Chicago Blackhawks were at the top of the league’s pecking order, but it somehow also seems like the team’s rebuild has dragged on for too long with no end in sight. It’s an arduous process that’s called Toews’ (and Patrick Kane’s) future with the team into question, as the Blackhawks legends are just one year away from the expiration of their contracts and unrestricted free agency. Speaking with The Athletic’s Mark Lazerus, Toews says he “really doesn’t know” what the future holds for him and said the idea of a lengthy rebuild “[didn’t] sound appealing.”

In his interview, Toews spoke frankly about Chicago’s moves since the turn of the calendar year, specifically referencing the team’s trades involving Brandon Hagel, Alex DeBrincat, and Kirby Dach. Calling it “unfortunate that it’s come to that,” Toews especially named Dach as a player he felt he had under his wing and had developed a good mentor relationship with.

On a more positive note for Toews and Blackhawks fans, he spoke highly of the team’s expected approach under new head coach Luke Richardson. If he isn’t approached about a trade prior to the season (he does still have a full no-movement clause), he said he’s “really excited” to play under Richardson and his hard-working approach.

Regardless, this is a significant crossroads for Toews and the Blackhawks organization. Considering his declining production and recent health issues, it could very well be that this is simply Toews’ last season playing in the NHL. Toews had just 37 points in 71 games last season, and even his half-retained cap hit of $5.25MM might be too hard to stomach for most interested teams. If Toews plans to either retire or sign elsewhere in free agency, Chicago risks ill-affordable poor asset management by not getting potential trade value in return for Toews.

With that said, it’s nearly impossible to predict when Toews’ trade value would be highest. Does Chicago bank on Toews having a rebound year, allowing them to get a higher return closer to the trade deadline, or do they trade him prior to the season in anticipation of declining value? It’s a delicate, tricky situation as all parties are concerned.

Ottawa Senators Acquire Alex DeBrincat

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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

Morning Notes: DeBrincat, Staios, Bowness

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As the 2022 NHL Draft approaches, many eyes are on the Chicago Blackhawks with speculation running rampant over the future of young sniper Alex DeBrincat. It’s not often that a player has two 40-goal seasons under his belt by the time he’s 24, even rarer for that player to be available in trade. With the Blackhawks starting a scorched earth rebuild in Chicago though, DeBrincat could find his way out the door.

Scott Powers and Mark Lazerus of The Athletic believe that the Blackhawks would pull the trigger on a DeBrincat deal if they received the right offer, and suggest that could be a top-10 pick and a quality prospect. That may seem like a disappointing return to fans who are hoping for a franchise-altering haul for their young star.

  • Sixty-six points in 59 regular season games, an OHL championship, and a Memorial Cup final. It was a pretty nice season for undrafted defenseman Nathan Staios even before the personal awards. He was named both OHL Most Outstanding Defenseman and CHL Defenseman of the Year, giving him a nice platform to negotiate from as he tries to turn pro. Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet notes that the Florida Panthers have shown some interest in the 21-year-old, who is the son of former NHL defenseman Steve Staios.
  • Not only does Rick Bowness have a two-year deal as the head coach of the Winnipeg Jets, it includes a third-year option as well. Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that it is a club option worth close to $3MM. Bowness, 67, is coming up on 40 years since he first stepped behind the bench with the Jets, joining the organization as an assistant in 1984 after his playing days ended there.

West Notes: DeBrincat, Dickinson, Oilers

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If the Blackhawks are going to move Alex DeBrincat this summer, it’s going to take a sizable haul to get him.  Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman notes in the latest 32 Thoughts podcast (audio link) that Chicago is believed to have recently turned down a package that would have yielded a high first-round pick in next week’s draft, another first-round selection, and a prospect for the 24-year-old but GM Kyle Davidson felt it wasn’t enough.  DeBrincat is coming off a 41-goal, 78-point season and has one year left on his current deal with a $6.4MM AAV but will be owed a $9MM qualifying offer next summer which is something that acquiring teams will need to budget around.  Meanwhile, with the Blackhawks squarely in a rebuild now, the time might be right to sell high on their star winger and they have justifiably set a high asking price for his services.

Elsewhere out West:

  • The Canucks are unlikely to pursue a buyout with center Jason Dickinson this month, notes Thomas Drance of The Athletic (subscription link). Vancouver acquired the 26-year-old last summer with the hope that he could be a quality third-line center, signing him to a three-year deal that carries a $2.65MM cap hit.  However, Dickinson managed to put up just five goals and six assists in 62 games this past season, numbers that aren’t close to justifying that cap hit.  But since a buyout cost wouldn’t yield considerably higher savings than waiving and demoting him, the Canucks may be better off keeping him around or flipping him for another player that’s similarly underachieving.
  • The Oilers have extended the decision deadlines for defenseman Duncan Keith and goalie Mike Smith, reports Daniel Nugent-Bowman of The Athletic (subscription link). Originally, Edmonton was looking for clarity on their futures by July 1st but that has now been pushed to July 10th.  At this point, Keith appears to be likely to return although there has been recent speculation that Smith, who played through multiple injuries this past season, could be placed on LTIR for the final year of his contract which would have the Oilers on the lookout for another goalie in the coming weeks.

Latest On Chicago Rebuild

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The Chicago Blackhawks are committed to a full rebuild, now that Kyle Davidson has taken over as general manager. He has said so on several occasions and proved his intentions by trading 23-year-old forward Brandon Hagel for a haul of assets. Franchise icons like Jonathan Toews have openly wondered about what that means for their future with the organization, as a complete tear-down appears to be on the way.

You might think that a 24-year-old who just scored 41 goals for the second time in his career might be safe, but apparently, you’d be wrong. Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff writes that the question is now “when” Alex DeBrincat will be traded, not “if,” and lists him at the very top of his trade target board. Scott Powers and Shayna Goldman of The Athletic also examine this possibility, with one source telling them they “doubt DeBrincat is with the team through next season” and that the young sniper will either be traded this summer or at the 2023 deadline.

Notably, this is likely about money more than anything else. Because of the way DeBrincat’s current contract is structured, he is owed $9MM in salary this season, despite his cap hit being just $6.4MM. That means he’ll also be due a $9MM qualifying offer at the end of the 2022-23 season in order to retain his rights, and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024.

If the Blackhawks wanted to extend him then, it would be at an extremely high price, one that doesn’t really make sense for a rebuilding club. The team isn’t expected to be competitive for a few years at least, which would mean any long-term deal for DeBrincat would be paying top dollar without taking advantage of his best years.

Still, it’s hard to wrap your head around a trade that includes such a young, star player. Make no mistake, DeBrincat is one of the most dangerous and consistent goal scorers in the entire league, even if his production has been overshadowed by the struggles in Chicago. Since he entered the league in 2017, only seven players have scored more than his 160 goals. He only turned 24 in December, meaning he’ll play a good chunk of next season at that age, and he has rarely missed games due to injury, suiting up for all 82 in three of his five years.

This is a player that every single team in the league could use, though the price tag attached to an extension would rule several out. Still, that might be what would intrigue Davidson and the Blackhawks so much, knowing the absolute haul they could bring back for a player like DeBrincat.

Central Notes: DeBrincat, O’Brien, Spurgeon

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Blackhawks winger Alex DeBrincat will be eligible to sign a contract extension in July and indicated to reporters, including Ben Pope of the Chicago-Sun Times, that he’s open to having those discussions whenever the team is.  The 24-year-old has been one of the few bright spots for Chicago this season, notching 40 goals and 36 assists in 79 games.  DeBrincat will be owed a $9MM qualifying offer in the 2023 offseason so it stands to reason that any discussion of an early extension will have that number as a starting point.  Pope adds that DeBrincat isn’t expected to suit up at the World Championships next month with him and his wife expecting their first child.

Elsewhere in the Central:

  • Coyotes winger Liam O’Brien may be able to return to the lineup on Wednesday against Dallas, relays Jose M. Romero of the Arizona Republic (Twitter link). The 27-year-old has missed the last two months with an upper-body injury.  O’Brien has had a quiet year with three points and 106 penalty minutes in 37 games but was rewarded with a two-year contract extension last month, the first one-way deal of his career.
  • Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon left last night’s game early in the first period. While some were hoping he was being held out as a precautionary measure, head coach Dean Evason told reporters postgame, including Michael Russo of The Athletic (Twitter link), that the blueliner suffered an upper-body injury and will undergo testing to learn how much time he’ll miss.  The timing is hardly optimal for Minnesota as Spurgeon is one of their top defensemen (he leads their back end in points with 39 while sitting third in ATOI at just over 21 minutes a night) and their first-round series against St. Louis starting early next week.

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