Woodward Sports Network’s Terry Foster discusses what he believes are the “hold-ups” to a possible trade between the Red Wings and Ottawa Senators for one Alex DeBrincat:
The Red Wings and Ottawa Senators reached a tentative agreement bringing him to Detroit. That is why his name was taken off the Ottawa Senators website.
However, Yzerman is a tough negotiator. The Wings won’t make anything official until reaching an agreement with DeBrincat. Yzerman does not like long-term deals no matter who is the player because he does not want a situation where DeBrincat is stumbling across the ice like a drunken sailor at age 34 or 35.
DeBrincat wants an eight-year deal valued at between $8.75 million to $9 million per season.
Yzerman won’t move off five-years at $7.5 million a year. The number of years is more important to Yzerman than the money. He does not want a replay of the Tigers Miggy deal where slugger Miguel Cabrera still commands a huge salary despite minimal production on a losing team.
DeBrincat, 25, says he wants to play for the Red Wings but in his defense this is his last chance at a big contract.
So the Red Wings and DeBrincat must find a compromise to make this happen.
The Wings do not want to pay DeBrincat more than Captain Dylan Larkin (eight-years, $69.5 million). Unless they swing for the fences and obtain Toronto Maple Leafs star Auston Matthews, the next Wing to earn $9 million or more will be defenseman Mo Seider.
