With the puck dropping on the regular season next week, teams are in a frenzy to solidify extensions with their top players. Leaving a player extension to the last minute is risky, as it gives the player a lot of leverage as well as adds the risk of an offer sheet. The Ottawa Senators appear to be all in for this season, making big moves, the biggest of which acquiring Alex DeBrincat from the Chicago Blackhawks. The Senators are now looking to give DeBrincat an extension.
NHL Rumours: Senators Making Moves
Rumour: Per Kevin Weekes, the Senators are actively working to sign DeBrincat to an extension.
** Keep an eye 👁 on**
I’m told the @Senators are actively working to sign F DeBrincat to a Contract Extension. Situation remains fluid. @espn @NHL @NHLNetwork @TSNHockey @DKSportsbook #HockeyTwitter pic.twitter.com/Zij3uvbmou— Kevin Weekes (@KevinWeekes) October 5, 2022
The Ottawa Senators are building a real team. They signed veteran Claude Giroux as a free agent and extended key young pieces Josh Norris and Tim Stützle to eight-year extensions. Their biggest move however was acquiring Alex DeBrincat from the Blackhawks in exchange for the 7th overall pick (Kevin Korchinski) and the 39th overall pick (Paul Ludwinski). The 24-year-old is a two-time 40-goal scorer and had a career-high 78 points in 2021-22. DeBrincat is in the last year of a three-year, $19.2 million dollar bridge deal he signed with the Blackhawks.
Contract Expectations
There aren’t too many 24-year-olds with as much goal-scoring prowess as Alex DeBrincat. He possesses an incredibly lethal shot, and the hockey IQ to use it efficiently. As an undersized player, DeBrincat uses his size to his advantage, evading defenders and exploding into high-danger scoring chances.
After a massive trade to Florida, Matthew Tkachuk signed an eight-year deal with an annual average value of $9.5-million. Although he came off a career-high season with 104 points, far exceeding DeBrincat, this is the closest recent comparison. Other comparables are Jeff Skinner in Buffalo and Ottawa’s captain in Brady Tkachuk.
A realistic contract with a projected rise in the coming years would be an eight-year deal with an annual average value hovering around $9 million.
What This Means
Ottawa has locked up its core for the next few years. They currently have six forwards signed through at least 2025-26. Ottawa is clearly attempting to build a sustainable contender for years to come. DeBrincat adds an elite goal-scoring touch to a team with several dynamic playmakers, and in a short pre-season campaign has already looked fantastic. Ottawa’s cap situation is becoming very tight, however, this extension is a necessity to continue their upward trajectory into contention.
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