Something had to have happened for him to not want to stay in Ottawa. They should be getting new ownership, and the team is stacked with solid, young talent. He could make 8-9m for 7-8 years playing with Stutzle, Norris, Tkachuk, etc.

It's just so weird, unless he just doesn't want to play in Canada.

My main comment is that the Sens are just entering their window, and a futures package like this likely doesn't meet their needs anymore.

What about Kuznetsov + 2023 2nd for DeBrincat?

Lets get the deal done

Caps do that. Not sure Ottawa should

Due diligence. Apparently he just hasn't said if he wants to stay until new owners are in.

Doesn't sound positive from his side, so I'd rather just kick him out and get the best return.

He likely just doesn't want to play in Canada.

Yeah, maybe it would need more, but I'm not sure what else Ottawa would target. Protas for the bottom 6?

Protas would be a great pickup but not sure if the caps want to move him

"Ottawa has begun exploring the trade market for Alex DeBrincat". Dorion had to be exploring to trade DeBrincat last TDL...when a team could get two years of playoffs out of him on a RFA.
Sens really have their hands tied with 9m QO which they really can't afford. DeBrincat is such a difficult trade asking for UFA money, and the Sens want a big return. I really can't see a trade for him this summer.

Oh, I don't think it's that at all. I just think he can have better options to be on a better team....Wings/Sabres/Pens maybe others next summer as a UFA. Either way he's going to get a big salary this year even if doesn't extend for any team.
Sens have kinda screwed themselves cap wise....outta playoff team shouldn't be at the cap. He just might like a different (better) team.

The Sabers are a good option. But I dont think Buffalo shoots for him because they have young wingers like Kulich, Quinn, Rosen, and JJ who need the ice time. Buffalo needs a 1A goalie and a solid RHD, their scoring is fine.

The Wings are a close, but further behind the Sens. Both teams want to be shooting for contention soon, so it's unlikely the Sens move Cat to a division rival when both teams want to start contending. Unless the trade is mutually beneficial for their contention windows, it won't happen.
Also, the Sabres are division rivals as well.

And the Penguins window is closing very fast. An aging core, not a very deep prospect pool, I can't see him wanting to there.

It might be a sleeper team on the east, or a contending team in the west. Maybe the Canes bite. But, I can't see it being any of their division rivals, when all of which want to contend for that wildcard spot.

Ownership uncertainty but players are also not crazy/blind

Look at the GM and coaching staff, you're not going to win anything lead by those guys. I would be waiting to see if ownership clears the deck before comitting there too, even if it was my childhood city and favorite team



Some people have been telling me that Pierre Dorion is a good GM.

See Mark Stone situation



Not only that, Dorion has destroyed the draft capital and prospect pool too. Started with drafting Tyler freaking Boucher 10th OA in 2021

Sucks to see a team so stacked with talent get completely misused.

Mismanaged, and miscoached

See last off-season, he went out and paid to get DeBrincat plus lucked into Claude Giroux. People thought the Sens were poised to make the playoffs

What they didn't see is that in the meantime, he changed Nick Paul and Connor Brown into Mathieu Joseph and Dylan Gambrell which made a major difference in our 2-way play at 5v5

Not enough money to pay them? Damn, he makes so many mistakes regarding that as well, like paying Cam Talbot almost 3 M$ more instead of keeping the better, younger, cheaper goalie who would have carried the Sens into the playoffs.

He is a good guy but way over his head with this job. Same with DJ Smith, great guy, not NHL head coach, should be an assistant too

I think trading a first and two seconds for Chychrun was terrible too. Chabot and Sanderson are fine to fill out a left side, where there is a massive gaping hole is on the right. Just an all around terrible trade. Chychrun wasn't what the team needed.

Yeah, just like DeBrincat wasn't the real need. He became necessary due to Norris injury (best shot on the PP) but now I hope they trade DeBrincat for 2 good 2-way middle six forwards like Nick Paul and Connor Brown. Building a roster isn't just throwing the most popular names on paper.

Chychrun in itself wouldn't be bad if we didn't have Chabot or Sanderson like you said, but there's also Brannstrom who is excellent. But on the right side? Zub is the only competent guy. I hope Sanderson will play RD because he is that good that his game won't be affected.

The Gustavsson for Talbot trade hurt so bad. Gus would have given all the time needed for Sogaard and/or Merilainen to develop.