After weeks of rumours and what felt like endless “today’s the day” moments, it sounds like we’re finally reaching the end of the Alex DeBrincat drama.
From the news release, the conditions on the pick are as follows…
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.
In Kubalik, the Senators are getting back a 27-year old forward that put 45 points with the Red Wings last season. He’s got one year left on his current deal at $2.5 million. Meanwhile Donovan Sebrango is a 21-year old left shot defenceman that was selected in the 3rd round back in 2020. He’s an Ottawa-native and split last season between the AHL and ECHL.
It goes without saying but DeBrincat and his Camp can’t feel great about how this all played out. He was able to hand-pick his destination, which was important obviously, but he’s not coming away with the max-term deal that was expected here.
In the end, the acquisition of Alex DeBrincat was a roll of the dice for the Ottawa Senators. When they went out and traded for DeBrincat last summer, it was a flashy move by an organization desperate to make a splash. It was represented a long-awaited shift in the mindset of this organization but it came with some risk.
With two years of team control remaining, the Sens knew they would have some work to do to convince the Michigan-born forward that Ottawa was a place he could call home for the long haul. It didn’t work out that way obviously but it’s the kind of chance you have to take when you’re trying to make that leap from rebuilding to contending. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, kind of thing.
Although looking at the team’s cap situation going forward, you can make an argument that the Senators may have ultimately dodged a bullet here. Another high-priced forward, and an undersized winger no less, would have made things particular tight from a salary cap perspective for years to come. And with a big ol’ Jake Sanderson extension looming, that would have been a tough spot for the Senators.
Perhaps this is for the best for all sides.
There has been an uncomfortable amount of mud slinging that has taken place publicly in the last few weeks with both sides eager to be heard in the court of public opinion. But in the end, there are no bad guys here really. Alex DeBrincat wanted to make sure he cashed in and a city where he and his family are comfortable and the Ottawa Senators had to do what’s best for the Ottawa Senators.
That’s how this business works sometimes. No hard feelings though, Alex. Make sure you look up during the 30-second tribute video that plays during the first TV timeout of your return in a Red Wings jersey. It will be jammed with clips of you missing the net and hitting the post.
With a resolution on the DeBrincat situation, you can expect a busy few days for the Senators. As I mentioned yesterday, they are very much in the mix on Vladimir Tarasenko and now have the cap space to make that happen.
