On the DeBrincat trade’s Yzer-timeline

If anything struck me about the timing of the Alex DeBrincat trade, it was simple:

We’re not working on regular time in Detroit–we’re working on Yzer-time, and that’s how this rebuild is going to continue to mature.

That’s a good thing, not a bad thing, because I fully believe that, had Steve Yzerman attempted to trade for Alex DeBrincat during the draft, or, on the first day of unrestricted free agency, the price Pierre Dorion and the Ottawa Senators were asking for would have been much higher–and the price that it would have cost to sign DeBrincat to that four-year, $31 million extension would have been higher.

Now there’s no doubt that surrendering Dominik Kubalik (an every-other-game point-scorer), Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 1st round pick and 4th round pick is not exactly fleecing Ottawa. That’s a significant price to pay for the 25-year-old DeBrincat.

But the Red Wings’ GM didn’t care for the price the Senators or DeBrincat’s agent, Jeff Jackson, were asking for the price of making a draft-day splash.

We all knew, despite the Vatican-level of security around the Red Wings’ front office, that DeBrincat wanted a Timo Meier-sized, $8.8-million, 8-year contract. And we all knew that Dylan Larkin’s $8.7 million cap hit was and is the team’s “internal salary cap.” And we knew that nobody was going to get an 8-year term if they weren’t named Moritz Seider or Lucas Raymond.

We also had some hints and inklings from various scribes that Jonatan Berggren would be among the Senators’ “asks,” and we all knew that wasn’t going to happen, either.

So what did the GM do?

Continue reading On the DeBrincat trade’s Yzer-timeline

Bultman on the DeBrincat deal

The Athletic’s Max Bultman has weighed in regarding the Red Wings’ trade for Alex DeBrincat via an in-depth article on The Athletic:

The Red Wings finally got their man. Alex DeBrincat is coming home.

All summer, the potential match between Detroit and the dynamic-scoring DeBrincat felt close to perfect: a Farmington Hills, Michigan, native not interested in an extension in Ottawa and his hometown Red Wings in dire need of a scorer. The fit seemed so natural, even if the finer details — working out a trade with the Senators and a contract with DeBrincat — were less so. Would Detroit be willing to pony up draft capital and a big contract? Would the Senators be willing to trade the 25-year-old scorer within the Atlantic Division?

In the end, those questions were just that: details. And Sunday night, Detroit finally pulled off its signature move of the summer, acquiring DeBrincat for a conditional 2024 first-round pick, winger Dominik Kubalik, prospect Donovan Sebrango and a 2024 fourth-round pick. Immediately, the team also announced a four-year contract with DeBrincat at an average annual value of $7.875 million.

There’s plenty to unpack with the move, even as anticipated and discussed as it was over recent days and weeks. But the most important piece is that the Red Wings, at last, got the top-six scorer they so badly needed.

Continued (paywall)

Duff on the bigger, stronger Red Wings’ lineup

Detroit Hockey Now’s Bob Duff took note of the Red Wings’ desire to address their needs for size and strength in the lineup over the course of the free agent period:

Defenseman Justin Holl is 6-foot-3 and 197 pounds. Right-winger Christian Fischer is 6-foot-2 and 212 pounds. Even right-winger Daniel Sprong, thought not known first and foremost for his physicality, is 6-foot and 202 pounds. Klim Kostin, a 6-foot-3, 215-pound center, was added from Edmonton via trade.

“They make us a bigger team,” Yzerman said. “Klim adds a bit of a dimension of not only shooting the puck in the net but hardness. Christian is a real good checker, a straight up and down right winger. He can kill penalties. I think each player has more room to grow, but they make us a little bigger for sure.”

Kostin led the Oilers with 157 hits. Fischer dished out 126 hits last season for the Arizona Coyotes. Holl was second on the Maple Leafs in both hits (151) and blocked shots (139).

“I’m a pretty big body,” Fischer said. “I like to use the word being a power forward. With that, I take a lot of pride in being a 200-foot player. It’s very cliche to say and an easy answer but I value playing the D side of the puck.

“I’d like to say I do a lot of those dirty things. They’re not goals and assists but I know the boys and the team, everyone knows that’s how you win hockey games. I would just say I’m a simple, 200-foot power forward.”

Continued

Summarizing the media’s reaction to the DeBrincat deal

Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first broke news of the Alex DeBrincat deal just short of 7:30 PM, per Paul Kukla of Abel to Yzerman.

The deal is not an easy win: It’s Alex DeBrincat, who was signed to a 4-year, $31 million contract, for Dominik Kubalik, Ottawa-area native Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 1st round pick in 2024 and a 4th round pick.

The Senators’ website explains the situation as to how the 2024 1st round pick works:

The Ottawa Senators announced today that the team has acquired forward Dominik Kubalik, prospect defenceman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 2024 first-round draft pick and Detroit’s 2024 fourth-round selection from the Red Wings in exchange for forward Alex DeBrincat.

The initial condition on the first-round pick is as follows — the Red Wings will have the option of sending their own 2024 first-round pick or Boston’s 2024 first-round pick (previously acquired on March 2, 2023) to Ottawa. However, if the Bruins’ 2024 first-round selection is an eventual top-10 pick (following the annual draft lottery), Boston will have the option of retaining the pick and transfering its 2025 unprotected first-round selection to Detroit. The Red Wings will then have the option of sending that draft pick or their own first-round pick in 2024 to the Senators to complete this trade.

From the Senators’ perspective, not all is lost, as the Ottawa Sun’s Bruce Garrioch suggests…

Alex DeBrincat didn’t want to be with the Ottawa Senators so the club sent him packing Sunday night.

Unable to get the two-time 40-goal scored signed to a long-term deal, Senators general manager Pierre Dorion sent the 25-year-old DeBrincat to his hometown Detroit Red Wings and he immediately signed a four-year deal worth $7.85 million (all figures U.S.) per season.

After acquiring DeBrincat before last June’s draft from the Chicago Blackhawks, the Senators acquired winger Dominik Kubalik, prospect defenceman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional 2024 first-round draft pick and Detroit’s 2024 fourth-round selection from the Wings.

Kubalik, 27, is the centrepiece of the deal. He had 20 goals and 45 points in 81 games with the Wings last season and has one year left on a deal that will pay him $2.5 million next season. He could play a top-line role here.

“He’s a really good scorer and he wasn’t in a front-line role in Detroit,” a league executive said Sunday night.

Also:

TSN’s Darren Dreger said Monday Jackson was seeking a deal similar to Timo Meier’s eight-year, $70.2 million extension with the New Jersey Devils. That’s an average of $8.8 per season, but teams don’t believe he deserves that salary.

They value him closer to a deal in the $7.8 million range, and sources say none were willing to offer the eight-year deal that Jackson was demanding for DeBrincat. But DeBrincant wanted to be in Detroit so bad he took less term than he could have received from the Senators to move on.

Getting DeBrincat’s $9 million salary off the books for next season could open up the ability for the club to sign unrestricted free agent winger Vladimir Tarasenko to a short-term deal.

Amongst the Twitterverse reactions:

Continue reading Summarizing the media’s reaction to the DeBrincat deal

Tweets of note: Donovan Sebrango says ‘Thanks,’ Wings say goodbye to ‘Kuby’

Tweets/videos of note on the DeBrincat deal

The Red Wings have acquired Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators for Dominik Kubalik, Donovan Sebrango, a 2024 1st round pick and a conditional 4th round pick.

The NHL Network posted a highlight reel of DeBrincat’s work…

And the Red Wings’ social media team got to work on a Sunday night:

Red Wings acquire Alex DeBrincat for Dominik Kubalik, Donovan Sebrango and a 1st round pick in 2024 (and a conditional 4th); DeBrincat signed to 4-year deal at $7.875 million per season

From the Detroit Red Wings’ PR department:

RED WINGS ACQUIRE ALEX DEBRINCAT FROM OTTAWA SENATORS IN EXCHANGE FOR DOMINIK KUBALIK, DONOVAN SEBRANGO, A CONDITIONAL FIRST-ROUND SELECTION AND A FOURTH-ROUND PICK IN 2024 NHL ENTRY DRAFT 

  … Farmington Hills Native Signs Four-Year Contract With Detroit  …

DETROIT – The Detroit Red Wings today acquired right wing Alex DeBrincat from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for left wing Dominik Kubalik, defenseman Donovan Sebrango, a conditional first-round selection and a fourth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Additionally, the Red Wings have signed DeBrincat to a four-year contract with an average annual value of $7.875 million.

DeBrincat, 25, played the 2022-23 season with the Senators and ranked among the team leaders with 27 goals (4th), 39 assists (5th), 66 points (4th), 45 penalty minutes (7th), 11 power play goals (T2nd), 30 power play points (1st), two overtime goals (T1st), six game-winning goals (T1st) and 263 shots (2nd) in 82 games. The 5-foot-8, 178-pound forward was acquired by the Senators after spending five seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks from 2017-22, representing the franchise at the 2022 NHL All-Star Game. DeBrincat tallied a career-high 78 points (41-37-78) in 82 games during the 2021-22 campaign, pacing the Blackhawks with 41 goals to match his personal best set in 2018-19. Originally selected by Chicago in the second round (39th overall) of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, DeBrincat has compiled 373 points (187-186-373) and 112 penalty minutes in 450 games with the Blackhawks and Senators since 2017-18, in addition to six points (2-4-6) and nine penalty minutes in nine postseason contests.

A native of Farmington Hills, Mich., DeBrincat notched three consecutive 100-point seasons with the Ontario Hockey League’s Erie Otters from 2014-17 prior to turning professional. In total, DeBrincat accumulated 332 points (167-165-332), a plus-137 rating and 150 penalty minutes in 191 games for the Otters, along with 73 points (30-43-73) and 49 penalty minutes in 55 postseason matchups. He was honored as the Canadian Hockey League’s Player of the Year in 2016-17 after leading the OHL in goals (65) and points (127) in 73 games. DeBrincat also helped the Otters win an OHL championship in 2017 with a league-high 38 points (13-25-38) in 22 playoff games before earning a place on the Memorial Cup All-Star Team with 10 points (2-8-10) in five appearances. He was named the CHL’s Rookie of the Year in 2014-15 after pacing all OHL freshmen in goals (51), assists (53) and points (104) in 68 games. Before starting his major junior career, DeBrincat attended Lake Forest (Ill.) Prep, racking up 111 points (54-57-111) in 50 games during the 2013-14 campaign. While growing up in Metro Detroit, DeBrincat skated with the Victory Honda AAA program from 2010-13.

On the international stage, DeBrincat represented Team USA at the 2019 IIHF World Championship, recording nine points (7-2-9) and four penalty minutes in eight games. He captured a bronze medal at the 2018 IIHF World Championship, logging nine points (1-8-9) and a plus-three rating in 10 games. DeBrincat also won a bronze medal at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship, netting one goal and 25 penalty minutes in five appearances.