Per TSN:
As the NHL off-season continues, the Ottawa Senators are searching for a landing spot for winger Alex DeBrincat, who is unwilling to sign with the club long-term.
Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia reports the Senators have given DeBrincat’s agent permission to negotiate with at least three teams regarding an extension, but his price appears to be too high for all of them.
TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger said on the Ray and Dregs Podcast that the winger is looking for a contract similar to the one Timo Meier signed with the New Jersey Devils last week – eight years, $70.2 million, with an average annual value of $8.775 million. Dreger notes, however, that acquiring teams see DeBrincat’s value as being close to Jesper Bratt, who inked an eight-year, $63 million contract with the Devils, carrying a cap hit of $7.875 million.
“If that’s holding up a trade, and it sounds like it might be, then it’s got to be up to Alex DeBrincat to reconsider or maybe he stays in Ottawa,” Dreger said.
That’s a bit much for a one trick pony even if he’s one hell of a goal scorer. Anything over an $8 million cap hit would be over paying, but we are desperate for goal scoring and DeBrincat knows it.
Listened to a podcast earlier and they made a great point, the reason we are in this situation is because the previous regime whiffed on four straight 1st round picks. Svechnikov (could’ve had Konecny), Cholowski (should’ve drafted Chuchrun), Rasmussen (could’ve had Suzuki) and Zadina (even if Holland didn’t draft Hughes, I’d love to have Bouchard since that was his 2nd choice). That’s just piss poor drafting any way you look at it. Only Rasmussen is left on the team and he’s just a good player.